Archie Bleyer - The Godfrey Years

The Godfrey Years

He became musical director for Arthur Godfrey in 1946, serving in this role until 1953. Many close to Godfrey considered Bleyer's creativity and understanding of music to be pivotal to the success of Godfrey's radio and TV programs. And while Godfrey was known to be short-fused and controlling, he often deferred to Bleyer's judgment in the areas of presentation and production.

In 1952 he founded Cadence Records, whose first artist was Godfrey alumnus Julius La Rosa. Along with several instrumental hit singles of his own, Bleyer went on to sign many other artists who had performed on Godfrey's programs (including The Chordettes, one of whose members, Janet Ertel, became his wife).

In the fall of 1953, Godfrey dismissed La Rosa on the air and later claimed the young singer "lacked humility," doing his own popularity considerable damage. That same day, Godfrey fired Bleyer, claiming he was offended when Bleyer recorded Chicago radio personality Don McNeill, host of Don McNeill's Breakfast Club.

The only trouble with this angle is the fact that Bleyer had McNeil record "Make American Proud Of You" (Cadence #1286)in 1956, not 1953 as is alleged here. This Godfrey-like show was based in Chicago and broadcast nationally, but its popularity was mainly in the Midwest and tailored to that audience. Always insecure, Godfrey felt McNeill, whose show had once been a competitor, was still in competition though Godfrey was the dominant personality of his generation. Godfrey later claimed when he confronted Bleyer and threatened to fire him from at least one of the three shows Godfrey hosted, the conductor shrugged and told him to do what he had to do.

Radio historian John Dunning has suggested, in On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio, that Bleyer's relationship with Janet Ertel was also a factor in Godfrey's decision to fire him; Godfrey tried to enforce a no-dating policy among his cast and fired several who dated each other. After leaving the show, Bleyer never made a public comment about his days with Godfrey. The public furor that surrounded LaRosa's firing and, to a lesser extent, Bleyer's, began the unraveling of Godfrey's seemingly unstoppable dominance of radio and TV as Bleyer's career was just beginning to blossom. The loss of Bleyer's expertise in staging and production matters, where he served as an informal mentor to Godfrey despite their age differences, was detrimental to Godfrey's programs.