Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Collection on Art Barduhn, 1920-1953
Overview of the Collection
- Title
- Collection on Art Barduhn
- Dates
- 1920-1953 (inclusive)19201953
1943-1953 (bulk)19431953 - Quantity
- .63 cubic feet, (2 boxes, including 130 photographs)
- Collection Number
- 2008.4 (accession)
- Summary
- Photographs and other materials related to the early career of a musician and performer from Seattle
- Repository
-
Museum of History & Industry, Sophie Frye Bass Library
P.O. Box 80816
Seattle, WA
98108
Telephone: 2063241126 x102
library@mohai.org - Access Restrictions
-
The collection is open to the public by appointment.
- Languages
- English.
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Arthur S. Barduhn (b. 1922), son of Carl E. and Blanche Etta Douglas Barduhn, began studying piano at age 4 and formed his first band at age 15, while attending Lincoln High School in Seattle. Barduhn attended the University of Washington School of Music intermittently beginning in 1941, studying composition and conducting. He joined the Coast Guard in 1942, serving at Pearl Harbor near Honolulu as a Seaman 1st class; later, having proven himself as a musician and performer, his rating was changed to Musician 2nd class. Barduhn performed with the Coast Guard band in 1943 and 1944, first in Honolulu, then in the St. Louis Guard District.
After the war, Barduhn formed a quartet with three fellow servicemen, traveling to play at lounges and hotels. Barduhn performed with various musicians before forming the Art Barduhn Trio in the early 1950s, with Barduhn playing piano, vibraphone and accordion, Glenn Thompson on guitar and Russ Phillips on bass. The trio performed at many venues in Seattle and elsewhere, with regular gigs at the Georgian room of the Olympic Hotel, the Grove Club in the Grosvenor House, and contracts for work in other states, including a summer stint at the Gay 90s Bar in the Last Frontier Hotel in Las Vegas. The group also recorded music with Linden records.
Barduhn's early musical career grew hand-in-hand with his television and radio career with KING-TV in Seattle. In 1949, Barduhn and University of Washington classmate Stan Boreson were invited by KING-TV to participate in "Campus Capers," a local 15 minute television show featuring university students. Afterwards, Barduhn and Boreson starred in their own television show "Two B's at the Keys," which offered viewers music, parodies, and comedy sketches, with an emphasis on the Scandinavian humor for which Boreson is still known. The two musicians, along with trio members Glenn Thompson and Russ Phillips, were contracted with the Clipper Oil Company in 1950 for the radio-television show "Clipper Capers." The trio plus Boreson also performed in People's National Bank's "People's Parade" in 1952-1953, and in public service radio programs for the Office of Price Stabilization. The popularity of the group grew as a result of this exposure, increasing the demand for live performances by the Art Barduhn Trio and Stan Boreson.
Art Barduhn married his wife Marie in Minneapolis in 1946 and the couple had a son and daughter. Art Barduhn continues to perform as a musician based in California as of 2009.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
Photographs, scripts, correspondence, and other materials related to the early musical career of Seattle musician and performer Art Barduhn.
Early photographs depict Barduhn's parents, and Barduhn and his older brother, Allen, as children. The beginnings of Barduhn's musical career are documented in photographs of his performances as a musician and leader of a Coast Guard band, circa 1942-1943, including performances in Honolulu, where he was stationed. The photographs follow the trajectory of his career throughout the late 1940s and early 1950s, depicting early trios as well as the group with which Barduhn made a name in local television, radio and live performances: Barduhn, guitarist Glenn Thompson, bassist Russ Phillips, and accordionist and humorist Stan Boreson. Photographs, correspondence, contracts, scripts and ephemera document the group's performances in front of live audiences and well as in the KING-TV studio, and the various TV and radio programs with which the group was involved in the early 1950s.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Alternative Forms Available
View selections from the collection in digital format by clicking on the camera icons in the inventory below.
Restrictions on Use
The Museum of History & Industry is the owner of the materials in the Sophie Frye Bass Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from MOHAI before any reproduction use. The museum does not necessarily hold copyright to all of the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from the copyright owners.
Preferred Citation
Collection on Art Barduhn, Museum of History & Industry, Seattle
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
Arranged in series and subseries:
- Photographs and drawings
- Family
- Coast Guard
- Art Barduhn musical groups
- KING-TV
- Miscellaneous photographs
- Drawings
- Papers
- University of Washington
- Coast Guard
- King-TV
- Correspondence
- Programs, brochures and publications
- Ephemera
- Miscellaneous
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.
