ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd θˈɜːɾi wˈʌn, hiː ɐpˈɪɹd ɪnðə nˈæʃənəl kˈʌmpəni ʌvðə dʒˈɜːʃwɪn mjˈuːzɪkəl, ʌv ðiː aɪ sˈɪŋ ænd æz stˈiːv mˈɛɹɪk ɪn ˈɛvɹɪbˌɑːdiz wˈɛlkʌm.
In 1931, he appeared in the National Company of the Gershwin musical, Of Thee I Sing and as Steve Merrick in Everybody's Welcome.