James Petrillo

James Caesar Petrillo(March 16, 1892– October 23, 1984)was the leader of theAmerican Federation of Musicians,atrade unionof professional musicians in the United States and Canada.

Biography

Petrillo was born inChicago,Illinois,United States.Though, in his youth, Petrillo played thetrumpet,he finally made a career out of organizing musicians into the union starting in 1919.

Petrillo became president of the Chicago Local 10 of the musician's union in 1922, and was president of theAmerican Federation of Musiciansfrom 1940 to 1958.Petrillo stepped down as president in 1958.

The round-faced, bespectacled Petrillo dominated the union with absolute authority.His most significant actions werebanning all commercial recordingsby union members from 1942–1944 and again in 1948 to pressurerecord companiesto improve royalty payments to musicians.These were called the "Petrillo bans".

Radio

Petrillo joined the orchestra atWBBMin Chicago, Illinois, in 1937. For a decade, he had been assistant conductor and orchestra member at three Chicago theaters. In 1940, he became the conductor of the WBBM orchestra. In 1943, he was promoted to music director at WBBM, "supervising all live and recorded music on the station".His orchestra was featured on the CBS programMake Mine Musicthat debuted in May 1948.

Death

Petrillo died October 23, 1984,at St. Joseph Hospital in Chicago. He was 92.

In popular culture

Petrillo was unique among AFM presidents in that he was well known to the US and Canadian general public, especially during and after the1942–1944 recording banand was frequently referenced in pop culture of that era. For example,Phil Harris,the band leader on theJack Bennyradio show, claims on the show to have been married to his wife,Alice Faye,by Petrillo. When Jack Benny asks how Petrillo could do this, Harris replies "Why not? My dues was paid up!" On another occasion Rochester is asked to blow the car horn by putting it in his mouth, and he replies "Petrillo won't let me!" After Harris helped his children with their homework, the teacher had to correct his work. According to his daughter, "Teacher said George Washington was our first president, not Petrillo."

In the 1945Crosby/Bergmanfilm,The Bells of St. Mary's,when Crosby's character, Father O'Malley, is asked how he was successful in tracking down a long-missing musician, he points to the sky and quips, "I went straight to the top—Petrillo!"

In 1945 or 1946,Robertson Davieshad his "alter ego" write in a newspaper column, later collected inThe Diary of Samuel Marchbanks,"Then to a party, where I showed my prowess at those games where you have to fill out forms saying who Cain's wife was, and whether it was Lincoln or Petrillo who said 'We must save the Union at all costs.'"

On theFred Allenshow of October 13, 1946, during a satire of radio advertising set to the music of Gilbert and Sullivan's "The Mikado,"Allen described an elaborate show involving hundreds of musicians in locations around the world, then lamented that it would all have to be called off. To the tune of" Tit-Willow, "Allen sang,

In all the excitement, there's one thing we forgot:
Petrillo, Petrillo, Petrillo
First we must learn if we can or cannot from
Petrillo, Petrillo, Petrillo

If you want a musician to beat on a drum
Or a trumpet to toot or a banjo to strum
You can't do a single thing 'til you hear from
Petrillo, Petrillo, Petrillo

In the 1947 recording of "Huggin' And A Chalkin'"Johnny Mercersings "...when I met another fella with some chalk in his hand coming around the other side (it was Patrillo)". In the 1947Bob HopefilmMy Favorite Brunette,a man says an imaginary George Washington is playing the fife all night long, and Hope replies "Why don't you tell Petrillo about it."Jon and Sondra Steelereferred to Petrillo as "Little Caesar" on theB-sideof their 1948 hit, "My Happiness".

The 1950Warner Bros.animated shortHurdy-Gurdy Hare,starringBugs Bunny,ends with Bugs making large amounts of money by having a monkey turn astreet organwhile a gorilla collects donations. Bugs quips, "I sure hope Petrillo doesn't hear about this!" (The 1948 strike was ongoing at the timeHurdy-Gurdy Harewas in production.)

In the 1950 burlesque revueEverybody's Girl,the comedians Bobby Faye and Leon DeVoe, playing anti-nudist street preachers, mention that the Devil has "two horns." DeVoe then jokes, "Two horns? Brother, we'll have to speak to Petrillo about that!"

Slim Gaillard's 1951 song "Federation Blues" (which is entirely about the musician's union) begins: "You may play an instrument and think that you're a killer / But you still ain't get nowhere till you see J.C. Petrilla."

In the 1952 filmRoad to Bali,Bob Hope shows Bing Crosby an instrument he's been using in his snake-charmer act. He quips, "Hey, I've been playing this flute all night. Have to clear it with Petrillo." There is a similar reference in the Hope pictureMy Favorite Brunette.

In the musicalSugar,two musicians witness theSt. Valentine's Day Massacre.The gangsters are issued instructions to search for them in the song "Tear the Town Apart", which ends with "I'll call Petrillo".

Over the closing credits of many music and variety television shows in the 1950s, the announcer would read "All musicians on this program are members of the American Federation of Musicians, James C. Petrillo, President," or words to that effect.

ThePetrillo Bandshell,in Chicago'sGrant Park,is named after James Petrillo.

In theLord Buckleyriff "The Hip Gahn", there is a reference to "the Indian Petrillo" when the Indian people are planning a big musical party for Gandhi after independence is achieved.

References

• Macaluso, Tony, Julia S. Bachrach, and Neal Samors (2009).Sounds of Chicago's Lakefront: A Celebration Of The Grant Park Music Festival.Chicago's Book Press.ISBN978-0-9797892-6-7.{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

External links

• Reproduction ofDown Beat magazine article on the AFM strike and recording banArchived2003-08-09 at theWayback Machine
• Time, December 27, 1948-One for HarryTime Magazine's account of the settlement of the second AFM strike in 1948.
• James Petrillo inducted into Illinois Labor History Society Union Hall of Honor-2009 {dead link}