Mr. Bingle
and Santa Record
Record
produced and recorded in November 1964
by Oscar Isentrout and Harold Crane
(Ashleigh Austin's Personal Collection)
Courtesy of Harold Crane
(Ashleigh Austin's Personal Collection)
Courtesy of Harold Crane
Click thumbnails for full view.
Harold Crane
Circa Early 60's
Assistant Personnel Director
Maison Blanche
New Orleans, LA
Courtesy of Harold Crane
At the time of this writing, Mr. Harold Crane, who with Oscar
Isentrout
co-produced and sang together on the "Christmas with Mr.
Bingle and Santa"
recording, is 79 years old. He is one of the last living individuals
who had
firsthand experience working with Oscar Isentrout and Mr. Bingle,
as well as
with the promotion. Mr. Crane worked at Maison Blanche on Canal
St. in
New Orleans from 1956 to 1973. During those years, he was Assistant
Personnel Director, later becoming Personnel Director for the
landmark
department store New Orleanians so dearly loved. He was also
the voice of
Santa that could be heard in the Maison Blanche Christmas display
windows
along with Mr. Bingle. The 1964 Christmas recording was a joint
personal
project produced and funded by Oscar Isentrout and Harold Crane.
I was
informed the "M-B Records" on the record label actually
stands for
Mr. Bingle Records.
Mr. Crane's singing talent is certainly no stranger to New
Orleans. For many,
many years, he was well-known for his performing light opera
and
musical comedy with NORD (New Orleans Recreation Department),
Grand
Opera with the New Orleans Opera House Association, back-up
quartet
at the Roosevelt Hotel's famous Blue Room, as well as churches
throughout
the city. He told me he thought he had sung at almost every
church in
New Orleans! And to this day, he is still singing. He is
certainly one talented man for whom I am very privileged
and honored to know.
- Ashleigh Austin
I first spoke with Mr. Crane in January 2003; however,
the above was written based on the most recent personal
interview I had with him on March 1, 2004.
 |
A Very Special and Warm "Thank You" to
Mr. Crane
for his contributions to Jingle, Jangle Christmas! |
 |
Oscar Isentrout and Mr. Bingle
Maison Blanche Anniversary Show
Municipal Auditorium, New Orleans
Circa 1964
Photo from 1965 "Shop Talk"
within the employee paper
" Maison Blanche House Organ"
(Ashleigh Austin's Personal Collection)
Courtesy of Harold Crane
From Harold Crane's Personal Collection
Click thumbnail for full view.
Original Script as written by Oscar Isentrout
Narrator: Harold Crane
Santa: Harold Crane
Mr. Bingle: Oscar Isentrout
(Ashleigh Austin's Personal Collection)
Courtesy of Harold Crane
From Harold Crane's Personal Collection
Click thumbnails for full views.
1964 Newspaper Advertisement
(Ashleigh Austin's Personal Collection)
Courtesy of Harold Crane
From Harold Crane's Personal Collection
Click thumbnail for full view.
Harold Crane as Santa
On former New Orleans Mayor Victor Schiro's Christmas Day Show
1964 WWL-TV
(Ashleigh Austin's Personal Collection)
Courtesy of Harold Crane
From Harold Crane's Personal Collection
Click thumbnail for full view.
Harold Crane
" Madama Butterfly"
New Orleans Opera House Association
October 1967
(Ashleigh Austin's Personal Collection)
Courtesy of Harold Crane
From Harold Crane's Personal Collection
Click thumbnail for full view.
