Downbeat Magazine April 1958 |
There are few images of George V. Garabedian, and his definitive biography has not been written. George was a performing musician, and led several different groups of studio musicians: George Garabedian And His Royal Armenians, The Archibald Players, The George Garabedian Players, and The George Garabedian Troubadours. Below is a partial discography. Most of his sides were released as The George Garabedian Players; I included their one 45 with Liberty. They have over twenty 45s all effectively self-released on Mark 56 Records, the list is too long to include.
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Garabedian was also president of Chevron records. The earliest appearance of George in Billboard is January of 1957 for hiring two comic artists to draw album art: Virgil Parch and Paul Welb. An article in Variety in 1958 calls him the general manager but it's also the first mention of his attempt to buy some of the Laurel and Hardy catalog. The American Record Label Directory and Dating Guide, 1940-1959 notes that the parent company is UPA Pictures.
Almost everything he recorded was self-released. When he was running Chevron Records in 1955 he approached W.C. Handy about doing a film on
his life. That eventually became a feature film in 1958, St. Louis Blues, starring Nat King Cole and Eartha Kit. [LINK]But that didn't happen until after Paramount removed Garabedian as producer on the project. It's probably the most famous thing Garabedian ever did, and he didn't even get to really do it. But those sides he did in 1958 and 1959 did move a few units.
Arist | Tracks |
Label/Format |
Release Year |
---|---|---|---|
George Garabedian And The Royal Armenians | Artistry In Rhythm / Afraid To Dream | Chevron / 45 |
1958 |
George Garabedian And The Royal Armenians | Thanks / Ball of Love |
Chevron / 45 | ???? |
The Archibald Players |
Mr. Grillon / The Big Nothing |
Arch Records / 45 |
1958 |
The George Garabedian Troubadours | Thomas Dooley Cha-Cha-Cha / Two Hearts To Sing | Mark 56 / 45 |
1959 |
The George Garabedian Players |
Artistry In Rhythm / Art's Tune | Liberty / 45 |
1959 |
But things got more interesting late in life when he founded Mark 56 Records in 1970. In addition to numerous music releases, Garabedian started releasing old radio serials on LP. This was probably the first time that had been done commercially since radio serials were pressed to transcription discs. Stephen Fuchs interviewed him for Cash Box in 1976 where he got more of the story.
Below is a list of all the radio programs Garabedian released under the Mark 56 label. I've included the catalog oddities like re-releases, and changed release numbers. I've removed all the non-radio soundtracks (I think) and all the random original music releases. Many are simply named "Original Radio Broadcasts" and the tracks generically as "Episode 1." There is conflicting information on many of these indicating their release may have been rushed. The list goes on only sporadically beyond release number 730, I stopped there to preserve my sanity.
Release | Artist |
Album |
Year |
---|---|---|---|
571 | W.C. Fields |
Original Radio Broadcast |
1972 |
575 | Laurel & Hardy |
No U Turn | 1973 |
577 |
Laurel & Hardy | Babes in Toyland | 1974 |
578 |
Bill Ballance | Feminine Forum |
1978 |
579 | Laurel & Hardy | Another Fine Mess |
1973 |
583 |
Fibber McGee & Molly |
Johnson Wax Program Vol 1 |
xx |
584 |
Fibber McGee & Molly | Johnson Wax Program Vol 2 |
xx |
585 |
Fibber McGee & Molly | Johnson Wax Program Vol 3 |
xx |
586 |
Fibber McGee & Molly | Johnson Wax Program Vol 4 |
xx |
588 |
Superman | Original Radio Broadcasts | 1973 |
589 |
Dick Tracey |
Original Radio Broadcasts |
1973 |
590 |
The Lone Ranger |
Original Radio Broadcasts | 1972 |
591 |
The Shadow |
Vol 1 |
1972 |
592 |
Sgt. Preston of the Yukon |
Original Radio Broadcasts | 1973 |
593 |
Little Orphan Annie |
Original Radio Broadcasts | 1973 |
594 |
Captain Midnight |
Original Radio Broadcasts | 1973 |
595 | W.C. Fields/Lux Radio Theatre |
Original Radio Broadcast |
1972 |
596 |
Tom Mix |
Two new original episodes |
1973 |
599 |
The Green Hornet |
Original Radio Broadcasts | 1973 |
