The poster above is from the 1936 Summer Tour in Stanley theatre
March 1937 at The Paramount Theatre with Benny Goodman (personal collection) This photo was used by the Indiana University to promote their musical Swing in June 2013
Sourced from Paul Testa with thanks
April 29th 1937 menu
May 11 1937 Chick Webb and Benny Goodman battle of the bands at the Savoy Ballroom (1)
Click here for info on Baby Dodds, a great influence on Gene Krupa
From the June 1937 movieHollywood Hotel (3) See below for the scene playing Sing Sing Sing
From Hollywood Hotel (7)
From the 1937 movie The Big Broadcast (personal collection from Paul Testa)
From The Big Broadcast (7) Look at those non tunable toms.Click here for info on Slingerland Drums
Publicity shot for The Big Broadcast
California CBS Studios Rehearsal/Broadcast
See the great clip below for the Quartet playing on Dec 17 1959 over 20 years later
With Wife Ethel at Gene's Right. Photo thanks to Lee Sherpa (1938)
Gene and Ethel (thanks to the Rare Jazz Photos Group)
This Ethel was a Fort Worth singer who travelled with the Big Bands in the 30's and 40's. According to her daughter they were engaged to be married but never did.
Carnegie Hall New York early1900's (5) Click here for a definitive look at 1938 Carnegie Hall Concert. Buy Jon Hancock's book here
What's on? (5)
January 1938 Down Beat Magazine cover in preparation for the Carnegie Hall concert on January 16 (personal collection)
Program notes booklet explaining swing music in the original program left and original concert ticket above (5)
From the 1939 movieSome Like It Hot featuring Bob Hope also known as Rhythm Romance. See below
Paramount Studios November 1938 (photo H.Kipper)
World Fair 1939
World Fair NYC 1940
DINNER MENU FROM THE COLLEGE INN AT THE HOTEL SHERMAN, CHICAGO, DATED SATURDAY, MARCH 25, 1939. MENU IS AUTOGRAPHED BY GENE KRUPA AND HIS ORCHESTRA. 14 AUTOGRAPHS INCLUDING GENE KRUPA, SINGER IRENE DAYE, SAM MUSIKER, SAM DONAHUE, BOB SNYDER, DALTON RIZZOTTO, RAY CAMERON, REMO BIONDI, HORACE ROLLINS, MUSKY RUFFO, DICK LOTTER, BRUCE SQUIRES, JACK MOOTZ AND AL SHERMAN.
Irene Daye, one of Gene's early vocalists (click here)
Cedar Point Dance Hall Ohio 1941
Matchbook from The Panther Room at The Hotel Sherman. All above items from personal collection.
Saturday April 4th, 1942
1942
Westwood Gardens Dearborn Michigan Bar Menu 1940's
1940's Menu Washington D.C Nightclub
Confirming telegram for Krupa Band to play at Penn State’s Sigma Pi Orchid Dance. Telegram received at State College, Pennsylvania on April 5. The dance was on Saturday, April 27, 1940. Krupa and his band confirmed arrival by bus on the Friday night at 6:00 pm.
Gene with Luigi Paulino Alfredo Francesco Antonio Balassoni better known as Louie Bellson here and here
Early 1940's publicity shots
This photo is addressed to Eddie Brown who worked at the Canobie Lake Park New Hampshire Dance Hall. From The 30's to the 50's it was a popular entertainment destination. In 1957 a fire, hurricane, robbery and the decline of the Big Band Era made it too overwhelming to continue.
