During the mid-1930s he was a member of the Debonaires; a New York-based vaudeville singing/dance act that enjoyed some measure of success on Broadway and as a night club act. The Debonaires appeared in the 1936 Dietz-Schwartz musical, "Between The Devil" and more prominently, in the 1938
Cole Porter flop, "You Never Know," starring
Clifton Webb,
Lupe Velez,
Libby Holman and
Toby Wing. The Debonaires: Edwin Gale,
Harry Murray, Buddy Hertelle, Harold Voeth, Jack Voeth and Paul Pierce. This was an especially troubled production that suffered from personality conflicts (especially between Holman and Velez), mediocre reviews, the hiring of play doctor,
George Abbott; production coincided with Cole Porter's crippling horse riding accident that would ultimately result in a leg amputation.
