Meyer Davis was born in Elliot City, MD in 1893. He started his first band while in high school after being rejected by
the school orchestra. His band
played for Woodrow Wilson and for every President since then until Gerald Ford. His orchestra played at the inaugural balls of Coolidge, Hoover,
Roosevelt, Truman, Eisenhower and Kennedy. The Davis Orchestra also played for weddings, debutante balls, including
that for Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis, and on luxury liners. At the height of his career, Davis owned 80 orchestras or bands with over
1,000 musicians. The band also
played for King George V of England, George VI and Queen Elizabeth, and at the
1939 World's Fair. Benny Goodman,
Jimmy Dorsey and Tommy Dorsey played in the Davis Orchestra for a while. All of the photos and materials are contained in the collection.
Meyer Davis died in 1976. Obituaries are in Box 2472.
His son, Gary, became a World Citizen. Emery Davis took over the orchestra. Meyer, Jr.
was killed in action in World War II, and Ginia, his daughter, now lives in Maine. His wife, Hilda, was a
musician and composer in her own right and her material is in the collection.
The Meyer Davis collection reflects the career of a society orchestra leader. Included are day books (of news clippings and publicity), photo albums,
artifacts, letters, and other materials about the Davis family and the orchestra.
Scrapbooks and press books (day books) arranged chronologically, respectively.
| Box 2403
|
SCRAPBOOKS - 1920's
|
| Box 2404
|
SCRAPBOOKS - 1920's
|
| Box 2405
|
SCRAPBOOKS - 1920's
|
| Box 2406
|
SCRAPBOOKS - 1920's
|
| Box 2407
|
SCRAPBOOKS - 1930's
|
| Box 2408
|
SCRAPBOOKS - 1930's
|
| Box 2409
|
SCRAPBOOKS - 1940's
|
| Box 2410
|
SCRAPBOOKS - 1940's
|
| Box 2411
|
SCRAPBOOKS - 1940's
|
| Box 2412
|
SCRAPBOOKS - 1940's
|
| Box 2413
|
SCRAPBOOKS - 1950's
|
| Box 2414
|
SCRAPBOOKS - 1950's
|
| Box 2415
|
SCRAPBOOKS - 1950's
|
| Box 2416
|
SCRAPBOOKS - 1950's
|
| Box 2417
|
SCRAPBOOKS - 1950's
|
| Box 2418
|
SCRAPBOOKS - late 1950's, early 1960's
|
| Box 2419
|
SCRAPBOOKS - late 1950's, early 1960's
|
| Box 2420
|
SCRAPBOOKS - late 1950's, early 1960's
|
| Box 2421
|
SCRAPBOOKS - 1960's
|
| Box 2422
|
SCRAPBOOKS - 1960's
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| Box 2423
|
SCRAPBOOKS - 1960's
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| Box 2424
|
SCRAPBOOKS - 1960's
|
| Box 2425
|
SCRAPBOOKS - 1960's
|
| Box 2426
|
SCRAPBOOKS - 1960's
|
| Box 2427
|
SCRAPBOOKS - 1970's
|
| Box 2428
|
SCRAPBOOKS - Various Years
|
| Box 2429
|
SCRAPBOOKS - Various Years
|
| Box 2430
|
SCRAPBOOKS - Various Years
|
| Box 2431
|
SCRAPBOOKS - Various Years
|
| Box 2432
|
SCRAPBOOKS - Various Years, Miscellaneous Clippings
|
| Box 2433
|
Music
|
| Box 2434
|
Music
|
| Box 2435
|
Music
|
| Box 2436
|
Music
|
| Box 2437
|
Framed Photos
|
| Box 2438
|
Framed Photos
|
| Box 2439
|
Framed Photos
|
| Box 2440
|
Diaries
|
| Box 2441
|
Hilda Davis: Typescript of "In time with the music" (3 folders); Notebook: French
exercises, etc. (1 folder)
|
| Box 2442
|
Hilda Davis: Writing exercises for Writers Institute, 1979, 1981, undated (2
folders) |
| Box 2443
|
Books, Brochures & Checks
|
| Box 2444
|
Audio Tapes
|
| Box 2445
|
| PRESS BOOKS - “Everybody Dance! with Meyer Davis” (RCA Victor Record)
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Meyer Davis Music
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Projects - Bowling Team (Nov. 1934 - Nov. 1942), Magna Picture Company (1933), Westchester Center Gardens (June
1934 - July 1934), Wildwood (Apr. 1935 - Dec. 1935), Other Projects (1924 - 1931)
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Projects - Ross Fenton Farm - Opening (1940)
|
|
| Box 2446
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Projects - Ross Fenton Farm - Apr. 1940 - Nov. 1940
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Radio & Recordings (NBC Radio - Jan. 1938 - Mar. 1947, Records - Feb. 1924 - Dec. 1941)
|
|
| Box 2447
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Radio Broadcast on NBC (1922 - 1940)
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Advance Bookings - Rockefeller Wedding (Nov. 1932) & Strassburger Engagements (1922 -1940)
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Bulletins Advertising Publicity (1921 -1924)
|
|
| Box 2448
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Meyer Davis Bands - Patricia Prochnik (featured singer)
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Meyer Davis Bands - Arthur Ravel & Maximillian Bergere & Cy Delman
& The Dunes Boys
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Meyer Davis Bands - Jay Mills & Skeeter Palmer & Mischa Borr
|
|
| Box 2449
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Meyer Davis Bands - Sammy Wilson & Walter Miller & Hal Hope & Bobby Sanford
