He lived in England for years, and did relatively little performing after returning to the U.S. because of his commercial real-estate involvement. He made a fortune in commercial development, then returned to singing after he was heard in the film “Pennies From Heaven.” He continued to sing on cruise ships when he was in his seventies.

They wouldn’t know him by sight because he was heard, not seen, on radio.

@@jimdrake-writer They all would have seen him 'somewhere'. He made many appearances, was in movies, made many 'short' sing-a-long films that were shown in movie theaters. His recording of 'Marta' was imitated by 'everyone and - then there were pictures of him everywhere. And that's 'my' my story.

uncle louie: Yes, he made film shorts that were shown in movie theaters when he was in his prime, but he was costumed as the “Street Singer of the Air” character he had created, not in a suit. Most of his personal appearances were in vaudeville, initially in Atlantic City and then on the “subway circuit” and ultimately as a headliner in the Poli circuit. But that was before his radio career, which is what made him nationally known. During the peak of his fame, he was not in the U.S. for six years. He was living and performing in the U.K., and it was there that most of his recordings were made.