John Harvey Gahan
Encyclopedia
John Harvey “Oscar” Gahan (née John Harvey Gerald Gahan; August 20, 1888-March 24, 1958)
As Canada's child prodigy violinist. Gahan played a command performance for the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII, at age 5.) As a virtuoso violinist he performed under the name Arvé.
at Wall Street
. It was leased to the church on a 99 year lease. When the leasehold was up, the church refused to vacate the land and church they had built.
The night Porterfield’s husband died his office was broken into and his entire bureau (desk) was stolen from there. The thieves wanted to make sure they got all the deeds and every bit of paperwork pertaining to the leasehold. The Edwards family was in court for many years trying to prove ownership and three of their lawyers wound up in the east river. It's hard to get a good lawyer under any circumstance, but when three of your predecessors are drowned, it is a real deterrent! John Gahan died of the Spanish flu on October 25, 1918 at age 89, and his widow Sarah lived until 1926.
Gahan met his future wife Josepine Morong Runnels (née Whis tum Analyx) during a concert in an opera house owned by Josephine’s father. While playing a classical piece, Gahan glanced up into the owner’s box, and upon seeing Runnels, began to play “Beautiful Dreamer
”, the last known song of Stephen Foster
. He was introduced to her in his dressing room after the concert. Josephine was in the midst of a divorce from her husband George Whitely, the father of her baby daughter Ruth. Arvé was married to a young woman from Ohio at the time and was also seeking a divorce. Gahan and Runnels began a courtship.
After a very successful tour on The Continent, Gahan, Josephine Runnels and her chaperone aunt who was traveling with him on tour, missed their ship at Cherbourg because Josephine who had a fondness for large hats, took too long packing her trunks in their Paris hotel. By the time they got to the docks at Cherbourg, the RMS Titanic had already sailed.
in the Pacific Northwest. They had three separate ceremonies, the first
a Native American ceremony, followed by a Catholic ceremony, and later a third ceremony conducted by a federal court judge.
Gahan, while performing the Orpheum
circuit was set up by the theatre manager in Chicago. During a sound check before the performance, a stage hand called him to the telephone, he set his valuable Stradivarius
down on a box, went into the flies, picked up a dead phone, and when he returned the violin was gone. It broke his heart. He never played as well again.
After Gahan’s Stradivarius was stolen, he sank into a deep depression. His first cousin Walter Huston
wired to tell him to “get down here to New York, there’s this thing called Vaudeville” Gahan joined Walter and his wife at their boarding house in Niagara Falls
, and began performing in Vaudeville.
Eventually Walter Huston
and Rhea found their way out west and Walter once again wired cousin” Oscar” to “Get out to Hollywood, there’s this thing called talking pictures”.
Gahan worked his way across America performing in medicine shows and selling snake oil. He joined the Spade Cooley Band performed with the Son’s of the Pioneers and eventually made it to Hollywood where he was one of the busiest bit-part players in B-Westerns of the late 1930s. Gahan began his 1935-1942 screen career as a member of several hillbilly
music groups, including being an original member of the band known as The Arizona Wranglers (aka The Range Riders
), which also included stalwart B-Western player Jack Kirk, stuntman Jack Jones, and Deuce Spriggens. Gahan appeared both with the music group and on his own, usually cast as a henchman. Gahan was also a member of Loyal Underwood's Range Riders
on radio, and several other groups over the years.
His marriage to Runnels deteriorated due to his constant traveling. They had two daughters, RoseAnne Gahan, a child actress, and Pearl Marie Gahan.
’s son John, and was at the time a nurse to Roy Rogers
and Dale Evans
children.
At the time of is death in 1958 at the Queen of Angels Hospital, Gahan was a member of the Hollywood Hillbillies. He wrote many well-loved cowboy songs
and sold them to better known performers such as Bob Nolan
, Roy Rogers
, Gene Autry
, et al. for the total sum of $25.00 to buy milk for his wife’s baby.
As Canada's child prodigy violinist. Gahan played a command performance for the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII, at age 5.) As a virtuoso violinist he performed under the name Arvé.