600 |
Laurel & Hardy | Trouble Again! |
1973 |
601 | Laurel & Hardy | No U Turn |
1973 |
602 | Buck Rogers in the 25th Century | Original Radio Broadcasts | 1973 |
603 | Jack Armstrong - The All American Boy | Wheaties Presents | 1973 |
604 | Jungle Jim | Original Radio Broadcasts | 1973 |
605 |
Lum & Abner | An Evening with Lum & Abner | 1973 |
607 |
The Green Hornet |
*Duplicate of 599 |
1973 |
608 |
The Shadow |
Vol 2 |
1973 |
609 | Flash Gordon | Original Radio Broadcasts | 1973 |
610 | Lux Radio Theatre | The Treasure of Sierra Madre | 1973 |
611 | Suspense - Bela Legosi | Original Radio Broadcasts | 1973 |
613 | Rudy Vallee | The Fleischmann's Hour Presents | 1973 |
614 |
George Burns & Gracie Allen | Maxwell House Coffee Vol 1 |
1973 |
615 |
The Chase and Sanborn Show |
Original Radio Broadcasts | 1973 |
619 |
Nick Carter Master Detective |
Original Radio Broadcasts | 1973 |
620 |
The Great Gildersleeve |
Original Radio Broadcasts | 1973 |
621 |
Ed Wynn The Fire Chief | As the Perfect Fool |
1973 |
622 |
Lassie | Original Radio Broadcasts | 1973 |
623 |
Mandrake the Magician |
Original Radio Broadcasts | 1973 |
624 |
Blondie | Original Radio Broadcasts | 1973 |
625 |
Super Heroes Of Yesteryear | Original Radio Broadcasts | 1973 |
626 |
Don Winslow of the Navy |
Original Radio Broadcasts | 1973 |
627 |
Charlie Chan |
Original Radio Broadcasts | 1974 |
629 |
Red Ryder |
Original Radio Broadcasts | 1973 |
630 |
Terry and the Pirates |
Original Radio Broadcasts | 1973 |
631 |
Gasoline Alley/Moon Mullins |
Original Radio Broadcasts | 1973 |
634 |
Campbell's Playhouse |
Huckleberry Finn |
1974 |
635 |
Jack Armstrong - The All American Boy | *Different tracks than 603 |
1973 |
636 |
The Shadow / Fibber McGee And Molly | Original Radio Broadcasts | 1973 |
637 | Grand Central Station |
Original Radio Broadcasts | 1974 |
638 |
Sam Spade/Howard Duff |
Original Radio Broadcasts | 1974 |
639 |
Betty Boop |
Original Radio Broadcasts | 1974 |
640 |
Bill Stern/Sports Newsreel |
Original Radio Broadcasts | 1974 |
642 |
Straight Arrow |
Original Radio Broadcasts | 1974 |
643 |
Mae West |
Original Radio Broadcasts | 1974 |
644 |
Tarzan | Original Radio Broadcasts | 1974 |
645 |
Hallmark Playhouse |
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn |
1974 |
647 |
Soap Operas |
Original Radio Broadcasts | 1974 |
649 |
The Shadow/The Lone Ranger |
Original Radio Broadcasts | 1974 |
650 |
Superman | *Different tracks than 588 |
1974 |
652 |
Miss Helen Hayes | Original Radio Broadcasts | 1974 |
654 |
A Streetcar Named Desire | Original Radio Broadcasts | 1974 |
657 |
The Shadow |
Vol 3 |
1974 |
659 |
Will Rogers |
Original Radio Broadcasts | 1974 |
660 |
Archie | Original Radio Broadcasts | 1974 |
661 |
Louella Parsons |
Hollywood Hotel | 1974 |
662 |
The Whistler |
Original Radio Broadcasts | 1975 |
663 |
Joe Palooka |
Original Radio Broadcasts | 1974 |
665 |
Various | Good Old Days of Radio |
1974 |
666 |
Superman | *Different tracks than 588 |
1974 |
668 |
Lux Radio Theatre |
African Queen |
1975 |
669 |
The Fat Man |
Original Radio Broadcasts | 1975 |
670 |
Mr. Keen Tracer Of Lost Persons | Original Radio Broadcasts | 1975 |
671 |
The Goodwill Hour | Original Radio Broadcasts | 1975 |
672 |
Alan Ladd |
Original Radio Broadcasts | 1975 |
673 |
Major Bowes | And His Original Amateur Hour | 1975 |
674 |
Ripley's Believe It Or Not | Original Radio Broadcasts | 1975 |
676 |
Hopalong Cassidy | Original Radio Broadcasts | 1975 |
677 |
Superman | Volume 1-4 |
1975 |
678 |
Buddy Clark |
The Carnation Contented Hour |
1975 |
679 |
Skippy Hollywood Theatre | Original Radio Broadcasts | 1975 |
681 |
Rudy Valee |
An evening With Rudy Valee | 1974 |
682 |
Sad Sack |
Original Radio Broadcasts | 1975 |
685 |
Little Orphan Annie |
Vol 2 |
1975 |
686 |
Hop Harrigan | America's Ace Of The Airwaves | 1975 |
687 |
The Lone Ranger Rides Again | Original Radio Broadcasts | 1975 |
692 |
The Aldrich Family |
Original Radio Broadcasts | 1975 |
695 | Lux Radio Theatre |
To Have And Have Not |
1975 |
696 |
This is your FBI |
Original Radio Broadcasts | 1975 |
697 |
Mystery Theatre |
Original Radio Broadcasts | 1976 |
698 |
Soap Operas |
Vol 2 |
1976 |
