JACK MOLLICK 

(February 2, 1908 – December 10,1953)





 

Timeline. By Erica Wolin (Jack Mollick’s grandaughter)

Born in Felsoviso, Hungary. Original name Jankel Mallik.

Arrived in NYC May 15, 1910 from Hamburg on the SS President Lincoln.

Parents: Moritz and Mindy Mallik according to the Ellis Island Records; Morris and Minnie Mollick in the1920 US Census.

The 1920 US Census lists the Mollick household living at 295 Seventh Street, New York, NY: Morris, head (age 42); Minnie, wife (age 35); Jacob (later shorthened to Jack), son (age 11); Rose, sister in law, (age 26); Jacob, nephew (age 4); Sarah, niece (age 3).

Married 11/11/1924 to May Palefsky. Jack was 16, May was 18.

Two children:

- Harriet - (1927 - 2006) Played the trumpet as a teenager, but went on to become a teacher, accountant, and homemaker

- Stanley - (1928 -         ) became a trumpet player in his own right, first in New York, then in Florida.

Mollick nearly always had steady employment, and was a good provider for his family.


Early 1930's - Chicago

- Mollick left New York and went to Chicago.

- Fred Hall's Sugar Babies - trumpet

- Al Kavelin Orchestra (big band) - trumpet

- Roommate: Carmen Cavallaro - played piano for Kavelin

 

 Early 1940s - before the war - New York

- Mollick was one of the best Trumpet players around.

- Radio City Music Hall in its Heyday - 1st Trumpet under conductor (Ernie Rapee)

- Roxie Theatre - 1st Trumpet under conductor (Paul Ashe)

- Close friend: Mannie Klein - also a 1st Trumpet player (considered by some to be the best trumpet player in NY) left New York to join Colombia Pictures. Mollick was asked to come along, but he turned down the opportunity in favor of the steady work that he had in New York.

- Music teacher (Max Shlosberg). Among his students were Charlie Margolis, Mannie Klein, and Mollick

- WINS Radio Studio - Mollick was the 1st trumpet player for the Henry (Hank) Sylvern Orchestra.

- MGM - WMCA Radio Station - Mollick played the trumpet on staff



  During the war - New York

- Slated for the West Point Orchestra, but he was too old to be drafted.

- Played the trumpet in the Broadway musical Bloomer Girl Show  for about one year.

- Later - worked Vaudeville in RKO Keith Theatres (7 or 8 shows a week) playing in a band that did accompanying music for the stage show that followed the movie

- Hotel St. George - Brooklyn - on staff - 1st trumpet under band leader (Eli Danzig). This was a very good steady job.


1950' s - New York

In the early 1950's, Mollick, having been sick for some time, went to a doctor and was diagnosed as having just a lingering cold. But, the illness  turned out to be Leukemia.

Although many forms of Leukemia are now treatable, successfully putting the disease into remission for years at a time,  little was known about the disease at that time. Mollick applied to the Mayo Clinic but was turned down, the reason being that they wouldn't be able to do any more for him than what was already being done in New York.

Died 1953, at age 45. At the time of his untimely death, he already had 2 grandchilren, Debra and Erica, by his daughter Harriet and her husband Milton Wolin. Two more grandchildren, Jessica and Mitchell Wolin, were born later.

 

Discography. By Albert Haim. Sources: American Dance Bands by Brian Rust; Tom Lord’s jazz discography online. 

The Tin Pan Paraders, Fred Hall Director.

New York, May 22, 1928.

GEX-1320-A Mama’s Grown Young, Papa’s Grown Old  Gennett 6488

GEX-1321-A Who Wouldn’t Be Blue? Gennett 6504

New York, June 22, 1928.

GEX-1462-A My Pet Gennett 6456

GEX-1463-A An’ Furthermore Gennett 6456

GEX-1464-B When Sweet Susie Goes Steppin’ By Gennett 6849

 

Arthur Fields and His Assassinators.

New York, October 20, 1927.

11969 Is It Possible? Edison52123

11970 Someday You’ll Say “O.K.” Edison52123

New York, December 29, 1927.

18141 Plenty of Sunshine Edison 52180

18142 Look in the Mirror Edison52180

New York, March 28, 1928.

She’s A Great, Great Girl Edison 52264

Hello Montreal, Edison 52264

 

Fred “Sugar” Hall and His Sugar Babies

New York, August 19, 1927.

81254-B Is It Possible?  OK 40891

81255-B Someday You'll Say "O.K." OK 40891

New York, November 25, 1927.

81866-C Plenty Of Sunshine OK 40986,

81867-B Look In The Mirror (And You'll See Just Who I Love) OK

New York, February 7, 1928.

400073-B The Grass Grows Greener ('Way Down Home) OK 41008,

400074-A (No Matter How You Slice It) It's Bologney OK 41008,

New York, April 14, 1928.

400512-B She's The Sweetheart Of Six Other Guys OK 41026

400613-C Waitin' For Katy OK 41026.

New York, May 28, 1928.

400714-B C.O.N.S.T.A.N.T.I.N.O.P.L.E. OK 41055,

400715-C Chilly-Pom-Pom-Pee OK 41055

New York, July 2, 1928.

400846-B On The Night We Did The Boom-Boom By The Sea OK 41112

400847-C Butternut ('Neath The Beautiful Butternut Tree) OK 41112


Fred Hall with Jack Mollick made several flexible records for Goodson under the names of Marathon Dance Orchestra, Pennsylvania Melody Syncopators and Marloborough Dance Orchestra.

Some of the above recordings are included in two CDs

1999 Old Masters CD “Fred Hall’s Sugar Babies.”

 


  2010 Retrieval CD “Fred “Sugar” Hall & His Sugar Babies.





Several of the recordings listed above can be heard on youtube.com, jazz-on-line.com, and archive.org

 

Additional Information.

-  For a discussion of a recording where Jack Mollick has been tentatively assigned the hot trumpet solo, see  http://www.network54.com/Forum/27140/message/1279466841

 

- The book "The Big Band Almanac" by Leo Walker, has a picture on p. 227 of the Al Kavelin Orchestra. Mollick is the fourth person from the right.