Early years
Gahan was born in Orangeville, Ontario, Canada. In 1884 his father John James Gahan who had emigrated to Canada from Ireland married his mother Sarah Porterfield, a wealthy” lace curtain” Irish socialite. Porterfield was an Edwards through her grandmother Catherine. They owned vast holdings of land in the US. They were staunch Catholics. They donated the land for Boys Town in Nebraska. The Edwards family also owned the land under the Trinity Church, New YorkTrinity Church, New York
Trinity Church at 79 Broadway, Lower Manhattan, is a historic, active parish church in the Episcopal Diocese of New York...
at Wall Street
Wall Street
Wall Street refers to the financial district of New York City, named after and centered on the eight-block-long street running from Broadway to South Street on the East River in Lower Manhattan. Over time, the term has become a metonym for the financial markets of the United States as a whole, or...
. It was leased to the church on a 99 year lease. When the leasehold was up, the church refused to vacate the land and church they had built.
The night Porterfield’s husband died his office was broken into and his entire bureau (desk) was stolen from there. The thieves wanted to make sure they got all the deeds and every bit of paperwork pertaining to the leasehold. The Edwards family was in court for many years trying to prove ownership and three of their lawyers wound up in the east river. It's hard to get a good lawyer under any circumstance, but when three of your predecessors are drowned, it is a real deterrent! John Gahan died of the Spanish flu on October 25, 1918 at age 89, and his widow Sarah lived until 1926.
Gahan met his future wife Josepine Morong Runnels (née Whis tum Analyx) during a concert in an opera house owned by Josephine’s father. While playing a classical piece, Gahan glanced up into the owner’s box, and upon seeing Runnels, began to play “Beautiful Dreamer
Beautiful Dreamer
"Beautiful Dreamer" is a parlor song by Stephen Foster . It was published posthumously in March 1864 by Wm. A. Pond & Co. of New York. The first edition declares on the title page that "Beautiful Dreamer" is "the last song ever written by Stephen C. Foster. Composed but a few days prior to his...
”, the last known song of Stephen Foster
Stephen Foster
Stephen Collins Foster , known as the "father of American music", was the pre-eminent songwriter in the United States of the 19th century...
. He was introduced to her in his dressing room after the concert. Josephine was in the midst of a divorce from her husband George Whitely, the father of her baby daughter Ruth. Arvé was married to a young woman from Ohio at the time and was also seeking a divorce. Gahan and Runnels began a courtship.
After a very successful tour on The Continent, Gahan, Josephine Runnels and her chaperone aunt who was traveling with him on tour, missed their ship at Cherbourg because Josephine who had a fondness for large hats, took too long packing her trunks in their Paris hotel. By the time they got to the docks at Cherbourg, the RMS Titanic had already sailed.
Marriage
In 1919 Gahan married Josephine the granddaughter of Chief Que Que Tas of the indigenous Sanpoil (tribe)Sanpoil (tribe)
The Sanpoil is one of 12 aboriginal Confederated Tribes of the Colville Indian Reservation. The name Sanpoil comes from the Okanagan [snpʕwílx], "gray as far as one can see". It has been folk-etymologized as coming from the French sans poil, "without fur". The Yakama people know the tribe as...
in the Pacific Northwest. They had three separate ceremonies, the first
a Native American ceremony, followed by a Catholic ceremony, and later a third ceremony conducted by a federal court judge.
Gahan, while performing the Orpheum
Orpheum Circuit, Inc.
Orpheum Circuit, Inc., was a company started by Martin Beck who owned a series of vaudeville theaters and motion picture theaters.- The company :...
circuit was set up by the theatre manager in Chicago. During a sound check before the performance, a stage hand called him to the telephone, he set his valuable Stradivarius
Stradivarius
The name Stradivarius is associated with violins built by members of the Stradivari family, particularly Antonio Stradivari. According to their reputation, the quality of their sound has defied attempts to explain or reproduce, though this belief is controversial...
down on a box, went into the flies, picked up a dead phone, and when he returned the violin was gone. It broke his heart. He never played as well again.
After Gahan’s Stradivarius was stolen, he sank into a deep depression. His first cousin Walter Huston
Walter Huston
Walter Thomas Huston was a Canadian-born American actor. He was the father of actor and director John Huston and the grandfather of actress Anjelica Huston and actor Danny Huston.-Life and career:...
wired to tell him to “get down here to New York, there’s this thing called Vaudeville” Gahan joined Walter and his wife at their boarding house in Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls
The Niagara Falls, located on the Niagara River draining Lake Erie into Lake Ontario, is the collective name for the Horseshoe Falls and the adjacent American Falls along with the comparatively small Bridal Veil Falls, which combined form the highest flow rate of any waterfalls in the world and has...