From 1943 (L) and 1958 (above)
From the 1941 movieBall Of Fire Barbara Stanwyck singing Drum Boogie (see below) or was it Martha Tilton (1) and here
Gene's 33rd Birthday in 1942 with Jimmy and Tommy Dorsey and friend Carol Bruce (3)
From the 1942 movie Syncopation. Click here for a for a nice solo at 1.26
World War 2 Bass Drum Skin. "Keep 'Em Flying" is written in the bottom half of the skin (4) This Bass Drum is now in the Zildjian Museum. Click here
Click here for the great clarinetist Artie Shawin the left photo. Gene's "Keep 'Em Flying" Bass Drum again from this concert with Artie Shaw (photo taken by a fan named Jane Nelson in the early 40's)
Playing with Tommy Dorsey and Roy Eldridge
Gene's last performance with Tommy Dorsey was June 11 1944, then Buddy rejoined the band
1943 Down Beat Poll Winners Tommy Dorsey and Gene
Gene was made an example of and convicted of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. The jury's verdict was later over ruled in the California District Court of Appeals on May 31st 1944. (1)
(Personal Collection)
Personal collection(Click here for more info on his conviction)
(Personal Collection)
More info here and an interview with Buddy De Franco
Back in business after the arrest at New York City's Capitol Theatre in 1944 (1)
The Band that swings with strings 1944 (1) An attempt to soften his image after his conviction
Playing at the JATP concert in Torino Italy 17.3.53 with JC Heard above
Gene spoke up against racism. Look at the personnel in his bands
Another great drummer, Joe Morello (signed photo). Find out more here and here. Gene could have quite easily started playing Ludwig drums had they sold a set to his father at cost price back in the 1920's. He was loyal to Slingerland for his whole career. It's the little things that count."From little things big things grow" as the song says
At the Last Frontier Hotel (The Gay Nineties Bar), 1955 with the two spotlights Eddie Shu (Sax), Bobby Scott (piano) and John Drew (bass).
July 1956 at The Cotton Club with Gene Krupa
Gene Played with multi instrumentalist Eddie Shu from 1954 till 1958 including the 1954 Australian Tour. (click here)
See more info on The August 1954 Australian Tour half way down the Gene Krupa Publications page here.
Benny, Teddy and Gene just before the start of 1953 tour (7)
New York rehearsal for 1953 tour
Gene led the band when Goodman was sick for the 20.5.53 concert
Discussing a recording session with Buddy Rich for the 1956 album Krupa and Rich (click here for Bernie's tune). Or was it for Burning Beat, recorded January 1962? (click here for duet).
1954
Behind Cozy Cole's kit filming The Glenn Miller Story (1954) See below for scene with Louis Armstrong
Reunited for the first time in 17 years, the Benny Goodman Quartet gets together, this time to record exciting music for "The Benny Goodman Story." Lionel, Gene, Teddy and Benny.
One of my favourite albums from 1958. Click here for some great info on Gerry Mulligan
Timex Jazz Show with Gary Moore 1958
A shot from the late 1950's
1958 Timex Jazz Rehearsal
The famous "A great day in Harlem photograph" click here and here for musician position
Out takes from the photo session above
Sonny Payne and Gene Newport Jazz Festival 1958 here and here
(Personal Collection)
(Personal Collection)
Gene at Billie Holiday's funeral at Manhattan's Church of St Paul 21.7.59
Lobby Cards
(Personal Collection). See below for The Gene Krupa Story trailer. At least Gene did the drumming. Sal Mineo put in valiant effortmiming his parts. The movie is short on facts.
Timex Jazz Show at The Lincoln Centre's Philharmonic Hall, New York City (personal collection) 23.10.72
A mid 1940's shot with cornet player Wild Bill Davison. His final recording was with Wild Bill and Eddie Condon in 1972 called Jazz At The New School 45 years after Condon's Chicagoans in 1927. Love that Bass Drum
(Personal Collection)
June 29 1973 with Benny
Newport Jazz Festival 1973
From The New Yorker Magazine October 18 2021 edition in the middle of a new article about the Beatles by David Remnick. Found and posted by Brooks Tegler
Receiving an award from Papa Jo Jones in Central Park NYC July 1973 from The New York Percussion Centre
His last performance was with the Goodman Quartet on August 18th 1973 3 days after this party at Saratoga (1)A sombre moment with two of the most famous drummers in history
The above three photos taken from (1) Jerry Lewis, Gene and Buddy. Click below for a Jerry and Buddy drum battle in 1955 and a Gene and Buddy battle from the Sammy Davis Jr Show on 25 February 1966 (season 1 episode 7)
Love that snare drum
Rehearsal for The Sammy Davis Jr Show
Earlier shots of Gene and Buddy from the late 40's
Personal Collection
Laid to rest at The Holy Cross Cemetery in Calumet City Illinois (15.1.1909 - 16.10.1973)