To document his career, Guido Deiro cut out reviews and advertisements of his performances from newspapers and pasted them into two scrapbooks. The two scrapbooks constitute a unique set of documents of Guido Deiro's vaudeville and concert career from its beginning, ca. 1910, through 1940. They mainly consist of newspaper clippings (reviews, listings, advertisements, publicity articles, and general news items all related to Deiro). Although most of the items are undated, they were arranged by him in approximate chronological order. Therefore it is possible in most instances to date any particular item to within a year or two.
The first scrapbook contains articles covering the period ca. 1910 to the early 1920s. The second scrapbook covers the period from the early 1920s to the early 1940s. Both scrapbooks are well-worn from frequent use. Apparently Deiro would carry them with him and show them to newspaper reporters, as at least one reviewer mentioned the scrapbooks in his review. (See Reviews.)
The original scrapbooks -- with a catalogue of the entire collection -- are housed at The Graduate Center, CUNY. Special credit goes to scholar Peter Muir, who catalogued the materials in the Deiro Archive, and director Allan Atlas for permission to reproduce the images on this website.
Scrapbook One
Page 1 (42 KB): One of Deiro's earliest vaudeville photographs -- a broad-grinned Deiro hunched over his accordion -- from an advertisement for Hammerstein's Roof Garden.
Page 2 (44 KB): A caricature of a soave and confident Deiro along with other hits of the vaudeville bill.
Page 4 (65 KB): An advertisement for Percy G. Williams' Theatres with a photo of a serious Deiro standing with accordion.
Page 6 (230 KB): 1. A fanciful article from a Denver newspaper ca. 1911 explaining how Deiro narrowly avoided a summons from the Italian government to return to Italy to fight in the war with the Turks, 2. Several reviews from Poli's, 3. An article about a knock-down fight between Deiro and another vaudeville performer in the dressing room, and 3. A notice that Deiro appeared before a police judge on a serious charge of assault filed by a Miss Rafaela Zatarain.
Page 12 (56 KB): Deiro, with a sly smile, standing with his accordion.
Page 13 (215 KB): 6 reviews, including "Oh, You D-i-e-r-o! Cry Gallery Gods at Orpheum Show."
Page 14 (171 KB) Contains 1. a delightfully sweet article by The Matinee Girl titled, "That Warming, Vivid, Sunny Smile; Deiro and His Accordion Banish Care," as well as 2. an advertisement for his records and 3. a short review titled, "Deiro Scores" which refers to the accordion as a "queer instrument."
Page 17 (235 KB): A San Francisco Bulletin cartoon of Deiro which looks like he's wearing the robes of a monk, along with other prominent acts at the Orpheum."
Page 18 (196 KB): A cartoon of "What Fay King Saw at the Orpheum" depicting Deiro performing for a slim-figured female admirer.
Page 25 (162 KB): A cartoon of a serious seated Deiro pumping out musical notes, along with other acts at the Forsyth.
Page 28 (177 KB): A cartoon of a maniacal long-haired Deiro: in "His Crowning Glory" at Keith's Alhambra Theatre, 1913.
Page 29 (101 KB): An article from an Italian Newspaper. (The scrapbooks contain many articles written in Italian).
Page 33 (41 KB): A hilarious cartoon of a dancing long-haired Deiro with wiggly accordion.
Page 34 (201 KB): Advertisement and review of Majestic theater show in which Guido Deiro and Mae West (dainty, refined comedienne) share the bill. Notice how much space is devoted to Guido and Mae respectively.
Page 39 (219 KB): A Cleveland article in which Deiro talks about 1. serving 33 months in the Italian army, 2. narrowly escaping his father's plan for him to become a lawyer, and 3. running away from home to Switzerland at the age of 18 to elope with a girl he loved. (The relationship must have been short lived.)
Page 40 (66 KB): A San Antonio article which confuses Guido with Pietro.
Page 41 (102 KB): A July 1916 San Diego Union article which confuses Guido with Pietro, even though the photograph pictured is plainly Guido.
Page 42 (151 KB): Deiro's full-page Variety advertisement rebutting a claim made by his brother Pietro that Pietro's Victor records were of higher quality than Guido's Columbia records.
Page 43 (205 KB): Three historic articles and photograph about Deiro's conquest of winning the gold medal during July 1916 at the San Diego Exposition, including one article which tells how some of Deiro's friends arrived too late to hear him perform, so he graciously agreed to give them a private concert through the telephone the next morning from his hotel room.