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Meyer Davis Bands - Bernie Dolen & Harold Richards & Michael Zarin
|
|
| Box 2450
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Florida (1922 - 1935)
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Florida (1929 - 1939)
|
|
| Box 2451
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Foreign Engagements (1922 - 1940)
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Hotel Engagements - New York & Bermuda (Feb. 1928 - Oct.1941)
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Hotel Engagements - Santa Barbara & Washington D.C. & Virginia (Feb. 1937 - Jan. 1943)
|
|
| Box 2452
|
| PRESS BOOKS - New Jersey & Pennsylvania (1919 - 1941) - Bellevue
Stratford Hotel & Deal Inn & Princeton Relief
|
| PRESS BOOKS - New York (1922 - 1927)
|
| PRESS BOOKS - New York (Oct. 1927 - Jan. 1937)
|
|
| Box 2453
|
| PRESS BOOKS - New York (Jan. 1936 - Jun. 1938)
|
| PRESS BOOKS - New York (Jun. 1938 - Dec. 1938)
|
|
| Box 2454
|
| PRESS BOOKS - New York (Jan. 1939 - Dec. 1939)
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Newport (1923 - 1936)
|
|
| Box 2455
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Newport (1937 - 1938)
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Newport (1938)
|
|
| Box 2456
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Newport (1939 - 1947)
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Philadelphia (1915 - Dec. 1934)
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Philadelphia (Jan. 1935 - Jan. 1942)
|
|
| Box 2457
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Philadelphia (Dec. 1940 - Apr. 1951)
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Washington D.C. (1919 - 1924)
|
|
| Box 2458
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Washington D.C. (1929 - 1951)
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Letters (Jul. 1919 - Dec. 1925)
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Letters (Jan. 1926 - Dec. 1928)
|
|
| Box 2459
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Letters (Jan. 1937 - Dec. 1939)
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Letters (Feb. 1954 - Jun. 1956)
|
| PRESS BOOKS - American Export Lines
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Azalea Festival - Charleston, South Carolina and other Southern Engagements (1920 - 1941)
|
|
| Box 2460
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Balls & Other Engagements - Butler's Ball (1935 - 1942)
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Balls & Other Engagements - Debutante Balls, McLean Ball, Widener Ball,
White House Parties, DuPont - Roosevelt Wedding
|
|
| Box 2461
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Balls & Other Engagements - Stotesbury Ball, Bachelor's
Ball, Visit of Prince Bertil of Sweden, Prince of Wales, & Duke
and Duchess of Windsor
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Broadway Productions (Jan. 1942 - May 1951)
|
|
| Box 2462
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Broadway Productions (Nov. 1943 - Dec. 1944)
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Broadway Productions (Nov. 1944 - July 1945)
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Debut of Charlotte Ford (Dec. 21, 1959) - (Nov. 1960 - Feb. 1961)
|
|
| Box 2463
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Debut of Bonnie Buchanan (Jun. 14, 1960)
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Debut of Diane Dow Buchanan (Dede) (Dec. 21, 1961)
|
| PRESS BOOKS - DuPont - Roosevelt Wedding (Jun. 19, 1937) c.1
|
| PRESS BOOKS - DuPont - Roosevelt Wedding (Jun. 19, 1937) c.2
|
|
| Box 2464
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Green Brier - White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia (1919 - Jun.1942)
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Green Brier - White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia (Apr. 1948 - Jun. 1951)
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Green Brier Spring Festival (Dec. 1951 - Nov. 1952)
|
|
| Box 2465
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Hot Springs, Arkansas & Cincinnati, Ohio Zoo
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Maiden Voyage of the S.S. United States (1952) c. 1
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Maiden Voyage of the S.S. United States (1952) c. 2
|
|
| Box 2509
|
| PRESS BOOKS - New York World's Fair (1939)
|
| PRESS BOOKS - New York World's Fair (1939) - Visit of the King and Queen of England
|
| PRESS BOOKS - New York World's Fair (1963 - 1964)
|
|
| Box 2510
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Presidents Roosevelt's Birthday Ball (1935 - 1939), Washington Correspondent's Dinner (May 1937)
|
| PRESS BOOKS - President Eisenhower's Inaugural Ball (1953)
|
| PRESS BOOKS - President Eisenhower's Inauguration (1957)
