Great Jeanette MacDonald photo - who's the steeler?

Post by **Brad Bechtel** » 11 Jun 2008 2:22 pm

This image from the Jeanette MacDonald Fan Club web site is too big to post here, but it's a great image. I've trimmed it a bit and am using it as my computer desktop.

It's from the 1942 movie "I Married an Angel".

Does anyone have any idea who the steel player might be? It's a long shot, I know.

Steinar Gregertsen · Post by **Steinar Gregertsen** » 11 Jun 2008 3:01 pm

Here it is:

Will Houston · Post by **Will Houston** » 11 Jun 2008 5:24 pm

What Steel Player????

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 11 Jun 2008 5:25 pm

Bottom right.

Steinar Gregertsen · Post by **Steinar Gregertsen** » 11 Jun 2008 6:04 pm

Will Houston wrote:What Steel Player????

Will Houston · Post by **Will Houston** » 11 Jun 2008 8:22 pm

Ya I know. That was a joke. I was focusing on the swell dame and hula girls. If I knew how to put one of those smiley faces here I would.

Will Houston · Post by **Will Houston** » 11 Jun 2008 8:24 pm

Looks like the Steel player is focusing on her too.

Roger Shackelton · Post by **Roger Shackelton** » 15 Jun 2008 9:30 am

Like Who Else.

ROGER

Edward Meisse · Post by **Edward Meisse** » 15 Jun 2008 1:30 pm

I have heard that Clark Gable hated Jeanette McDonald. I was told that while filming, "San Francisco," he did everything in his power to antagonize her. She sure looks, "Swell," here.

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 15 Jun 2008 3:33 pm

Kinda looks like a young Sol Hoopii! Look at the nose, the ears,,,,,,,

Bill Creller · Post by **Bill Creller** » 15 Jun 2008 6:20 pm

Typical Hollywood movie from the old days, with a white girl playing the part of a Hawaiian. Looks like some of the old LP record covers with the same type pictures on them.

George Keoki Lake · Post by **George Keoki Lake** » 18 Jun 2008 5:07 pm

Well, whoever he is, he appears to be legit from the way he's holding his steel bar and wearing picks...not just an actor thrown in holding a guitar . Be kinda interesting if someone could positively i.d. him.

Don Kona Woods · Post by **Don Kona Woods** » 18 Jun 2008 10:29 pm

I believe that this steel guitar player is none other than Eddie Bush.
And by the way Eddie had a sweet sound falsetto voice.

Prince Kawohi is playing the bongo drum just to the right of Jeanette McDonald. I had the happy privilege of meeting Prince Kawohi in Honolulu several years ago. He now lives in Atlanta, GA.
He is much older now, but you would still recognize him anywhere. He happened to be visiting family in Hawaii, but took the time to come and listen to steel guitar playing by the HSGA'ers. I had the opportunity to chat with him a while. A lot of happy memories shared.

Eddie Bush and Prince Kawohi were a part of Harry Owens TV program.

I lived in Southern California at the right time and had the opportunity to view the TV program every week.

Do any of you have any happy memories of the Harry Owens TV program?

I hope this clears the mystery.

Aloha,

Don

c c johnson · Post by **c c johnson** » 19 Jun 2008 2:00 am

Don, I sure do and I have several videos of that show; Regal Pale commercials and all. cc

Post by **Brad Bechtel** » 19 Jun 2008 8:03 am

I think you're right.

Here's a later photo of Mr. Bush:

Compare to the first one:

Don Kona Woods · Post by **Don Kona Woods** » 19 Jun 2008 11:20 am

Renee Gonzales was Eddie Bush's daughter but she has very little memories of him and wanted to acquire more information about her father so she inquired for some help.

Renee Bush Gonzales

I am his daughter. He passed when I was 6, so my memories are not as great as those of the many musicians he played with. If
you have any info please contact me.

Eddie Bush, Jr.

I was amazed and pleased to see how many responses were triggered by Renee's inquiry. Renee is my half sister and Charles was the adopted son of my dad and his second wife Frieda (Peaches). I was born in 1936 when my dad was married to my mother Lottie. I do have many memories of my dad from the time he worked at the Seven Seas in Hollywood, was in the Sonja Heine Ice Show, the Ice Capades, Harry Owens TV Show, stints on Catalina Island at the Waikiki Room, and the lounge show at the Fremont Hotel in Las Vegas. My dad and mom were re-married in 1959, but for only brief period.
While in Long Beach, he worked at the Hawaiian, and Mr. C's. He married Charlene Abbott and they had Renee in 1963.
My dad developed lung cancer and died in 1969 at the young age of 58.
My wife and I live in Huntington Beach, CA and would love to hear about your memories of my dad.