Page 44 (86 KB): Record advertisement showing Dr. Gigliotti and Deiro sitting and listening to Deiro's records on a victrola.
Page 48 (225 KB): Charming and surprising article titled "Love Affair or Tragedy, It's All the Same, Says Accordion Marvel," telling how Deiro fought a ferocious lion with his bare hands (and feet) to protect a beautiful girl he had been romancing in the forest.
Page 56 (135 KB): Advertisement for Deiro's records, which sold for the princely sum of 65 cents each.
Page 65 (225 KB): Three articles including the historic first accordion radio broadcast, "Nation Hears Accordion Play" (1922).
Page 73 (48 KB): Advertisement for a men's silk necktie named after Deiro.
Page 82 & 83 (152 KB): Contract dated August 25, 1912 between Deiro and Bert Levey Circuit of Independent Vaudeville Theatres.
Page 88 (66 KB): Telegram from Sid Grauman dated September 8, 1922 specifying Deiro's salary for a week at Grauman's Theatre in Los Angeles.
Scrapbook Two
Page 4 (195 KB): Three articles, 1. "Deiro, Accordionist, to Be Headliner of Orpheum's New Bill," 2. King of Accordionists Formerly Played in Italy's Streets," and 3. "RKO Star Is Heard Over Bee Radio Station."
Page 5 (68 KB): Advertisement for Deiro's performances at Loew's State Theatre, Hollywood.
Page 11 (27 KB): Accordion-shaped invitation to the San Francisco Accordion Club annual picnic of 1920.
Page 15 (225 KB): Advertisement Deiro took out in Variety (December 22, 1922) to protest horrible treatment from the Shubert Vaudeville Agency.
Page 18 (25 KB): Article about San Francisco Accordion Club picnic of 1927 where Guido Deiro was guest of honor and led a parade of several hundred automobiles, with police escort and an accordion band of 250 members.
Page 21 (27 KB): Accordion-shaped invitation to the San Francisco Accordion Club annual picnic of 1926.
Page 22 (72 KB): Article from the Italian newspaper Cronaca Cittadina dated 20 Agosto 1927 about the San Francisco Accordion Club picnic.
Page 25 (215 KB): Advertisement and delightful caricature for Deiro's performances at the Regent in Australia (Summer 1928).
Page 25 (105 KB): Advertisement for Deiro's performances at the Regent in Australia, along with a film by Douglas Fairbanks.
Page 27 (15 KB): Invitation for the San Jose Accordion Club picnic, June 22, 1930.
Page 27 (31 KB): "Sons of Italy Honor Famed Accordianist" [sic] article.
Page 30 (37 KB): "In onore di Guido Deiro" article.
Page 31 (34 KB): "Accordion Club to Honor Deiro" article.
Page 33 (49 KB): "Canzone del Minatore di Guido Deiro" article.
Page 37 (67 KB): Advertisement for Deiro's appearance at the Los Angeles Accordion Club picnic of 1931.
Page 44 (200 KB): Advertisement which states that Deiro owns and operates a five-act roadshow (ca. 1930).
Page 45 (52 KB): "San Jose Accordion Club Entertains Deiro" article, April 5, 1930.
Page 46 (174 KB): Advertisement for "Deiro's Royal Accordion Method."
Page 46 (236 KB): Newspaper photograph showing a room full of dancers, including Deiro and a beautiful lady friend, celebrating the repeal of prohibition (1933).
Page 50 (150 KB): Article about Deiro's performance at the Capitol mentioning his "Queen of the Air" march (ca. 1935).
Page 56 (31 KB): Portland Oregon newspaper article (ca. 1935) which states that Deiro introduced the piano accordion at the Alaska-Pacific Exposition in Seattle.
Page 59 (125 KB): Advertisement for Guido Deiro Accordion Studio at 511 Columbus Avenue, San Francisco.
Page 61 (76 KB): Advertisement for Guido Deiro and His Own Orchestra (ca. 1935).
Page 63 (70 KB): Advertisement for Grand Concert and Ball (The Daily News: Trail, British Columbia, August 23, 1935).
Page 72 (58 KB): Los Angeles Times article about Deiro directing the 1500-member accordion band for the city's "Fiesta Day" (May 28, 1940).
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