Bill Bardo
Bill Bardo Orchestra
From the Dallas Morning News (Dallas, Texas), dated April 26, 1938:
Entertainment Is Forte of Bardo’s Band
From advance reports on Bill Bardo’s Band, the Century Room will be long on entertainment features when the nineteen-piece organization opens at the Hotel Adolphus spot on May 3.
Bardo and his band recently returned to the United States from a two-year European tour during which it played London, Paris, Vienna and other major cities of the Old World. The opening here is of such interest to the Hitz organization, which manages the Adolphus, that Carl Snider, in charge of entertainment for the hotel chain, will come here from New York. Milton Roemer, manager of the orchestra and former owner and manager of Ozzie Nelson’s Band, is expected Sunday.
The three feminine vocalists and entertainers, Connie Randall, Patricia Ryan and Carolyn Knight, are on the eye-arresting side when it comes to looks. They should go over big if their singing personality matches their beauty.
From the Dallas Morning News (Dallas, Texas), dated April 29, 1939:
Bill Bardo Set for Return Engagement at Local Room
By Victor Davis – Bill Bardo’s Orchestra, one of the most popular Century Room bands last year, probably will follow Everett Hoagland into the Hotel Adolphus spont on May 19. The qualification is a minor one. The Adolphus wants Bardo, Bill wants the job, but the deal is being held up until a technical matter of booking arrangement is cleared.
The encore is a decided tribute to the violin-playing maestro, whose versatile band and show left a decided impression on Century Room customers. So decided in fact that Manager Otto Schubert reports that he had had more requests for Bardo’s return than any other orchestra, with the possible exception of Jimmy Dorsey.
The current Bardo crew of seventeen has been practically completely changed since its previous appearance – most of the changes being for the better. The new band is better musically and plays more danceable music than the old crew. Attesting to the latter fact are the collegians – the severest critics any band faces. Bill’s band has been enthusiastically received on numerous college dates hereabouts.
Since last year, Bardo has stylized his band somewhat, but it still remains one of the most versatile organizations in the business, able to dish out the solid, punchy swing stuff music in which the band backgrounds the maestro’s very fine violin playing.
Somewhat larger than the average dance band, Bardo’s crew brings along its own entertainment and presents a complete floor show. Featured in this and during regular sessions are the Four Ahn Sisters, a bevy of cuties, who are as fine in the vocalizing line as anything Dallasites have listened to this or any other season. Bardo still features his Glee Club, various vocal ensembles and numerous novelties.
From the Boston Herald (Boston, Massachusetts), dated February 7, 1941:
RKO Boston – Bill Bardo
Bill Bardo and his band have taken over the job of presenting the current stage amusement at the RKO Boston and will in consequence be on view through Sunday night. The band presents a fairly routine sort of variety show which the audience evidently enjoys. In all about 17 numbers are given, each designed to display the talents of the various members of the band.
As is the custom nowadays, the band does everything but settle down to the business of providing smartly arranged dance music. In the “Ferryboat Serenade” number, the quartet sings; in the “Ragtime Cowboy Joe” the band turns comedian; in “Toot That Trumpet” the band turns to imitation. This adds up to entertainment, of course, and so justifies the band being billed as the stage show.
Among the other numbers presented are “Hungarian Czardas,” featuring Bill Bardo and his violin; “Mexican Magic,” sung by Esther Todd; “Did Your Mother Come from Ireland,” sung by Jesse Vance; “The WPA Boys,” a genuinely amusing comedy song by three members of the band, and excerpts from “Porgy and Bess.”
Masters and Follins are billed as a vaudeville specialty and entertain the audience with a low-comedy dance and contortionist routine. On the screen are “Remedy for Riches,” the latest of the Dr. Christian Pictures, with Jean Hersholt and Dorothy Lovett, and “Caught in the Act,” a comedy with Henry Armetta. – R.F.E., Jr.
From the Dallas Morning News (Dallas, Texas), dated July 10, 1944:
Bardo for Plantation
Bill Bardo, who played here at the Hotel Adoplhus several seasons ago, will bring his orchestra back to Dallas on July 21. This time he’ll take his stand at the Plantation replacing the current maestro, Nick Stuart.