Interview: The Capitol Days
Interview with Don and Paula Hassler about Capitol Records in the 1950s.
Johnny Grant and the Hollywood Jaycees
An interview with Don Hassler about Johnny Grant and the Hollywood Jaycees. Don Hassler is a past president of the Hollywood Jaycees (1958 - 1959).
50th Anniversary
The Tower Turned fifty in 2006. Find correspondence, remembrance, and images from the Grand Opening, including the 1956 press release, information sheet, tour guide script, and tour booklet.
Feedback
Correspondence from people who have visited the site.
Illustrations
Interview Part I: Company History
Illustrations: The Tower, the interviewees Don and Paula Hassler, the late Bill Muster, and interviewer and Surrealist.org author, Nori Muster.
Interview Part Two: Don Hassler History
Illustrations: Concord reel-to-reel tape recorder, Hollywood Jaycees news item (1959), Hollywood Jaycees Race program and detail photo of Johnny Grant (1956), Capitol Records memo (1959), Capitol News (c. 1952), Capitol Records Sales report (1953), Capitol Records letter from Manila and letterhead detail (1957), and Hollywood Jaycees letter and letterhead detail (1959).
Interview Part Three: Bill Muster History In this section, Don and Paula Hassler recall Bill Muster's role at Capitol producing the Weekly Wrap-up and how he was fired because of a dust-up over whether Capitol artists should participate in the next Playboy Allstars record. Also, memories of Keely Smith and Louis Prima, and Lord Buckley. Illustrations include: Daily Variety front page, Capitol Sales Wrap-Up front page and masthead detail, plus one page from the Wrap-Up ("Promotion with Impact"), a "Special Hits" reply post card, and Playboy Magazine letterhead detail.
Bill Muster Fired Over Playboy
Illustrations: Readable scans of actual correspondence from Playboy magazine, Bill Muster, and executives at Capitol; also two articles in Variety.
Capitol News, May 1948, Vol. 6, No. 5
Illustrations: Capitol News, published monthly by Capitol Publicans, Inc., Sunset and Vine, Hollywood 28, Calif., edited by Dave Dexter, Jr.
Piltdown Men
A page on this obscure instrumental group that recorded with Capitol Records approximately 1959 - 1960.
Album Covers
Louis Prima and Keely Smith, Frank Sinatra, Vic Damone, and one of the Stan Kenton Presents series, Boots Mussulli (sent by Rob Green).
Capitol Records Birth Announcements
Birth announcements for Nori Muster, from The Cash Box, Los Angeles Herald & Express, and Variety.
Cap Photo
Capitol Records publicity photo, circa 1956, purchased from eBay.
Capitol Gang
A 1950s photo shows Bill Muster, Perry Mayer, Dick Rising, Fred Rice, Bud Frazer, Steve Auld, and Jack Smothers.
Cap Paraphernalia
Illustrations: A 1959 Capitol record player for sale (sent in by Matthew Lutthans). Capitol Records magnifying glass, serving tray, and other collectible items (sent by Rob Green).