699 |
Red Skeleton |
Original Radio Broadcasts | 1976 |
702 |
Mary Pickford America's Sweetheart | Original Radio Broadcasts |
1976 |
703 |
Sky King |
Original Radio Broadcasts | 1976 |
706 |
Harry S. Truman |
Original Radio Broadcasts | 1975 |
709 |
The Mills Brothers |
Original Radio Broadcasts | 1975 |
710 |
Helen O'Connell |
Original Radio Broadcasts | 1975 |
712 |
Memories Worth Saving |
Original Radio Broadcasts | 1976 |
713 |
Various | Golden Days of Radio |
1976 |
714 |
Rudy Vallee |
World War II U.S. Coast Guard Band | 1975 |
715 |
Popeye | Original Radio Broadcasts | 1976 |
716 |
V.J. Day WWII Ends! | Recording of the surrender ceremony broadcast |
1976 |
717 |
Captain Midnight |
Original Radio Broadcasts | 1976 |
719 |
Frankenstein | Original Radio Broadcasts | 1976 |
720 |
Lux Radio Theatre |
Dracula | 1976 |
724 |
Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol | Nordstrom Presents |
1980 |
726 |
Edward G. Robinson | Original Radio Broadcasts | 1976 |
728 |
D-Day The Day The Allies Invaded France | NBC Radio Broadcasts |
1978 |
In the late 1950s Garabedian bought some rights to the Laurel & Hardy catalog. He'd been producing records since at least 1956. In 1960 he and his friend George Holcott reviewed that acquisition but sat on it for another decade. In 1972 Holcott owned R&R Distribution and called up Garabedian offering to be a distributor for his tiny label. In the interim Garabedian had bought up the rights to 400 more copyrights. He briefly listed off some of the ephemera:
"In addition to numerous radio broadcasts ranging from "Sgt Preston Of The Yukon" and "Little Orphan Annie" to "An Evening With Rudy Vallee" and "Don Winslow Of The Navy," Garabedian commands the rights to such golden possessions as a tape of George Gershwin sitting at the piano, directing a rehearsal of the original Broadway cast of "Porgy And Bess"; a taped conversation of Harry Truman as he ran for Senator; on-the-spot documentation of VJ-Day; recordings of Rudolf Valentino..."
He didn't forget about Nat King Cole. He licensed the rights and began releasing 22 sides from his back catalog in 1974. In the May issue of Billboard there was an article on R&R Distribution.
In 1976 he re-released the King Kong radio serial. I don't think it ever came out though. In 1979 he popped up in the news again in a legal flight with Wally Heider of Hindsight records over the Stan Kenton catalog. Apparently George's rights to the C.P. MacGregor Transcription catalog had an exception. He finally got nominated for a Grammy in 1981, under Best Historical Reissue with "Early History of the Phonograph Record." If you check the Grammy Winners book he actually won once but it was earlier, in 1978 with the Citizen Kane motion picture soundtrack in 1978. It was the legitimacy that he had craved for decades but he never struck gold again.
Not that everything on Mark 56 was a classic. Mark 56 makes an inauspicious appearance in the book The World's Worst Records: An Arcade of Audio Atrocity by Darryl Bullock. In 1978 Garabedian announced that he had negotiated an exclusive arrangement with the Henry Ford Museum for the duplication rights to the 26,000 Edison Cylinder and disk masters. they had an immediate 16 releases planned and another 200 projected releases. He told the interviewer:
"We might somewhere along the line in the next couple years pop up with an LP which will step out , attract an abundance of airplay and wind up on the charts."Was George a radical optimist or was he just teasing? It's hard to know. But things ended badly for Mark 56. Following his death in 1987, his son, Marcus Garabedian, continued to operate Mark 56 Records. His obituary in the Los Angeles times names his wife as Nancy and his daughter as Rebecca then list of their sons John, Phillip, Paul, Leslie, Vincent, Arthur and Mark. In 1988 Marc cut a deal to sell weekly cassette subscriptions of the Wall Street Journal. You could call 800-727-WALL (9255) for a $44.95, 12-week subscription. It's fascinating as the move prefigures the later invention of podcasts. But also The Wall Street Journal Radio Network which wasn't launched until 2014. But the service never materialized.