My friend Anthony DiFolio sent me this news this morning. I thought other
ARSC members would find the info useful. Wil traveled the long distance to the
Syracuse Conference with Fred Williams and I and regaled us with lots of great
stories of his "Victor" days.
Steve Ramm
Subj: Wilfrid Graham-RIP Date: 6/22/2005 12:39:17 AM Eastern Standard
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Wilfrid Graham
1909-2005
Our Friend Wilfrid Graham passed away on June 20th at the age of 96. He
had been residing at the Bryn Mawr Terrace, but he had been a longtime
resident of Wynnewood, PA. What a truly unforgettable character he was to all who
had the priviledge to know him. Wil was much more than just a record
collector, he was an eyewitness to much of the entertainment world of the twentieth
century.
Wil was born in New York City and was interested in music from an early age.
He attended George Washington High School and wrote for the school paper
the Cherry Tree. He so impressed his teacher that he was able to get free
passes to the Metropolitan Opera as a reviewer! This was during the 20's the
golden age of the Met. No, he never saw Caruso, but Gigli and Martinelli were
favorites. Lawrence Tibbett was his idol. Wil loved classical and popular
music equally. He spent as much time at the RKO Palace watching vaudeville as
he did at the Met. Wil attended the earliest Vitaphone exhibitions and always
delighted in telling of the time that the violinist played on screen and no
sound was heard! He saw all the greats of vaudeville in the 20's like Billy
Murray and Irving Kaufmann. In fact, in later years Wil and Irving would become
close personal friends.
As a young man during the great depression, he so impressed Louis Katzman,
the program director of WINS-AM radio in New York that he was hired as the
first classical music disc jockey in 1937. (He had all of Katzman's recordings!)
This led to his being hired by RCA Victor for the 1940 New York World's
Fair. Will was a record presenter at the RCA Victor Pavilion. He was so
successful that Victor hired him and he moved down to Camden, NJ. for a golden
decade with Nipper. Later in the decade, Will used his encylopaedic knowledge of
Victor's classical catalog that he started the Vintage Series of prestigious
classical rereleases with a distinctive gold label and sleeve. Wil ordered
rare unreleased masters and alternate takes from the unsuspecting guardians
of the vaults to the delight of hardcore collectors. He left RCA in 1950 and
spent the better part of the next three decades on the road as a sales
representative for high end audio manufacturers like Sansui.
He and his wife Helene enjoyed their home in Wynnewood that they shared with
their son Tony and Wil's magnificent collection of 78 rpm records,photos,
vintage victrolas and cylinder players; and Wil's fabulous set of original
vintage Lionel Trains. Until his health declined in recent years, he faithfully
took the autotrain down to Ft. Lauderdale for his winter sojourn. (And to
visit his collection of popular personality records!)
Well into his late 80's the dapper Mr. Graham would come down to
Philadelphia for our weekly Friday afternoon luncheons, and regale us with his great
stories. He would frequently appear on the "Sunshine, Music Memories radio
program with Smiling Lou Powers and recount those priceless memories for an
appreciative audience. He was a longtime member of ARSC, and will be fondly
remembered by his fellow record collectors and musical enthusiasts.
Wilfrid Graham will be buried next to his beloved Helene in New York. His
magnificent collection of musical memorabilia has been consigned to Lawrence
Holdrige. I hope that those who win some of his priceless items will
appreciate the love and devotion he showed over many years to acquire them.
Anthony DiFlorio III