Russell Hunting
Encyclopedia
Russell Hunting was a North America
n entertainer
, pioneer sound recordist, and an influential figure in the early years of the recorded music industry
.
Hunting became one of the early stars of the humorous talking record, beginning in 1892, with his Michael Casey series of Irish
comedy
skits. Here, the multi-talented Hunting, with his trademark "of New York and, uh, Paris" announcement for the Columbia Phonograph Company
, performs all of the main speaking parts in this Casey installment.
Russell Hunting was imprisoned in 1896 for making recordings of "indecent" jokes. Although he used various pseudonyms, such as "Michael Casey" when selling his recordings on Coney Island
, his voice was very distinct, enough that police officers could track him down and arrest him.
In 1898, Hunting recorded his popular version of baseball
poem Casey at the Bat
(Columbia Graphophone Grand, #9649). After that, his popular Casey format was often imitated. When Hunting had moved to England, James H. White recorded Casey material for Edison Records (circa 1901). Then, in 1905, John Kaiser became the voice of Casey for Edison.
In the late 1890s, a cylinder record company called Leeds Talk-O-Phone
(when they made cylinders) had Hunting record a specialty of his called "Cohen at the Telephone". He was paid $5 per "round", as pantographic duplication yielded about 100 acceptable duplicates of a cylinder. At the end of the fourth round (recording into 4 machines yielded 16 masters) he saw a man carting 24 recordings of his "Cohen at the Telephone" away at the end of the studio. Hunting accused Leeds Talk-O-Phone
of attempting to defraud him. Leeds Talk-O-Phone
, according to Hunting, made good upon being threatened with exposure.
As early as 1901, Hunting had gone to England
to employ the valuable experience that he had gained in working in all the recording laboratories of the United States
. Well known to owners of all kinds of talking machines for his Casey series, his endorsement of a product was considered an advantage. Until shortly before this, Hunting had been the editor of the Phonoscope. At his arrival in England, he was made recording director for Edison-Bell, and later founded his Russell Hunting Company.
Hunting is represented on the 2007 compilation Actionable Offenses: Indecent Phonograph Recordings from the 1890s
.
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
n entertainer
Entertainment
Entertainment consists of any activity which provides a diversion or permits people to amuse themselves in their leisure time. Entertainment is generally passive, such as watching opera or a movie. Active forms of amusement, such as sports, are more often considered to be recreation...
, pioneer sound recordist, and an influential figure in the early years of the recorded music industry
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
.
Hunting became one of the early stars of the humorous talking record, beginning in 1892, with his Michael Casey series of Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
comedy
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
skits. Here, the multi-talented Hunting, with his trademark "of New York and, uh, Paris" announcement for the Columbia Phonograph Company
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
, performs all of the main speaking parts in this Casey installment.
Russell Hunting was imprisoned in 1896 for making recordings of "indecent" jokes. Although he used various pseudonyms, such as "Michael Casey" when selling his recordings on Coney Island
Coney Island
Coney Island is a peninsula and beach on the Atlantic Ocean in southern Brooklyn, New York, United States. The site was formerly an outer barrier island, but became partially connected to the mainland by landfill....
, his voice was very distinct, enough that police officers could track him down and arrest him.
In 1898, Hunting recorded his popular version of baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
poem Casey at the Bat
Casey at the Bat
"Casey at the Bat: A Ballad of the Republic Sung in the Year 1888" is a baseball poem written in 1888 by Ernest Thayer. First published in The San Francisco Examiner on June 3, 1888, it was later popularized by DeWolf Hopper in many vaudeville performances.The poem was originally published...
(Columbia Graphophone Grand, #9649). After that, his popular Casey format was often imitated. When Hunting had moved to England, James H. White recorded Casey material for Edison Records (circa 1901). Then, in 1905, John Kaiser became the voice of Casey for Edison.
In the late 1890s, a cylinder record company called Leeds Talk-O-Phone
Leeds Talk-O-Phone
Leeds Talk-O-Phone was a record label, producing cylinders from 1894 to 1903 and single-sided lateral-cut disc gramophone records in the United States of America from about 1902 to 1909....
(when they made cylinders) had Hunting record a specialty of his called "Cohen at the Telephone". He was paid $5 per "round", as pantographic duplication yielded about 100 acceptable duplicates of a cylinder. At the end of the fourth round (recording into 4 machines yielded 16 masters) he saw a man carting 24 recordings of his "Cohen at the Telephone" away at the end of the studio. Hunting accused Leeds Talk-O-Phone
Leeds Talk-O-Phone
Leeds Talk-O-Phone was a record label, producing cylinders from 1894 to 1903 and single-sided lateral-cut disc gramophone records in the United States of America from about 1902 to 1909....
of attempting to defraud him. Leeds Talk-O-Phone
Leeds Talk-O-Phone
Leeds Talk-O-Phone was a record label, producing cylinders from 1894 to 1903 and single-sided lateral-cut disc gramophone records in the United States of America from about 1902 to 1909....
, according to Hunting, made good upon being threatened with exposure.
As early as 1901, Hunting had gone to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
to employ the valuable experience that he had gained in working in all the recording laboratories of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Well known to owners of all kinds of talking machines for his Casey series, his endorsement of a product was considered an advantage. Until shortly before this, Hunting had been the editor of the Phonoscope. At his arrival in England, he was made recording director for Edison-Bell, and later founded his Russell Hunting Company.
Hunting is represented on the 2007 compilation Actionable Offenses: Indecent Phonograph Recordings from the 1890s
Actionable Offenses: Indecent Phonograph Recordings from the 1890s
Actionable Offenses: Indecent Phonograph Recordings from the 1890s is a compilation of jokes and stories recorded to wax cylinders during the 1890s. At the time the recordings were made, they were considered indecent, and nearly all similar recordings from this era have been destroyed, often by law...
.