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Lyndon B. Johnson's Inaugural Ball (Jan. 20, 1965)
|
|
| Box 2511
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Richard M. Nixon's Inaugural Ball (Jan. 20, 1969)
|
| PRESS BOOKS - White House (1915 - 1945)
|
|
| Box 2512
|
| PRESS BOOKS - 1917 - Dec. 1938 (Baltimore, Bermuda, Boston & Providence)
|
| PRESS BOOKS - 1922 - Feb. 1934
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Jan. 1929 - Nov. 1931
|
|
| Box 2513
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Jan. 1931 - Dec. 1932
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Jan. 1933 - Sept. 1933
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Jan. 1933 - Dec. 1938
|
|
| Box 2514
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Oct. 1933 - Oct. 1934
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Jan. 1939 - Dec. 1940
|
|
| Box 2515
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Jan. 1941 - Jan. 1942
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Jan. 1942 - May 1951
|
|
| Box 2516
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Feb. 1942 - Apr. 1947
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Jan. 1948 - Apr. 1951
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Oct. 1949 - Feb. 1951
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Nov. 1946 - Apr. 1947
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Jun. 1950 - Dec. 1951
|
|
| Box 2517
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Sept. 1952 - Dec. 1953
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Jan. 1954 - Dec. 1954
|
|
| Box 2518
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Jan. 1955 - Dec. 1955
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Nov. 1959 - Dec. 1959
|
|
| Box 2519
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Jan. 1960 - Mar. 1960
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Apr. 1960 - Jun. 1960
|
|
| Box 2520
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Apr. 1960 - Oct. 1960
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Nov. 1960 - Feb. 1961
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Feb. 1961 - May 1961
|
|
| Box 2521
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Jun. 1961 - Dec. 1961
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Jan. 1962 - Mar. 1962
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Apr. 1962 - Jun. 1962
|
|
| Box 2522
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Jun. 1962 - Jul. 1963
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Jul. 1962 - Sept. 1962
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Oct. 1962 - Dec. 1962
|
|
| Box 2523
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Dec. 1962 - Apr. 1963
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Apr. 1963 - Oct. 1963
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Aug. 1963 - Oct. 1963
|
|
| Box 2524
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Oct. 1963 - Jan. 1964
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Jan. 1964 - 1970
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Jan. 1964 - Apr. 1964
|
|
| Box 2525
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Apr. 1964 - Oct. 1964
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Oct. 1964 - Dec. 1964
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Jan. 1965 - Apr. 1965
|
|
| Box 2526
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Apr. 1965 - Oct. 1965
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Oct. 1965 - Dec. 1965
|
|
| Box 2527
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Jan. 1967 - Aug. 1967
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Mar. 1967 - Nov. 1967
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Nov. 1967 - May 1968
|
|
| Box 2528
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Mar. 1968 - Nov. 1968
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Jul. 1968 - Jul. 1969
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Aug. 1968 - Mar. 1969
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Jul. 1969 - Apr. 1970
|
|
| Box 2529
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Apr. 1970 - Dec. 1970
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Jan. 1971 - Dec. 1971
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Oct. 1971 - Apr. 1972
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Mar. 1971 - Jun. 1971 (JFK Center for the Performing Arts)
|
|
| Box 2530
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Apr. 1972 - Sept. 1972
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Sept. 1972 - Feb. 1973
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Mar. 1973 - Jun. 1973
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Oct. 1974
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Emery Davis
|
| PRESS BOOKS - Emery Davis (Sept. 1976 - Oct. 1976)
|
|
Raymond H. Fogler Library