Diane (Sharp) Snee

Eddie Bush was married to my father's older sister, Freda (called Peaches by everyone). My father was William R. Sharp, originally from Gillette, Wyoming. I remember seeing Uncle Eddie at the Ice Capades and the Fremont Hotel in San Francisco. I also have an autographed picture of Hilo Hattie given to me while I attended one of his performances. I also stayed with Auntie Peaches and Uncle Eddie when I was a little girl while my mother recovered from an illness. I remember them giving me an authentic hula outfit that I dearly loved. I also remember him being on TV with Harry Owens and the Royal Hawaiians. My mother tells me that she cared for their adopted son, Charles, when they first adopted him. Wish I could say more but this is all that I remember......it has been a long time ago.

There is more here on Eddie Bush athttp://www.hawaiimusicmuseum.org/forum/perf/tp1092.html

Aloha,

Don

Norman Markowitz · Post by **Norman Markowitz** » 27 Jul 2008 1:57 pm

Brad Bechtel wrote:I think you're right.

Here's a later photo of Mr. Bush:

Compare to the first one:

Brad I think you may be showing pictures of two different guys, both named Eddie Bush.

Eddie Bush the steel player died in 1969.

Eddie Bush the Uke player passed away i 2002.

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 27 Jul 2008 2:19 pm

Cool information. I too remember the Harry Owens TV show, but only Harry (with his metal-frame eyeglasses and Errol Flynn moustache) and Hilo Hattie stand out in my memory.

I do own an "Eddie Bush Model" Magnatone lap steel, which is an identical model to the one that Paul Bigsby designed for Magnatone, along with the Mark IV and Mark V standard guitars.

George Keoki Lake · Post by **George Keoki Lake** » 27 Jul 2008 2:36 pm

I think Norman is correct. Eddie Bush (the great steel guitarist), died many years ago. There was another Eddie Bush in Hawai'i who gained fame on ukulele...I think he died not too many years ago. (I could be wrong).

The photo showing Eddie playing the ukulele is too modern looking to be the steel guitarist, Eddie Bush as color photography wasn't common (or readily available) in his time.

Ron Whitfield · Post by **Ron Whitfield** » 27 Jul 2008 3:19 pm

Eddie Bush Jr., in the color picture was the steel playing Bush's son, and he did pass away, just about one year ago.
I saw him play in Waikiki shortly before his passing.

Norman Markowitz · Post by **Norman Markowitz** » 27 Jul 2008 3:32 pm

Eddie Bush, the Ukulele player Died Sept 10,2002

http://www.haukea.com/eb1.htm

Norman Markowitz · Post by **Norman Markowitz** » 27 Jul 2008 4:57 pm

Just as coincidence, just today I am transferring from an LP to CD, an Eddie Bush record on the Repeat Record Label #RS 170-7. Great steel instrumentals. And also today, as a birthday present, my wife gave me a Dick McIntire CD from WWW.cumquatrecords.com.au . It has three vocal tracks of Eddie Bush singing. Very nice.

Ron Whitfield · Post by **Ron Whitfield** » 27 Jul 2008 5:11 pm

Looks like you are correct, Norman.
Where does time go? Thankfully, I keep looking younger!

Norman Markowitz · Post by **Norman Markowitz** » 27 Jul 2008 6:00 pm

Looks are important,

But how young is your brain.

Try this one out. It'll drive you crazy.

Procedure of Flash Fabrica Game:

1. Touch 'start'
2. Wait for 3, 2, 1.

3.. Memorize the number's position on the screen, then click each circle from the smallest
number to the biggest number.

4. At the end of game, computer will tell you how old your brain is.

Good luck !! http://flashfabrica.com/f_learning/brain/brain.html

Don't forget....0 is less than one!! Have Fun!

According to this I have the mind of a 20 year old.. too bad my 56 year old....well let's not go there.

The Steel Guitar Forum

Great Jeanette MacDonald photo - who's the steeler?

Great Jeanette MacDonald photo - who's the steeler?

Eddie Bush

Eddie Bush On Steel