The husky voiced "King of the Jukebox" was born August 4, 1914 on a farm near Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and at about twelve years of age moved with his family to Montreal. A tenor named Arthur Todd who played guitar, and also recorded for Bluebird is sometimes confused with this baritone but was a star in his own right - having a hit song recorded with his wife, Dotty. "Chanson D'amour" in the mid fifties was a major hit. Dick Todd played trumpet and sang, starting in school and subsequently with George Sims' band at the Belmont Amusement Park in Montreal. A regular gig followed at the Meridian Night Club, at Lake Champlain. Forays into agriculture and engineering education were unsuccessful, and he focussed on radio work, both locally and nationally on the CBC, with the Allan McIver and Lucio Agostini Orchestras and doing commercials for Maxey Baking Powder. It has been said that he recorded for Victor in 1936, but the Victor Master Book (Brian Rust) does not support this claim. Todd worked on cruise ships in the Caribbean with a quintet including Murray McEachern-tb-as. In 1938, After moving to New York, he starred in several variety series including "Lower Basin Street" for NBC, "Avalon Time" with Red Skelton, sponsored by Brown & Williamson Tobacco, "Show Boat" with Virginia Verrill and Nadine Connor, ca. 1940, the "Home Town Show", the "Magic Key" (with Larry Clinton), Old Gold's "Melody & Madness" (with Robert Benchley and Artie Shaw). It was through Dick Todd that Perry Como got a break. As Dick concentrated on entertaining troops during World War II, he set Perry up to record for RCA. After the war, Dick was featured on "Your Hit Parade", from 1945-46, replacing Lawrence Tibbett, and singing with Joan Edwards (who sang with Paul Whiteman). Nightclub work periodically called him back to Montreal and to Toronto. He recorded with Dinah Shore and was featured with the Leo Reisman Orchestra at the Strand Theater. Undeterred by a fading vocal career, Todd signed on as a barker and Master of Ceremonies, and singing on horseback with the Larry Sunbrook Circus. His last known recordings were made .ca 1968. Last seen working as a stagehand on the Ed Sullivan Show at the Coliseum and at Studio 50 in New York, by the mid seventies, he was afflicted with arthritis and alcoholism and passed into obscurity. The details of his passing remain uncertain, but his legacy lives on through his recordings . Thank-you, Dick, you're still remembered and remain a Canadian icon.
CHANGE PARTNERS LARRY CLINTON VIC 26010 04/28/38 1024047 BERLIN
YOU'RE THE ONLY STAR BB 10034 11/09/38 1028935 GENE AUTRY
WHEN PAW WAS COURTIN' MAW BB 10034 11/09/38 1028934 JACK MANUS-LEONARD JOY
DEEP PURPLE BB 10072 12/17/38 1030725 PARISH-DEROSE
ARE YOU IN THE MOOD FOR MISCHIEF BB 10072 12/17/38 1030726 GORDON-REVEL
PENNY SERENADE BB 10144 02/08/39 1031898 HALIFAX-WEERSMA
LITTLE LAD BB 10144 02/08/39 1031897 LAWRENCE-KAYE-MILTON
ONE MORNING IN MAY BB 10431 08/17/39 1041580 CARMICHAEL
LAZY RIVER BB 10431 08/17/39 1041581 CARMICHAEL-ARODIN
ANGEL BB 10599 01/22/40 1046489 PARISH-DE ROSE
TINY OLD TOWN BB 10621 02/12/40 1047046 ADAMS-LOMBARDO
WITH THE WIND AND THE RAIN IN YOUR HAIR BB 10621 02/12/40 1047049 LAWRENCE-EDWARDS
LAST NIGHT'S GARDENIAS BB 10599 02/22/40 1046486 SAM COSLOW
JUST A LITTLE SOUTH OF NORTH CAROLINA BB 11091 01/03/41 1062744 SKYLAR-CANNON-SHAFTEL
WE GO WELL TOGETHER BB 11091 03/07/41 1062746 ROBIN-KENT
WORRIED MIND BB 11142 03/07/41 1062742 DAVIS-DAFFON
IT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE NOW BB 11142 03/07/41 1062741 DAVIS-TILLMAN
TOGETHER BB 11156 04/17/41 1063783 DE SYLVA-BROWN-HENDERSON
MARIA ELENA BB 11156 04/17/41 1063784 RUSSELL-BARCELATA
IT'S YOUR WORRY NOW BB 11309 09/17/41 1067909 211 162 MARVIN MONTGOMERY
DADDY'S LITTLE GIRL EDDIE MILLER ORCHESTRA GAV 111 11/21/49 558 BURKE-GURLACK
WHO'LL BE THE NEXT ONE(TO CRY OVER YOU) EDDIE MILLER GAV 111 08/04/51 562 BLACK
OH HAPPY DAY DEC 28506 1952 83632 KOPLOW
TILL I WALTZ AGAIN WITH YOU DEC 28506 1952 83633 PROSEN
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