 (Courtesy of the Newill Family) James Newill and wife Annabel Milada Mraz (stage name Milada Mladova) in the mid 1940s.  (Courtesy of the Newill Family) Above - James Newill with son Rick who was born in 1957.  (Courtesy of the Newill Family) Above - an older Jim and Milada share a smile.  (Courtesy of the Newill Family) Above - James Newill doing one of his favorite things that became a Newill tradition - barbecueing a turkey on a sunny Thanksgiving day in California.  (Courtesy of the Newill Family) Above - the Newill Family circa 2008. From left to right in the back row are son Rick, daughter Colleen, wife Milada and daughter Lada. In the front are Rick's children Ben and Alex. |
Although some of the data is incomplete or inaccurate, the Internet Movie Database (IMDB) has information on Jim Newill and wife Annabel Milada Mraz:
James Newill: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0627910/
Annabel Milada Mraz: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0594834/
and the Internet Movie Database also has information on prolific film composer, songwriter, and conductor David Broekman (1899 - 1958): https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0111121/
The Internet Broadway Database lists a couple of New York stage credits for Newill ("Sadie Thompson" in 1944-45 and late 1940s understudy/replacement role in "Annie Get Your Gun"): https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/james-newill-112111
and four New York plays are listed for Milada Mladova, including "Sadie Thompson": https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/milada-mladova-53327
The Museum of the City of New York (MONY) has many photos of Newill and company in "Sadie Thompson": https://collections.mcny.org/CS.aspx?VP3=DamView&VBID=24UP1GR6FLKDS&FR_=1&W=1301&H=767
J. David Goldin's RadioGoldIndex website lists several radio programs featuring Newill. When you get to the site, click "Start Here", then select "Search By Artist", then select N, and then scroll down for James Newell radio credits: https://radiogoldin.library.umkc.edu/
The Authentic History Center website has a label and mp3 audio file of a 1942 recording made by Newill and conductor David Broekman for the Treasury Star Parade or Treasury Song Parade radio program: http://www.authentichistory.com/1939-1945/3-music/05-Patriotism/19420000_This_Our_Land-David_Broekman.html
Radio Archives has a CD of remote radio broadcasts of the Phil Harris Orchestra at the Cocoanut Grove night club in Los Angeles in 1932-1933, and three Newill vocals are included. When you get to this webpage, scroll down to the section on Phil Harris: http://www.radioarchives.com/Cocoanut_Grove_Ambassadors_Volume_1_p/ra070.htm
You can download or stream a couple of Jim Newill's Renfrew and Texas Rangers public domain films from the Internet Archive website: http://www.archive.org/search.php?query=newill%20AND%20collection%3Amoviesandfilms
And some additional Newill videos are on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=james+newill&aq=f
The public domain SOMETHING TO SING ABOUT (Grand National, 1937), with Newill as one of the singing band members, is also on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Uc3ubU6nh8
Info on soundies and the R. C. M. production company:
http://www.michjazz.com/Soundies.pdf
http://www.1940.co.uk/history/article/soundie/soundie.htm
James Newill passed away from cancer on July 31, 1975. Go to the In Search Of ... page on the Old Corral, and then click the link for the California Death Index and the Social Security Death Index (SSDI). There, you'll find records for James M. Newill, birthdate and location of 8/12/1911 and Pennsylvania, and he passed away on 7/31/1975.
And don't forget to visit the Texas Rangers section on the Old Corral to learn more about PRC's low budget copy of Republic's Three Mesquiteers trio series.
