Charles Wolcott
Charles Wolcott | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | September 29, 1906 Flint, Michigan |
| Declared | August 1938 Los Angeles, California, USA |
| Died | January 26, 1987 |
| Resting place | Bahá’í cemetery, Haifa, Israel |
| NSA member | United States 1953 - 1961 |
| IBC member | 1961 - 1963 |
| UHJ member | 1963 - 1987 |
| Spouse(s) | Harriett Marshall |
| Children | Sheila, Marsha |
| Signature |  |
Charles Wolcott (September 29, 1906 - January 26, 1987) was an American Bahá’í who served on the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States and the Universal House of Justice.
Biograpy[edit]
Wolcott was born in Flint, Michigan, in 1906. His father, Frederick Charles, was an accountant who started a small orchestra in Flint and Wolcott was a member from an early age playing piano and accordion and when he was in high-school he was in a four piece band which played at school dances. He attended the University of Michigan after completing school and was in a band called Charley Wolcott and his Wolverines which played at events at the University.[1]
In the 1920's Wolcott moved to Detroit where he worked as a piano player performing with the Jean Goldkette Organization and for radio stations. In 1928 he married Harriett Marshall who was also from Flint and they moved to Toronto, Canada, for a brief time and then to New York.[1] While in New York Wolcott worked as a pianist and also an arranger and conductor with Paul Whiteman, Benny Goodman, the Dorsey brothers, and Columbia Records and he also worked on the music for radio programs for George Burns, Kate Smith and Bob Hope. The Wolcott's lived in an apartment building managed by a Bahá’í couple and they were first introduced to the Bahá’í Faith in 1935.[2]
In 1937 Wolcott and his family moved to Hollywood, California, and he began working as a composer for Walt Disney Studios and in August 1938 he and his wife declared as Bahá’ís in Los Angeles. He was successful in his professional career at Disney composing for Pinocchio and Bambi and in 1944 he became the General Musical Director for the studio. In 1950 he transferred to Metro-Goldwyn-Meyer Studios as Associate General Musical Director and in 1955 he notably selected Bill Haley's Rock Around the Clock in the soundtrack of Blackboard Jungle which helped popularize rock and roll music. In 1958 he became the General Musical Director of Metro-Goldwyn-Meyer.[2]
Wolcott was an active member of the Los Angeles Bahá’í community after declaring and in 1942 he was appointed to the Inter-America Committee which was responsible for coordinating efforts to expand the Faith in Central and South America serving for two years. In 1946 was appointed as chairman of the National Audio-Visual Education Committee and served until 1948 when he was elected to the Local Spiritual Assembly of Los Angeles. In 1950 he was appointed chairman of the American Southwest Teaching Committee and served for two years.[2]
In 1953 Wolcott was elected to the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States as vice-chairman and he served on the body as its vice-chair until 1960. He was also appointed as chairman of the National Teaching Committee in 1953 and served until 1956. He was the vice-chairman of the National Spiritual Assembly until 1960 when the long-term secretary of the body Horace Holley was elected as a Custodian and moved to Haifa and he was elected as secretary in his place and resigned from his position with Metro-Goldwyn-Meyer Studios and the Local Spiritual Assembly of Los Angeles to move to Wilmette, Illinois, to serve at the National Centre.[2]
In 1961 the International Bahá’í Council was made an elected body to help prepare the Bahá’í community for the establishment of the Universal House of Justice and Wolcott was elected to the Council and moved to the Holy Land to serve. In 1963 the Universal House of Justice was established and Wolcott was elected to the body with the highest number of votes. He lived in the Holy Land and served on the body until his passing in 1987.[3]
Talks[edit]
- 1963 - World Centre of Faith
Discography[edit]
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1998). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 20 (1986-1992), Pg(s) 818. View as PDF.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1998). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 20 (1986-1992), Pg(s) 819. View as PDF.
- ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1998). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 20 (1986-1992), Pg(s) 820. View as PDF.
- ↑ https://www.discogs.com/Charles-Wolcott-And-His-Orchestra-With-Ray-Gilbert-And-Nestor-Amaral-With-Bando-Da-Lua-The-Three-Cab/release/8813270
- ↑ https://www.discogs.com/Charles-Wolcott-And-His-Orchestra-Aloysio-De-Oliveira-With-Bando-Da-Lua-Saludos-Amigos/release/8813211
- "Members of the Universal House of Justice". 2002-09-13. Retrieved 2008-08-17.
