What is known about Pee Wee Marquette, the famous Birdland Announcer?

There are some stories in Bill Crowe's books but I can't remember them.

PEE WEE MARQUETTE WAS FRIENDS WITH BABY FACE WILLETTE

According to Lester Young, "Half a mohterfucker."

If an artist didn't tip him to his satisfaction he'd mispronounce or otherwise mangle your name in announcements. . . .

She was a nasty person, and Lon is right, she deliberately mispronounced musicians' names unless they gave her money. After Birdland closed, I used to see her in front of a tourist trap restaurant, Hawaii Kai, hawking to lure out-of-towners in.

any pics or bio info? how did he get his job?

He?

see! i'm learning already he was a SHE!!!!!

The scan above is from Crowe's "Jazz Anecdotes" (page 310). I don't know what's up with Christiern but maybe he learned some trivia from this place.

So is it HE or SHE?

If it's HE, I've always thought that Gary Coleman could play him in a movie about Birdland. (Look at the Art Blakey - A Night At Birdland Covers (rvg)).

from: http://www.allaboutjazz.com/articles/ftis0802.htm


Lullaby of Birdland


By Rob Mariani


You descended another flight of stairs and the light became a kind of midnight blue. A hand lettered sign overhead read: "Welcome to The Jazz Corner of the World. Through these doors pass the most." There were shadows moving around inside, and a silvery white glow coming off the tablecloths. You were greeted ­ if that's the word for it by the strident and irascible Mr. Pee Wee Marquette, the tuxedoed midget who also worked as the MC. (I can't tell you the number of times I was summarily turned away by Mr. Marquette because I could not produce proof that I was 18 years old. And even after I had my draft card, he still insisted I show it to him every time I came.)





curiouser and curiouser!!!

I recall that we had a thread a while back on a now defunct jazz BBS with the subject "whatever happened to Pee Wee Marquette?" There were some knowledgeable participants, and nobody could recall an obituary or any such information.

Is Pee Wee still alive?

Marquette was generally believed--by me and others--to be a male, but I have heard many people who worked with him/her say that this was a woman posing as a man. Not having seen Marquette sans clothes (tux or ridiculous Hawaii Kai costume), I cannot say for sure, but while it may be nothing more than a rumor, it surely is within the realm of possibilities.

Hmmmmm

Perhaps I should have asked: he? she?

Perhaps Pee Wee was a hermaphrodite, which would make Lester's "half a motherfucker" comment exceptionally perceptive, even for him!

He/She was on Letterman about 7-8 years ago.

Supposedly he announced Teddy Kotick as Teddy Kotex.

just learned he was 3 feet 9 inches and born "william clayton marquette."

from: http://home.achilles.net/~howardm/tsmonk/hentoff.php


Memories of Thelonious Monk
from "Listen to the Stories"
by Nat Hentoff


When Monk's music was played, there was never any doubt as to its source. Pee Wee Marquette, the small, round, vinegary man who used to act as the town crier at Birdland, would introduce Thelonious as "the onliest Monk."

can anyone find any other pics of pee wee marquette?

come on people, keep looking!

i still would like to see some other pics of him.

i found another voice clip of him on Tito Rodriguez - Live at Birdland (1962) Palladium Records. he got the name right!

I watched Clint Eastwood's 'Bird' a couple of weeks ago. If I remember correctly, and I might no be doing so, Pee Wee (an actor portraying Pee Wee) makes an appearance when Charlie Parker plays at Birdland. Again, maybe I'm thinking of a different movie, I can't remember.

Anyhow, when I saw Pee Wee, wherever it was that I saw Pee Wee, I was reminded of this thread and Christiern's words of Pee Wee possibly being a 'she.'

Googling the Grail-

Dick Cary:

No photo but I found this:

home.comcast.net/~pkdwoof/audio/birdland.mp3Pee Wee audio

Pee Wee Photo......

"Ladies and gentlemen, Birdland is honored to have in the house this evening none other than Mr Marlo Brandon!"

--Pee Wee Marquette

I never saw this thread before....which considering how many time Evan brought it back to life, is amazing!
Looking at the first photo, I would agree with Chris(A first, naw a second!) that he looks like a gal....

Pee Wee w/Basie (scroll down page)

I have other photos of Pee Wee.

Pee Wee used to hang around a lesbian bar in Harlem. Also used to go to Small's Paradise's after hours sub basement, dressed as a nurse. So, who knows what he was.

BTW, in the basement of Small's, when Wilt Chamberlain owned it, he set up weights for him to work out. . Some of the NY Giants football players used to hang in Small's. One night, Tucker Fredirckson, remember him, was having trouble pushing up a weight, Wilt was walking by, and with one hand lifted the weight and set it down on the floor! Wilt was incredibly strong. Had to play under restraint, otherwise he could have seriously hurt, even Willis Reed. (I still say, I was there for all the games, he 'threw' the 7th game, because he felt sorry for Willis!)

But back to Pee Wee. Without him Birdland would not have been the same. It was all part of showbiz. Just think, Coltrane playing My Favorite Things was part of popular culture back in 1962!! The 'players' of that day, who today would be going to Jay Zee's club, went to Birdland to hear Basie!

A different time, wonderful, but half the country was still oficially segregated, Eastern Europe was Commie, fallout shelters for the expected nuclear attack were all over NYC, so you take the good with the bad. There is no Golden Age in life!!!

post them please!!!

I don't have scanner.

Some of them will be in my book.

Been wondering for awhile, gotta ask: Bright Moments, is that a DQD (drag queen drummer) in your avatar?

If I may, its that pinup queen's head super-imposed over Elvin's face.

lol!! no chris, that is betty page, who jim dye was good enuf to photoshop over the head of the elvin jones avatar he used to use.

Thanks, BM -- I feel much better now. Mind you, I am not against drag queens, but they are known to be somewhat behind when it comes to percussive prowess.

youmustbe: tell us about the book -

I'd be interested.

so is the book out??

It's a cold February in Chicago, the year is 1926. Police get a tip that a Model A is shaking queerly. They check it out and for Henry and Alonzo, the masquerade is over!



Photo is from the February 20, 1926 issue of the Chicago Defender.

The black Tony Curtis & Jack Lemmon!

What a wonderful article! "We take in washing and ironing!"



MG