Borrah Minnevitch
Encyclopedia
Borrah Minnevitch (November 5, 1902, Kiev
– 26 June 1955, Paris
), born Bora Minjevic, was a notable harmonica
player, actor
, and leader of his group The Harmonica Rascals. Minnevitch hired Richard Hayman
as an arranger for the Rascals—Hayman later worked as an arranger for MGM
and the Boston Pops Orchestra
.
Minnevitch appeared in a short film made by Lee DeForest in the short-lived sound-on-film
process Phonofilm
, titled A Boston Star: Borrah Minnevitch, which premiered at the Rivoli Theater in New York City
on 15 April 1923. He and the Rascals appeared in Lazy Bones (1934), which was a part live action
part animated film released by Fleischer Studios
as part of their Screen Songs
series, and in the live-action short Borrah Minevitch and His Harmonica Rascals (Vitaphone
, 1935). Minnevitch later made many other appearances in short films made by other filmmakers.
The Harmonica Rascals, an ensemble of approximately ten pieces, recorded for Brunswick Records
in 1933, and later for Decca Records
.
Minnevitch went on to make many stage and screen appearances before his death in Paris
in 1955 at age 52.
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
– 26 June 1955, Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
), born Bora Minjevic, was a notable harmonica
Harmonica
The harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
player, actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, and leader of his group The Harmonica Rascals. Minnevitch hired Richard Hayman
Richard Hayman
Richard Hayman is an American arranger, harmonica player, and conductor.Hayman started out as a player and arranger for the Borrah Minnevitch Harmonica Rascals before becoming an arranger for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios during the early 1940s. He did arrangements for the MGM films Girl Crazy,...
as an arranger for the Rascals—Hayman later worked as an arranger for MGM
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. is an American media company, involved primarily in the production and distribution of films and television programs. MGM was founded in 1924 when the entertainment entrepreneur Marcus Loew gained control of Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures Corporation and Louis B. Mayer...
and the Boston Pops Orchestra
Boston Pops Orchestra
The Boston Pops Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Boston, Massachusetts, that specializes in playing light classical and popular music....
.
Minnevitch appeared in a short film made by Lee DeForest in the short-lived sound-on-film
Sound-on-film
Sound-on-film refers to a class of sound film processes where the sound accompanying picture is physically recorded onto photographic film, usually, but not always, the same strip of film carrying the picture. Sound-on-film processes can either record an analog sound track or digital sound track,...
process Phonofilm
Phonofilm
In 1919, Lee De Forest, inventor of the audion tube, filed his first patent on a sound-on-film process, DeForest Phonofilm, which recorded sound directly onto film as parallel lines. These parallel lines photographically recorded electrical waveforms from a microphone, which were translated back...
, titled A Boston Star: Borrah Minnevitch, which premiered at the Rivoli Theater in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
on 15 April 1923. He and the Rascals appeared in Lazy Bones (1934), which was a part live action
Live action
In filmmaking, video production, and other media, the term live action refers to cinematography, videography not produced using animation...
part animated film released by Fleischer Studios
Fleischer Studios
Fleischer Studios, Inc., was an American corporation which originated as an Animation studio located at 1600 Broadway, New York City, New York...
as part of their Screen Songs
Screen Songs
Screen Songs is the name of a series of animated cartoons produced by the Fleischer Studios and distributed by Paramount Pictures between 1929 and 1938. They were revived by Famous Studios in 1945 starting with the Noveltoon Old MacDonald Had a Farm....
series, and in the live-action short Borrah Minevitch and His Harmonica Rascals (Vitaphone
Vitaphone
Vitaphone was a sound film process used on feature films and nearly 1,000 short subjects produced by Warner Bros. and its sister studio First National from 1926 to 1930. Vitaphone was the last, but most successful, of the sound-on-disc processes...
, 1935). Minnevitch later made many other appearances in short films made by other filmmakers.
The Harmonica Rascals, an ensemble of approximately ten pieces, recorded for Brunswick Records
Brunswick Records
Brunswick Records is a United States based record label. The label is currently distributed by E1 Entertainment.-From 1916:Records under the "Brunswick" label were first produced by the Brunswick-Balke-Collender Company...
in 1933, and later for Decca Records
Decca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
.
Minnevitch went on to make many stage and screen appearances before his death in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in 1955 at age 52.