Perry Askam

Perry Askam
Born1898
Died1961 (aged 62–63)
Occupation(s)baritone singer, actor
Years active1920s–1950s
SpouseFrances

Perry Askam (1898–1961) was a 20th-century American actor and baritone singer, most active in musical theatre and opera around the San Francisco area.

Askam was born in 1898[1] to Oliver and Helena Askam. Helena was the daughter of ferryman and land magnate Henry Rengstorff.[2] Perry was orphaned at a young age, and went to live with his maternal aunt, Elisa Haag, whom he came to view as a second mother.[2] A little later Elisa and Perry moved into Rengstorff House with Perry's grandmother Christina Rengstorff, widow of Henry.[2] On this expansive property Perry worked the ranch, working with cattle and in the grain fields while attending local school.[2] He then attended the Santa Clara University, studying music.[2]

Askam joined the French army during World War I, and when the United States entered on the side of the Allies, he transferred to the American Ambulance Corps.[2] At war's end, he relocated to New York and appeared in Broadway performances.[2]

Askam played the San Francisco production of Castles in the Air in 1927.[3] In 1928 he performed in The Desert Song at the Curran Theatre.[3]

He was in the Los Angeles production of The New Moon.[4] This engagement led to a recording of the musical's songs "Stouthearted Men" and "Lover Come Back to Me".[4] Joel Whitburn estimates this recording (released on Victor Records 22317) would have been listed as a best seller if the Billboard Hot 100 had existed.[5]

Askam had a significant role in the 1930 Warner Brothers musical film Sweet Kitty Bellairs in which he sang lead in several numbers,[1] not surprising in that he was the only professional singer in the cast.[6]

Askam spent two seasons with the San Francisco Opera.[7] Askam performed the role of Count Almaviva in the 1936 production of Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro.[8] He had two roles for San Francisco's 1937 season, both in works by Charles Gounod, first as Mercutio in his Roméo et Juliette and then as Valentin in Faust.[9] He joined the New York-based New Opera Company in 1941 for a performance of Mozart's then-rarely-heard Così fan tutte.[10]

In 1945 Perry and his wife Frances moved back to Rengstorff House to look after his aunt Elise.[2] He made regular concert appearances with the San Francisco Symphony.[2] Perry lived at his ancestral home until 1959.[2] He died in 1961.[1]

Filmography

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d Bradley, Edwin M. (2004). The First Hollywood Musicals: A Critical Filmography of 171 Features, 1927 through 1932. McFarland. p. 195. ISBN 9780786420292.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Butler, Phyllis Filiberti (1991). Old Santa Clara Valley: A Guide to Historic Buildings from Palo Alto to Gilroy. San Carlos, California: Wide World Publishing. p. 38. ISBN 0-933174-81-0.
  3. ^ a b "Desert Song at Curran". Pacific Coast Music Review. Vol. 56, no. 10. San Francisco, California. March 20, 1928 – via archive.org.
  4. ^ a b Everett, William A. (2008). Sigmund Romberg. Yale University Press. p. 305. ISBN 9780300138351 – via Google Books.
  5. ^ Whitburn, Joel (1986). Pop Memories 1890–1954. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research, Inc. p. 36. ISBN 0-89820-083-0.
  6. ^ Bradley, Edwin M. (1996). The First Hollywood Musicals: A Critical Filmography of 171 Features, 1927 Through 1932. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company. p. 196. ISBN 0-7864-2029-4.
  7. ^ Bloomfield, Arthur (1972). 50 Years of the San Francisco Opera. San Francisco: San Francisco Book Company. p. 430. ISBN 0-913374-00-8.
  8. ^ Bloomfield, Arthur (1972). 50 Years of the San Francisco Opera. San Francisco: San Francisco Book Company. p. 331. ISBN 0-913374-00-8.
  9. ^ Bloomfield, Arthur (1972). 50 Years of the San Francisco Opera. San Francisco: San Francisco Book Company. pp. 333–334. ISBN 0-913374-00-8.
  10. ^ Villamil, Victoria Etnier (2004). From Johnson's Kids to Lemonade Opera: The American Classical Singer Comes of Age. Boston: Northeastern University Press. pp. 103, 298. ISBN 1-55553-635-2.
  11. ^ Santas, Constantine; Wilson, James M.; Colavito, Maria; Baker, Djoymi (2014). The Encyclopedia of Epic Films. Scarecrow Press. p. 159. ISBN 9780810882485 – via Google Books.
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