Ben Bernie at Chicago Worlds Fair 1933-34

[maryinfla]

Does anybody know anything about Ben Bernie and His Lads working at the 1933 Chicago Worlds Fair, "The Century of Progress"?

My sister's father-in-law, James Renc, sang with Bernie's band at the Chicago Fair when he was 20 years old. We think he was hired just to sing at the Exposition, anyhow he wasn't part of the band except at the fair. Does anyone know if there would have been more than one band unit under a leader's name? more than one shift during a day?

Bernie's radio sponsor from 1931-35 was Pabst Blue Ribbon. one might guess that he was working for Pabst at the Fair as well-- Pabst built a big cafe as well as a very classy lake-side dance pavilion called the Blue Ribbon Casino.

If anyone has memories, advertising, photos of dance bands at the Chicago fair, we'd very much like to hear about it. Thanks so much--