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Garwood Van (1 September 1910 Newark, New Jersey – 25 April 1999 Las Vegas, Nevada) was an American dance band leader and songwriter. Before staring his own band in 1936, he had been a saxophonist with Hal Grayson, Eddie Oliver, Victor Young, Lennie Hayton, and several studio bands. He had long performance dates at Frontier Hotel in Las Vegas and at the Trocadero, Ciro's, and Florentine Gardens in Los Angeles. He composed "Time To Dream." The band's theme song was "Poinciana." Featured vocalists included Gail Storm (née Josephine Cottle; 1922–2009), and from 1940 to 1941, Maxine Conrad, who, in 1941, after leaving the band, dated Van. After giving up the band scene, he operated a successful record shop and music store (the first full-sized record store in Las Vegas) — "Garwood Van's Musicland" — originally located at 854 East Sahara Avenue, across from the Sahara Hotel — which he and his wife, Joan, started in the late 1950s. Garwood retired in 1962.

Selected career highlights

 * This is mostly a direct copy, please edit

He was known as a society bandleader when he was hired by the old El Rancho Vegas hotel in 1942. Later, he led the house band at the New Frontier, and was probably the only bandleader to play for a future U.S. president. Ronald Reagan went to Las Vegas in 1954 when his movie career was on the wane, earning top billing in a two-week stint at the New Frontier. He sang, danced and told some jokes about his early years as a sports announcer for the Chicago Cubs and his experiences in Hollywood. When Reagan returned to Las Vegas almost 30 years later to headline a political rally, Van recalled that the onetime song-and-dance man had a charisma that "endeared him to audiences."

Van, in 1964, as entertainment director at the Castaways, booked comedian Redd Foxx, his job in Las Vegas, as an opening act for Dinah Washington. Also in 1964, Van, with "Happy Harry" Haneman as a partner, opened the city's first rock 'n' roll club — "Pussy Cat a Go-Go" — which endured until 1971.

Garwood Van Orchestra alumni

 * Jimmy Rowles, piano

Dating, marriages, and family
May Florence Lundin (born 9 February 1922 Los Angeles) hit the papers before she even made a proper movie debut. Due to her “Scandinavian blond” good looks, she was a sought after girl about town as early as 1940. She dated noted songwriter Garwood Van, but hit the jackpot when she was noticed by Franchot Tone.
 * Dating
 * Edit copy

While performing in Las Vegas at the Flamingo Hotel, Van married Katharine Page Worrell (1924–2006) on June 27, 1947, at the hotel. He had met her in Detroit while performing at the Statler Hotel. They divorced in 1950 in Miami.
 * Marriages

Selected discography
Modern 202 (1950)

Side A (matrix MP102-85); 45-124-A

"When My Stagecoach Reaches Heaven;"


 * Leon Pober (words)


 * Hugh Lewman (words)


 * Henry Vars (music)

Bob Craig with the Tune Tailors (vocals)

Side B (matrix MP103-5): 45-124-B

"Shine On Harvest Moon"

Bob Craig with the Tune Tailors (vocals)


 * Nora Bayes (w&m)


 * Jack Norworth (w&m)

Modern 207 (1950)

Side A: matrix MP 104-5

"Honey;"

Bob Craig with the Tune Tailors (vocals)


 * Richard A Whiting (w&m)


 * Haven Gillespie (w&m)


 * Seymour B. Simons (w&m)

Side B: matrix MP 101-5

"I've Got a Heart as Big as Texas"

Bob Craig with the Tune Tailors (vocals)


 * Oakley Haldeman (w&m)


 * Buddy Feyne (w&m)

Selected repertoire

 * Time to Dream


 * Mac Henry (pseudonym of E. W. McHenry) (w&m)
 * © November 6, 1944
 * E published 128786
 * E.W. McHenry, Decatur, Georgia


 * 1970
 * R568328
 * R576439


 * Milton Carson


 * Cathredral in the Pines
 * Charles (w&m)
 * Nick Kenny (w&m)
 * (brothers)

Filmography

 * One Reel Wonders: Love On Tap (1939);
 * Problems with their dance troup postpone a marriage
 * Cast: Mary Howard, Truman Bradley
 * Director: George Sidney
 * Screenwriters: Richard Goldstone & Stanley Rauh
 * Music arranger: Lou Halmy
 * BW-11 mins


 * Featuring Merriel Abbott Dancers and Garwood Van and His Orchestra (billed as Carwood Van)

Random

 * Dolores Gray, radio and nightclub singer, was shot in the right arm in a drive-by shooting in Los Angeles, as she awaited her escort, orchestra leader Garwood Van
 * The Charlotte News
 * Thursday, April 1, 1943