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John Scott Trotter papers 1908-1975 , 1930-1970

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Trotter, John Scott
Title
John Scott Trotter papers 1908-1975   ( inclusive)
Dates
1930-1970 (bulk)
Quantity
186 cubic ft. (465 boxes) 416 F17s, 21 DOCs, 7 F20s, 4 F22s, 4 RECs, 12 PRBs, 1 PRL. Box Count: 1-406, 406A, 406B, 406C, 407-462.
Collection Number
08424
Summary
John Scott Trotter was a leading popular music arranger and orchestrator of the twentieth century. He arranged scores for the Hal Kemp Orchestra, the Kraft Music Hall radio program with Bing Crosby, the George Gobel and Bing Crosby television programs and the Charlie Brown-Peanuts television specials. This collection consists of his annotated scores; phonograph and audiotape recordings; photographs; and scrapbooks from the Hal Kemp and Kraft Music Hall years.
Repository
American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming
American Heritage Center
University of Wyoming
1000 E. University Ave.
Dept. 3924
Laramie, WY
82071
Telephone: 3077663756
ahcref@uwyo.edu
Access Restrictions
Access Restrictions

There are no access restrictions on the materials for research purposes, and the collection is open to the public.

Languages
English
Sponsor
The creation of the EAD-version of this finding aid was made possible through a grant from the National Historic Publications and Records Commission.
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Historical Note

John Scott Trotter was born in Charlotte, North Carolina, in 1908. At the age of seven, using his sister’s piano lesson books and the family piano, he taught himself to play the instrument. His parents then sent him for formal music lessons. He attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to study architecture. However, he and Hal Kemp, a childhood friend and fellow student at UNC, started a college band in 1925. Together they had musically entertained folks at home and once the Hal Kemp Orchestra began receiving recording contracts and international bookings, they traded their college education for music careers. In 1933, Kemp and Trotter made music history when the orchestra played at the Black Hawk Restaurant in Chicago for a national radio audience. The orchestra sound heard that night was largely the results of Trotter’s music arranging and thereafter became known as “The Hal Kemp Style.”

Trotter teamed with Bing Crosby in 1937 after they worked together in the motion picture “Pennies from Heaven” in 1936. Already an original in popular music, Crosby wanted a new music arranger and looked to Trotter to help enhance the Crosby style. They combined their talents for the next 17 years, Trotter most frequently directing and arranging Crosby’s music for radio, motion picture, and his Decca recordings. One of their most successful collaborations was Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas,” from the motion picture “Holiday Inn.” Trotter was also the music arranger and director in 1946 for the screenplay of “Abie’s Irish Rose,” music arranger and conductor for “Kiss the Boys Goodbye” in 1941, “Rhythm on the River” in 1940, and orchestrator for “Dr. Rhythm” in 1938, appearing as himself in the film with Bing Crosby.

When Crosby ended his Kraft Music Hall radio show in 1954, Trotter moved to television as the music director for “The George Gobel Show.” This association lasted for six years. In 1961, he was the composer for the pilot of the television drama, “Ben Casey,” and from 1964 to 1965, he and Crosby were again together on the television sitcom, “The Bing Crosby Show.” In 1966, Trotter began arranging music scores for the Bill Melendez, Sopwith Productions, Inc., animated cartoons for television, most notably the Charlie Brown-Peanuts and Babar the Elephant specials.

Trotter was known for his talent arranging classical music. He appeared as conductor in many national public events, including Ronald Reagan’s inaugural as Governor of California, patriotic shows during World War II and afterwards, television specials, and arranged music scores for Hollywood Academy Award shows. Trotter received an Oscar in 1971 for “A Boy Named Charlie Brown,” and in 1974, he received a Hall of Fame award for his participation as conductor of the 1942 Decca recording of Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas.” He was actively involved in fund raising events for many charitable causes in California ranging from historic preservation to music education. Trotter died in 1975 in Los Angeles, California.

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Content Description

This collection mainly consists of the annotated music scores and recordings of John Scott Trotter and his orchestra. The scores start with Trotter as the pianist and arranger for the Hal Kemp Orchestra (1925-1937). Included are scores for a majority of the popular songs performed on the Kraft Music Hall with Bing Crosby (1937-1954), the George Gobel (1954-1960) and Bing Crosby (1964-1965) television programs, and scores for the Charlie Brown-Peanuts and Babar the Elephant television specials (1966-1975). There are also annotated scores from other radio, television, motion picture, and guest appearances Trotter made throughout his music career. There is secondary sheet music of which Trotter added his own arrangements that are in this collection. Scores are arranged alphabetically by song title.

Most of the recordings in this collection, phonograph and reel-to-reel, are taken from the Kraft Music Hall radio programs with John Scott Trotter and his orchestra playing the popular songs of the times and Bing Crosby singing on several of the recordings. One phonograph album is of Bing Crosby’s Decca recordings. There are recordings of the Hal Kemp Orchestra, Charlie Brown-Peanuts specials and a few taped recordings from the George Gobel show. As possible, recordings are arranged by year.

Scripts in this collection are those from the Kraft Music Hall radio program, the George Gobel and Bing Crosby television programs, and the “Here’s the Show,” summer replacement for the Gobel show. Scripts are arranged by program title and number or by date if show number is unavailable.

In the General Series, there are photographs of Trotter taken throughout his life, including his early years with the Hal Kemp Orchestra. There are shots from his Kraft Music Hall years with various guest celebrities, and several with Bing Crosby. There are three scrapbooks of Trotter’s life with photographs, news clippings and memorabilia from college with the Hal Kemp Orchestra through the Kraft Music Hall and World War II years when Trotter and Crosby appeared on many Command Performance programs for the Armed Forces Radio Network. The collection contains mementos given Trotter from Crosby, music awards, newspaper clippings, and letters of appreciation to Trotter for his contributions to charitable causes. These letters are the only correspondence in this collection. Photographs and letters are arranged by year or name.

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Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Use

Copyright Information

The researcher assumes full responsibility for observing all copyright, property, and libel laws as they apply.

Preferred Citation

Preferred Citation

Item Description, Box Number, Folder Number, John Scott Trotter papers, 1908-1975, Collection Number 08424, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.

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Administrative Information

Related Materials

Related Materials

There are no other known archival collections created by John Scott Trotter as of the date of processing. For additional information about John Scott Trotter at the American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming, see:

Hal Kemp papers, Collection Number 04330 Carroll Carroll papers, Collection Number 03123 Perry Botkin papers, Collection Number 05998

Acquisition Information

Acquisition Information

Papers received from John Scott Trotter in 1975; J. Scott Kinghorn in 1984; and James L. Stewart in 2001.

Processing Note

Processing Information

The collection was processed by Rita Burleson in May 2005.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

Container List

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Motion picture music.
  • Radio music.
  • Swing music.
  • Television music.

Personal Names

  • Crosby, Bing, 1904-1977.
  • Kemp, Hal.

Corporate Names

  • John Scott Trotter Orchestra.

Form or Genre Terms

  • Audio tapes.
  • Radio scripts.
  • Scores.
  • Screenplays.
  • Television scripts.

Occupations

  • Arrangers (Musicians).
  • Conductors (Music).
  • Pianists.

Titles within the Collection

  • Bing Crosby show (Television program).
  • George Gobel show (Television program).
  • Kraft music hall (Radio program).
  • Philco radio show (Radio program).

Processed by Rita Burleson
2006

CC Attribution
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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