68     January 27, 1954

Bill, Jayne, Henry, Faye

Carol Ames from New York City: “I am Bill Cullen’s wife.”
Ames was Bill's second wife, but only the first he acknowledged publicly.  He had been married once before back in Pittsburgh. She was a radio and nightclub singer who first enjoyed success locally in Cincinnati in the late 30s under the name Bonnie Stewart.  She moved to New York in 1944, around the same time Bill did.  They met when they both worked on the radio show Sing Along (1941-46, 1948), a mish-mash of songs, comedy and quizzes featuring a veteran music act called The Landt Trio.   Bill and Carol married on July 30, 1948.  Ames appears to have given up her performing career after their marriage.  In the 50s, she is frequently referred to in print as a "former singer."  The marriage would end some time in 1955, and Bill would wed Ann Macomber that Christmas Eve.  That union would last the rest of his life. (Also see E22 and E39 )

Ben Hawkins from Miami, Florida: "I played guitar in Phil Spitalny’s All-Girl Orchestra"
Spitalny was just another talented but second-tier bandleader when he came up with the distaff gimmick that made him famous, at least in his time.  From a pool of some fifteen hundred original applicants, he put together a full female orchestra, primarily for his radio show The Hour of Charm (1934-46).  Among the rules the mostly young and single musicians had to follow: No dating (without the permission of a select "dating committee") and no costume jewelry or perfume on stage.  Their contracts even required giving the organization six months notice if any of them planned to get married. Evelyn Kaye, Spitalny's first hire, became the orchestra's concertmistress, arranger, star and de facto leader.  She was billed as "Evelyn and Her Magic Violin."  The two wed in 1946. The orchestra continued to perform into the mid-fifties.  Hawkins was a guitar and banjo player based in Miami who frequently performed in the nightclubs there.  His association to Spitalny is unknown.