Photographs and drawingsReturn to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Family |
||
Box/Folder | ||
1/1 | 1: Couple near house, probably Barduhn's parents Carl E. and Blanche Etta
Barduhn |
circa 1920 |
1/1 | 2: Man, probably Carl E. Barduhn
Merrihew Studio , Seattle (photographer)
|
circa 1920 |
1/2 | 3: B. Etta and Allen John Barduhn (2 years old)
Pinney , Seattle (photographer)
|
1920 |
1/2 | 4: Young Arthur Barduhn and his brother Allen "Buddie"
Lothrop , Seattle (photographer)
Writing on verso: Buddie - 4 years, Arthur - 15 months
|
1922 November 24 |
1/2 | 5: Young Arthur Barduhn and his brother Allen "Buddie"
Lothrop , Seattle (photographer)
Writing on verso: To Auntie Gertie & Uncle Will From Buddie - age 10 and Arthur - age 7. Xmas
1928.
|
1928 Christmas |
Coast Guard |
||
Box/Folder | ||
1/3 | 6: Portrait of Art Barduhn in military uniform holding mallets
Stamped on verso: Art Barduhn, ME 21431, 2107 No. 57th, Seattle. Wash.
Written on verso: A.D. Barduhn S1c R |
circa 1943 |
1/4-5 | 7-10: Art Barduhn performing with Coast Guard band in Honolulu 4 photographs
Barduhn is pictured playing piano, string bass and trumpet.
|
1943 |
1/6 | 11-13: Art Barduhn with Coast Guard band performing "The Wolves in Ship's
Clothing"
All 3 images are marked on verso: Art Barduhn S1c R
Typed on verso of 11: Maier Lehner and Barduhn give out with a terrific vocal. (Just ask them) Typed of verso of 12: "Wolves" in Hilo. Pictured with the CO and his wife. |
1943 |
1/7 | 14-15: Art Barduhn on piano in Coast Guard band with 4 others
Written on verso of 14: Frank "Buss" Gauding on bass. "Broadcast"
|
194243 |
1/7 | 16: Frank "Buzz" Gauding playing bass in front of CBS
microphone |
1943 |
1/7 | 17: Art Barduhn playing vibraphone in Coast Guard band with 4 others
Other musicians identified on verso as: Reeves Leo Murphy "Murph" on guitar; George "Willard" Powers
on bass; Howard Lemon on drums; and John Maier on trumpet
|
1943 |
1/8 | 18: U.S. Navy Band performing with Art Barduhn on piano
Typed on verso: This picture for my good friend and instructor PM "Mac" McClure. Chief Corricks US
Navy Band. Art Barduhn S1c USCG at the piano.
|
circa 1943 |
Art Barduhn musical groups |
circa 1954-1953 | |
Publicity photographs |
||
Box/Folder | ||
1/9 | 19-21: Art Barduhn 3 photographs
Showing Art Barduhn on piano and trumpet.
|
circa 1945 |
1/10-11 | 22-24: Art Barduhn trio: Barduhn with Glenn Thompson and Helen
Chamberlain
Doug Madison , Seattle (photographer)
3 photographs
Photographs printed in lower border: "Art Barduhn Trio" and "Exclusive Management The Jack Belmont
Agency. Seattle Office-314 Second & Pine Building.
The photographs depict Barduhn on vibraphone or accordion, Thompson on guitar and Chamberlain on double bass. |
circa 1945 |
1/12 | 25-26: Art Barduhn trio: Barduhn with 2 unidentified men Photo 26:
Kennell-Ellis Artist Photographers (photographer)
Photo 25 printed as 8 x 10 and as postcards, with caption in lower border: Art Barduhn
Trio.
Photo 26 inked on photo: Art Barduhn 3 |
circa 1948 |
1/13 | 27: Art Barduhn trio: Barduhn with 2 unidentified men
Mr. & Mrs. Claude Harta Studio (photographer)
Guitarist is the same as in 25 and 26.
|
circa 1948 |
1/14 | 28: Art Barduhn trio: Barduhn with Glenn Thompson and Russ
Phillips
Hal Kaminske , Seattle (photographer)
Printed in lower border: Art Barduhn Trio.
Printed as 8 x 10 and postcard. |
circa early 1950s |
1/15 | circa early 1950s | |
1/16 | 34: Art Barduhn trio: Barduhn with Glenn Thompson and Russ
Phillips
Printed in lower border: Art Barduhn Trio.
|
circa early 1950s |
1/17 | 35: Art Barduhn trio: Barduhn with Glenn Thompson and Russ
Phillips
8 x 10 printed in lower border: Art Barduhn Trio.