, and began performing in Vaudeville.
Eventually Walter Huston
Walter Huston
Walter Thomas Huston was a Canadian-born American actor. He was the father of actor and director John Huston and the grandfather of actress Anjelica Huston and actor Danny Huston.-Life and career:...
and Rhea found their way out west and Walter once again wired cousin” Oscar” to “Get out to Hollywood, there’s this thing called talking pictures”.
Gahan worked his way across America performing in medicine shows and selling snake oil. He joined the Spade Cooley Band performed with the Son’s of the Pioneers and eventually made it to Hollywood where he was one of the busiest bit-part players in B-Westerns of the late 1930s. Gahan began his 1935-1942 screen career as a member of several hillbilly
Hillbilly
Hillbilly is a term referring to certain people who dwell in rural, mountainous areas of the United States, primarily Appalachia but also the Ozarks. Owing to its strongly stereotypical connotations, the term is frequently considered derogatory, and so is usually offensive to those Americans of...
music groups, including being an original member of the band known as The Arizona Wranglers (aka The Range Riders
Range Riders
The Range Riders are an American musical group. Their family-friendly music blends gospel, country and western music.Officially re-formed on 18 August 1981, the Range Riders emerged from the western music and singing cowboy era of the early 1930s. There have been many versions of this group over...
), which also included stalwart B-Western player Jack Kirk, stuntman Jack Jones, and Deuce Spriggens. Gahan appeared both with the music group and on his own, usually cast as a henchman. Gahan was also a member of Loyal Underwood's Range Riders
Range Riders
The Range Riders are an American musical group. Their family-friendly music blends gospel, country and western music.Officially re-formed on 18 August 1981, the Range Riders emerged from the western music and singing cowboy era of the early 1930s. There have been many versions of this group over...
on radio, and several other groups over the years.
His marriage to Runnels deteriorated due to his constant traveling. They had two daughters, RoseAnne Gahan, a child actress, and Pearl Marie Gahan.
Second Marriage
In 1956 he married Marguerite Depugh who had been a nurse for Spencer TracySpencer Tracy
Spencer Bonaventure Tracy was an American theatrical and film actor, who appeared in 75 films from 1930 to 1967. Tracy was one of the major stars of Hollywood's Golden Age, ranking among the top ten box office draws for almost every year from 1938 to 1951...
’s son John, and was at the time a nurse to Roy Rogers
Roy Rogers
Roy Rogers, born Leonard Franklin Slye , was an American singer and cowboy actor, one of the most heavily marketed and merchandised stars of his era, as well as being the namesake of the Roy Rogers Restaurants franchised chain...
and Dale Evans
Dale Evans
Dale Evans, was an American writer, movie star, and singer-songwriter. She was the third wife of singing cowboy Roy Rogers.-Early life:...
children.
At the time of is death in 1958 at the Queen of Angels Hospital, Gahan was a member of the Hollywood Hillbillies. He wrote many well-loved cowboy songs
Cowboy Songs
Cowboy Songs is a compilation recording released by the Western band Riders in the Sky in 1996. It is available as a single CD.This album is a collection of 12 of the most famous and beloved songs of the west—performed in the great tradition of the Sons of the Pioneers and the Riders of the Purple...
and sold them to better known performers such as Bob Nolan
Bob Nolan
Bob Nolan was a Canadian-born American singer, songwriter, and actor. He was a founding member of the Sons of the Pioneers, and composer of numerous Country music and Western music songs, including the standards "Cool Water" and "Tumbling Tumbleweeds." He is generally regarded as one of the...
, Roy Rogers
Roy Rogers
Roy Rogers, born Leonard Franklin Slye , was an American singer and cowboy actor, one of the most heavily marketed and merchandised stars of his era, as well as being the namesake of the Roy Rogers Restaurants franchised chain...
, Gene Autry
Gene Autry
Orvon Grover Autry , better known as Gene Autry, was an American performer who gained fame as The Singing Cowboy on the radio, in movies and on television for more than three decades beginning in the 1930s...
, et al. for the total sum of $25.00 to buy milk for his wife’s baby.