TOMMY KAY
TOMMY KAY
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"It takes a real man to admit this, but my wife thinks I look better in your dad’s caricature of me than I do in person." Dick Cavett Nov. 27, 2024
Welcome. This web site is a tribute to my father, Tommy Kay (1918-1973). Born in Queens New York he was both a talented jazz guitarist and equally talented painter and photographer. He originally wanted to be a painter but in order to make a living at the end of the depression, music became his way to support himself and his mother. This site will show both sides of my fathers talent, from photos he took, and developed himself, to his, as he called them, "cockamamie" drawings which were drawn while working on The Dick Cavett Show in the late 60's and early 70's. The photo on the left is dad both at work and working on one of his drawings. I would like to note that the drawings were done, with rare exception, in about 20 to 30 minutes. He started doing them to pass the time between the musical numbers and for fun but as the years went by he did get more serious about them. I have over 150 drawings and a slew of photographs and slides. In a joking manner he often said to me,"What are you going to do with all of this after I'm gone?" Well dad, here they are for all to see and, I hope, enjoy.
On my fathers musical side, dad played with the Jimmy Dorsey, Paul Whiteman, Shep Fields and Red Norvo bands. In 1945 he became staff guitarist at NBC (National Broadcasting Co.) where he worked with the "Queen of Swing," Mildred Bailey. He went on to become staff guitarist at ABC (American Broadcasting Co.) in New York from 1947 up until his passing in 1973. During this period he worked on many radio and televition shows including the Ernie Kovacs and Sammy Davis Jr. shows. From 1968 to 1973 he was in the band for The Dick Cavett Show.
He can be seen, as a member of the Jimmy Dorsey band, in the following movies: "I Dood It" (1943) with Red Skelton and Eleanor Powell, "Lost In a Harem" (1944) with Abbott and Costello, "Hollywood Canteen" (1944) starring just about everyone under contract at Warner Bros., and "Four Jills in a Jeep" (1944) with Kay Francis, Martha Raye and Phil Silvers.
The Back Stage section has photos taken, mostly, by Tommy between 1942 to 1972.
The majority of the autographed drawings were done while sitting on the band stand during the taping of the Dick Cavett Show. Most are drawn in pen and ink, a few in water color, and one in pencil, that being of the legendary boxer, Joe Lewis.
New York Post Ad for the Dick Cavett Show from June 8, 1972. The drawing of Dick Cavett (left) is by Tommy Kay. Hitchcock drew the image of himself on the right.
Letter to Tommy from Paddy Chayefsky
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