Bernie, Ben (ne Anzelevitz, Benjamin) 30.may.1891-20.oct.1943 USA NY, New York - California, Los Angeles Beverly Hillsviolinist, orchestra leader, jewish, born at 34 Attorney Street New York City where his father had a workshop at nearby 122 Norfolk Street, 1900 lived with his parents in Bayonne New Jersey, 1905 debuted as violinist at Carnegie Hall New York, 1906 taught violin at the Mozart School of Music New York, studied at the New York College of Music, studied engineering at the Cooper Union Institute and the City College of New York but left these studies to sell violins in a store, 1910 impresario Joseph Schenck booked him for a theatre tour with Charlie Klass as the 'Fiddle-up Boys', changed his name from Bernard Berni to Ben Bernie and teamed with comedian Phil Baker in vaudeville tours, 1923 formed his own band 'The Lads' playing for six years at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City, lost all his savings in the 1929 crash, 1929-1930 engaged for ten months at the Kit Kat Club in London, 1931 started his radio appearances for Mennen's Shaving Cream, Pabst Bleu Ribbon Beer, Half 'n' Half Tobacco and Wrigley's Gum, buried at Mount Hebron Cemetery in Flushing New York City ; son of blacksmith Julius Anzelevitz (Russia mar.1862-) and Anna Melnick (Russia apr.1862-) who had immigrated 1886 ; 1915 he married Rose Harris (New York City 6.oct.1896-), divorced ; 1935 he married Dorothy Wesley (Illinois 1906-)
[Schleman 1936 gives erroneously born Bayonne New Jersey]