Russ Columbo, The Forgotten Crooner

Russ Columbo was the youngest of twelve children born to Nicola and Giulia Columbo. They moved the family from Camden, New Jersey to San Francisco, hoping to find opportunities for their child prodigy, Russ. He would make his first professional appearance with the violin at nine, playing at the Imperial Theatre. He played with his high school band and at seventeen was working with groups at various Hollywood studios. He also dubbed the singing voices of non-singers Gary Cooper and Lewis Stone.

When Bing Crosby left the Gus Arnheim band, Columbo took his place and a friendly feud developed ( (Battle of The Crooners) between the two for the title of America’s top popular singer. Their voices were somewhat similar but Columbo had a sweet, dreamy quality Crosby couldn’t match. Crosby, it was said, had better voice control and a more polished sound. Columbo would set the pattern for the smooth Italian crooner, influencing such singers as Perry Como and Dean Martin. Nat King Cole was an admirer as is Neil Diamond. His resemblance to Rudolph Valentiono made him popular with such hotties as Carole Lombard, Greta Garbo, and Lupe Velez.

Columbo wrote such songs as Prisoner of Love (Perry Como had a hit with this one years later) and You Call It Madness (But I call It Love.) He also traveled with his own band and appeared in three films. The film clip here is a fine example of his style. He wears his white suit, sings a ballad and an up-tempo number with Constance Cummings: he also plays a bit of violin.

Tragically, Columbo’s career ended on September 2, 1934, when he was accidentally shot by his photographer friend Lansing Brown. They were examining an antique pistol from Brown’s gun collection when the gun went off slamming a slug into Columbo’s head. He died about six hours later. He was twenty-six. Although Brown was exonerated, he would carry the guilt of his friend’s death for decades.

Columbo’s mother was recuperating from a heart attack at the time and was not told off his passing. The family, thinking the shock of her famous son’s death would kill her, never told her. They kept him alive by sending postcards, letters, and presents--all from her beloved son. She died ten years later, never learning the truth.

One wonders what Russ Columbo would have achieved as an actor and singer had he lived. Would he eclipse the success of Bing Crosby? What other songs might have been written? Would he have returned to the violin, as he grew older? Truly, a gifted and talented man was taken from us on that warm California afternoon when the crack of a dueling pistol split the air in the soft California sunshine.