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A Room With A View

B. A. Rolfe & His
Lucky Strike Orchestra

Benjamin Rolfe, Theo Alban

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This 'Edison Diamond Disc' was produced in New York City during November of 1928 by an assembly including
Theo Alban vocals, and Benjamin Rolfe trumpet & leader.

*"A Room With A View" was written by Noel Coward.

The song was composed for Noel Coward's musical revue "This Year of Grace" which opened in London, England at the London Pavilion on March 22nd 1928.

Benjamin Albert Rolfe born on October 24th 1879 in Brasher, New York was the son of a music director and at a young age he played the piccolo and cornet in his father's band. Touring the Eastern United States and Europe as well he became known as "The Boy Trumpet Wonder".

In 1914, B. A. Rolfe turned his talents to the fledgling motion picture business by establishing his own production company, Rolfe Photoplays Inc. Although he filmed in California, Rolfe's productions were primarily made in and around Fort Lee, New Jersey and distributed through an agreement with Louis B. Mayer's Metro Pictures Corporation. Rolfe's company produced more than fifty silent films, several of which were collaborations with director and screenwriter Oscar A. C. Lund including the 1916 drama "Dorian's Divorce" starring Lionel Barrymore.

His film company's last production was the fifteen part serial "The Master Mystery" in 1919, starring Harry Houdini. Mounting financial difficulties resulted in Rolfe Photoplays Inc. going out of business and before 1920 he was making a living producing and directing films for Metro Pictures. He also works for other small independent production companies such as A. H. Fischer, Inc. for which he produced "Even As Eve" and directed "Man and Woman", both released in 1920. Rolfe's last directorial effort was A. H. Fischer's "Miss 139" in 1921, notable in that he managed to get a credible performance from star Diana Allen, the less than talented but dazzlingly beautiful former Ziegfeld Follies girl, also the star of "Man and Woman".

After leaving the motion picture business, B.A. Rolfe quickly reestablished himself as a performing soloist, music instructor and vaudeville producer and worked with Vincent Lopez in 1924 and 1925. Inspired by Paul Whiteman, in 1926 he assembled his own New York City dance orchestra to perform at a Broadway cabaret called the "Palais D'Or"; soon famously billed as "B.A. Rolfe (Trumpet Virtuoso) and his Palais D'Or Orchestra". By 1928 Rolfe began appearing on radio and record as "B.A. Rolfe and his Lucky Strike Orchestra".