Postcard printed in lower border: The Art Barduhn Trio. KING-Television. Linden Records. Management: Associated Booking Corp. Beverly Hills, Calif. |
circa 1953 |
1/18 | 36: Art Barduhn trio: Barduhn with Glenn Thompson and Russ
Phillips
Kaminske , Seattle
Three publicity shots of the trio printed as one photo, with caption: The Art Barduhn Trio. More
than "a Trio of Trios" Linden Records
|
circa 1953 |
1/19 | circa early 1950s | |
1/20 | 38: Art Barduhn and Stan Boreson
Color photograph
|
circa early 1950s |
1/21 | 39: Art Barduhn and Stan Boreson
Printed with inscription: Sincerely Art Barduhn and Stan Boreson on "Clipper Capers"
|
circa early 1950s |
Performances and other photographs of Barduhn's musical
groups |
||
Box/Folder | ||
1/22-29 | 40-47: Performance with Eddie Peabody at the Naval Hospital in
Bremerton 8 photographs
This series of photographs documents a visit by Commander Eddie Peabody of the U.S. Naval Reserve,
accompanied by Art Barduhn, to the U.S. Naval Hospital in Bremerton Washington. Includes 4 photographs of Peabody and
Barduhn visiting and performing on Ward "A," and 4 photographs of Barduhn on piano and Peabody on banjo, performing in
an auditorium in the Recreation Building of the hospital.
|
1949 April 13 |
1/30 | 48: Eddie Peabody on banjo accompanied by an early Art Barduhn trio on a
children's hospital ward
The trio is the same depicted in photos 25-26.
|
circa 1949 |
1/31-35 | 49-54: Art Barduhn, Russ Phillips and Glenn Thompson performing at
unidentified venue, accompanied by various others
Parker Studio , Seattle (photographer)
Accompanied by various other individuals, including a man on piano, a woman singing, and a police
officer singing.
|
circa 1952 |
1/36-39 | 55a-d: Quartet of Art Barduhn, Russ Phillips, Glenn Thompson and Stan
Boreson performing on outdoor stage 4 photographs
Alfred Witter , Seattle (photographer)
|
circa early 1950s |
1/40 | 56: Trio of Art Barduhn, Russ Phillips and Glenn Thompson performing with
couples dancing
Roger Dudley , Seattle (photographer)
|
circa early 1950s |
1/41 | 57: Quartet of Art Barduhn, Russ Phillips, Glenn Thompson and Stan
Boreson performing in front of sign reading "Clipper Service" |
circa early 1950s |
1/42 | 58: Trio of Art Barduhn, Russ Phillips and Glenn Thompson in the Gay 90s
Lounge of the Last Frontier Hotel, Las Vegas
One 35mm color slide and 1 print
|
circa |
1/43 | 59: Quartet of Art Barduhn, Stan Boreson, Russ Phillips and Glenn
Thompson joking during performance
Wilson Weaver , Seattle (photographer)
|
circa early 1950s |
1/44 | 60: Quartet of Art Barduhn, Stan Boreson, Russ Phillips and Glenn
Thompson and unidentified woman holding trumpet
Wilson Weaver , Seattle (photographer)
|
circa early 1950s |
1/45 | 61: Snapshot of Art Barduhn, Glenn Thompson and Russ Phillips inserted
into the back of a menu from the Olympic Hotel
Written on menu: The Olympic Trio. Famous all over the Country
|
1951 |
1/46 | 62: Trio of Art Barduhn, Glenn Thompson and Russ Phillips and 2 other
musicians on drums and clarinet |
circa early 1950s |
1/47 | 63-69: Art Barduhn and group on tour
7 photographs 3 x 5 inches
Barduhn with unidentified group of men and one woman outdoors, presumably a band on tour. A
chartered North Coast Lines bus is visible in a few of the photographs.
|
1947 March |
1/48 | 70-74: Art Barduhn and group of men and one woman, probably a band, outside
building
4 photographs 2.5 x 3.5 inches
|
undated |
Box | ||
: KING-TV |
||
Box/Folder | ||
1/49 | circa 1950 | |
1/50-51 | 77-100: Art Barduhn, Glenn Thompson and Russ Phillips accompanying Eddie
Peabody on banjo in front of KING-TV camera
24 photographs 4 x 5 inches
|
circa 1950 |
1/52 | 101-118: "Clipper Capers" episode on television
18 photographs 3.5 x 3.5 inches
This set of snapshots depicts Art Barduhn, Russ Phillips, Glenn Thompson and Stan Boreson and others
on a television screen performing in what appears to be an episode of their show "Clipper Capers."
