Phil Spitalny And His Hour Of Charm All-Girl Orchestra And Choir

All-girl orchestra led by conductor Phil Spitalny that performed on the "Hour of Charm" radio show between 1935 and 1948. Spitalny was inspired to assemble an all-girl orchestra and choir in 1932 after he witnessed a performance by violinist Evelyn Kaye Klein at Boston Town Hall. She later became the orchestra's concert master and was prominently featured as Evelyn And Her Magic Violin. Spitalny claimed to have scoured the country for six months in 1933, at a cost of $40,000, auditioning some 1,500 women musicians, before selecting 22 of them to be in his group (other sources say they initially were 32 musicians). For live performances on tour another 25 musicians were added for a bigger sound. Originally called "Phil Spitalny And His Musical Queens," the orchestra made its debut at the Capitol Theater in New York City in 1934. The band acquired its eventual name, "Phil Spitalny And His Hour Of Charm All-Girl Orchestra And Choir," when it began performing on its own network radio program, "The Hour of Charm," on January 3, 1935. Spitalny said that he found the best players in small towns, reasoning that the women were able to devote more time to practicing their instruments and developing good technique. He instructed them to follow a strict and rigid routine, rehearsing for five or six hours a day, and, as part of their contract, the women pledged not to leave and get married without giving six months of notice. Ranging in age from 17 to 30, it didn't take long for the band to become an attraction - and for years, their show was a fixture on Sundays, first over CBS (1935), then NBC (1936-46), and then back on CBS (1946-48). The group charted twice, with "We Must Be Vigilant", which rose to #21 in 1942, and "Our Lady of Fatima" by the Hour Of Charm Choir, which reached #23 in 1950. The orchestra was also featured in two films, "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" (1942) and "Here Come the Coeds" (1945). In the early 1950s, the orchestra also performed on the Ed Sullivan Show on TV. By 1940, they had become so popular that the orchestra expanded to 34 members. In 1946, Spitalny married his star violinist, Evelyn Kaye Klein. The group disbanded 1955 with the retirement of Spitalny.