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Tango in USA / Hollywood

Tango reached New York in late 1913 [1], where it was taken up by the dance couple Vernon and Irene Castle and their musical director James Reese Europe [4]. It later appeared in American film, from the 1921 feature 'The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse' with Valentino's tango [1] to the Paramount features Gardel made at Astoria, Queens, in 1934 and 1935 [8].

Tango in the United States can be traced in the dossier sources across two periods. The first is a dance fashion in New York from late 1913 [1], associated with the exhibition dancers Vernon and Irene Castle, their musical director James Reese Europe, and printed music and dance manuals published in 1914 [4][5][6]. The second is the presence of tango in American film and radio, from a 1921 silent feature to the New York radio broadcasts and Paramount films of Gardel in 1934 and 1935 [1][7][8].

This article covers the arrival of the dance in New York, the work of the Castles and James Reese Europe, early published tango music, Valentino's screen tango, and Gardel's American radio and film work [1][2][4][5][6][7][8][9].

Arrival in New York (1913–1915)

Tango reached New York in late 1913 [1].

From late 1913 to mid 1915, James Reese Europe served as musical director for the dance couple Vernon and Irene Castle [4]. In December 1913 his Society Orchestra recorded an Argentine tango for the Victor label [4].

In 1914 the Castles published a manual titled 'Modern Dancing' [5]. In it they presented a 'courtly' Castle Tango, described 'as an evolution of the eighteenth-century Minuet' [5].

Also in 1914, the publisher Jos. W. Stern issued 'Castle Innovation Tango', identified as an Argentine tango [6].

Recordings and published music

The earliest recording in the dossier is the Argentine tango recorded for Victor by James Reese Europe's Society Orchestra in December 1913 [4]. The sources do not name the title of that recording [4].

Printed tango material from 1914 includes: - 'Modern Dancing', the Castles' dance manual presenting the Castle Tango [5] - 'Castle Innovation Tango' (Argentine tango), published by Jos. W. Stern [6]

Film: Valentino

The 1921 film 'The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse' featured a tango danced by Valentino [1]. Valentino lived from 1895 to 1926 [2].

Radio: Gardel on NBC

On 5 March 1934 Gardel took part in an NBC broadcast from New York, with guitarists accompanying him live from Buenos Aires [7].

One source states that 'Mi Buenos Aires querido' was heard in Argentina for the first time on 17 August 1934, through a broadcast from New York [8]. The dossier gives this account from a single source [8].

Film: Gardel at Paramount

Between May 1934 and February 1935 Gardel filmed four Paramount features at Astoria, Queens: 'Cuesta abajo', 'El tango en Broadway', 'El día que me quieras' and 'Tango Bar' [8]. In the same period he also appeared in 'The Big Broadcast of 1935' [8].

'El día que me quieras' was filmed in January 1935, and the young Astor Piazzolla appeared in it as a newsboy [9].

'Tango Bar', directed by John Reinhardt and featuring Gardel, is dated 1935 [3].

The films made at Astoria in this period were: - 'Cuesta abajo' [8] - 'El tango en Broadway' [8] - 'El día que me quieras' (filmed January 1935) [8][9] - 'Tango Bar' (1935, dir. John Reinhardt) [3][8] - 'The Big Broadcast of 1935' [8]

References

How Tangopedia works

  1. en.wikipedia.org · en.wikipedia.orgSource page
  2. en.wikipedia.org · en.wikipedia.orgSource page
  3. es.wikipedia.org · es.wikipedia.org
  4. scholarcommons.sc.edu · scholarcommons.sc.edu
  5. hdl.loc.gov · hdl.loc.gov
  6. catalog.hathitrust.org · catalog.hathitrust.org
  7. blogs.loc.gov · blogs.loc.gov
  8. www.lanacion.com.ar · lanacion.com.ar
  9. fundacioncarlosgardel.org · fundacioncarlosgardel.org
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