|
circa 1949 |
: Miscellaneous photographs |
||
Box/Folder | ||
1/53-54 | 119-120: VFW Community Service awards being presented to Stan Boreson and the
Art Barduhn Trio 2 photographs
|
circa early 1950s |
1/55 | 121: Hotel Olympic marquee showing "Art Barduhn Trio" |
circa early 1950s |
1/56 | 122-129: Art Barduhn and others in outdoor scenes
8 photographs 2.5 x 3.5 inches
|
circa 1945-1955 |
1/57 | 130: Photograph of collage of clippings about the Art Barduhn trio in Las
Vegas at the Gay 90s Lounge in the Hotel Last Frontier |
1953 August-September |
: Drawings |
||
Box/Folder | ||
1/18 | 131: Caricature of Art Barduhn with three cardboard "hairpieces" by Al
Pratt, with accompanying letter
In the letter, Pratt suggests to Barduhn that he might want to reduce the glare of his bald pate on
television by using a hairpiece. The 3 "styles" are annotated on back with humorous descriptions.
|
1951 |
1/59 | 132: Caricature of Art Barduhn |
undated |
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box/Folder | ||
2/1 | 133-134: University of Washington 2 items
|
1941, 1948 |
Coast Guard |
1944-1945 | |
Box/Folder | ||
2/2 | 135: Correspondence and press release 6 items
|
1944 |
2/3 | 136: Coast Guard Orchestra commendation |
1944 |
2/4-8 | 137-141: Coast Guard radio program scripts 5 scripts
Art Barduhn provided the music for the programs.
|
1944 February-June |
2/9-10 | 142-144: Coast Guard Orchestra programs 3 programs
|
1944-1945 |
2/11 | 145-147:
Soundings magazine 3 issues
October 1944, April 1945 and May 1945 issues of U.S. Coast Guard publication
Soundings, featuring mentions of Art Barduhn and the Coast Guard band.
|
1944-1945 |
2/12 | 148: Clippings |
circa 1944-1945 |
KING-TV Radio and TV |
||
Box/Folder | ||
2/13 | 149.1-3: Contracts and correspondence with Clipper Oil Company for radio and
television shows |
1950 |
Scripts |
||
Box/Folder | ||
2/14 | 150-155: Clipper Capers 6 scripts
|
circa 1951 |
2/15 | 156-165: People's Parade 10 scripts
|
1952 January-April |
2/16 | 166-169: People's Parade 4 scripts
|
1953 March-April |
2/17 | 170-174: Office of Price Stabilization 5 scripts
|
undated |
2/18 | 175: KING-TV script, unknown program 1 script
|
undated |
Correspondence |
1950-1953 | |
Box/Folder | ||
2/19 | 176: Letters of thanks 6 letters
Letters of thanks from the State of Washington, the American Red Cross, the U.S. Naval Hospital at
Bremerton, and the Office of Price Stabilization for musical performances.
|
1949-1952 |
2/20 | 177: Miscellaneous correspondence 3 items
|
1950-1953 |
Box | ||
: Programs, brochures and publications
Materials which mention Art Barduhn and the Art Barduhn Trio
|
||
Box/Folder | ||
2/21 | 178-179: Seattle entertainment guides
Marquee weekly entertainment guide, December 12, 1947 and
Magazine Seattle, official monthly publication of the Hotel Greeters of
Seattle, February 1952.
|
1947, 1952 |
2/22 | 180.1-4: Olympic Hotel (Seattle) brochures and program 4 items
|
1952, undated |
2/23 | 181.1-3: Pages from
Fabulous Las Vegas 3 items
Related to the Art Barduhn Trio's 11 week engagement at the Gay 90s Lounge of the Hotel Last Frontier
in Las Vegas.
|
1953 August |
2/24 | 182-184: Other publications mentioning performances by Art Barduhn 3 items
Madigan Messenger, publication of Madigan Army Hospital, October 17, 1952;
Round Table, publication of the Advertising and Sales Club of Seattle,
September 22 and November 24, 1953; and
Seattle Business, publication of the Seattle Chamber of Commerce, March
10, 1954.
|
1952-1954 |
: Ephemera |
||
Box/Folder | ||
2/25 | 186: Promotional brochures, postcard and business card 6 items
|
circa 1948-1952 |
2/26 | 187: Clippings |
circa 1949-1953 |
Miscellaneous |
||
Box/Folder | ||
2/27 | 188: Typescript essay, with handwritten corrections, on Art Barduhn and the
Art Barduhn trio 2 pages
|
circa 1953 |