RICHARDSON, DOUGLAS

Homebase: Seattle, WA
Stats: b.1902--
Misc Notes: Douglas "Doug" Richardson first gained local notoriety in June 1923 when, as a member of the Seattle Town Male Trio, he -- and Stan Humble and Barney Hagan -- appeared at the Coliseum Theatre backing Miss Marguerite Haight, singing Harold Weeks' latest tune, "Seattle Song." He also worked with the Will King Stock Co.'s musical shows. Then he made his radio debut in 1925 on KFOA (in the old Rhodes Building) backed by Toots Bates' Goodrich Silvertown Cord Orchestra. He also sang with Toots Bates Highway Pavilion Orchestra at Dick Parker's Highway Pavilion on the old Bothell Highway, and at Dehoney's and the Hippodrome Dance Hall. He also sang on KTCL from the New Washington Hotel. In 1926 he evidently traveled to California to record his debut disc for Columbia (which featured the backing of Meyers' band). The following year he was one of several local musicians who were recorded in Seattle by an early field crew from Columbia Records. As a duo with his brother, Gordon, he sang on the Atwater-Kent Kiddies Hour (as sponsored by Sunset Electric), and with a third brother the Richardson Trio sang on KOMO radio. Off to Hollywood, he sang "as a member of those big musical singing groups" for Warner Brothers. At the end of Prohibition in 1933 Richardson formed a duo with the popular tenor, Gene Austin, working at the Blue Heaven Cafe. In his final years he performed around the Seattle area doing puppet acts, magic, and playing guitar in the Phoenix Players group. As late as 1963 he performed at the Seattle Center as Zingo the clown.