Arthur Murray Studios

Arthur Murray was born in 1895 as Moses Teichman, in Galicia, Austria-Hungary, (and most people do not know where that is.) His parents, Sarah and Abraham Teichman were of Jewish descent At age of two he came to America with his parents and lived in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. 

"One filled with joy preaches without preaching." ~Mother Teresa

Murray was shy as a child and self-conscious about his tall, lanky appearance. He wanted very much to be a part of the social activities that most of his friends enjoyed, particularly the dances, but was afraid to socialize with girls.

At the age of 14, Joe Feigenbaum, a friend of his whom he admired because of his popularity with girls, taught him his first dance steps. To get practice on the dance floor, Murray attended weddings in his neighborhood, where he found willing dance partners of every size and age.

He also studied under the popular dance team of Irene and Vernon Castle and eventually went to work for them. Started his first studio at the age of 17 in 1912 so the Arthur Murray Studios expect to celebrate their 100th Anniversary next year.

"All Or Nothing At All" by Frank Sinatra

Murray won his first dance contest at the Grand Central Palace, a public dance hall where he later became a part-time dance teacher after graduation from high school. The 1st prize had been a silver cup, but Murray went home without anything to show for his win. His partner of the evening took it; it was destined for a pawnshop. This loss made an impression on Murray, and in later years every winner in his dance contests took home a prize.

On April 24, 1925, Murray married his famous dance partner, Kathryn Kohnfelder whom he'd met at a radio station in New Jersey. She was in the audience while he was broadcasting a dance lesson. He was 29, she was 18. After their marriage, the mail-order business declined and the Murrays opened a dance school offering personal instruction.

"Begin The Beguine" by Artie Shaw 

His third effort in the dance business, launched in 1925, involved selling branded dance lessons through franchising. He trained dance instructors for the Statler Hotel chain, who then went to various hotels and gave lessons; Murray kept some of the profits from each franchise.

Their business prospered, especially in 1938 and 1939 when Arthur picked 2 little-known dances, the "Lambeth Walk" and "The Big Apple", and turned them into dance crazes. They were taught at hotel chains throughout the country, and the name "Arthur Murray" became a household word.

This business was expanded more widely when an Arthur Murray dance studio franchise was opened in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Others followed. His slogan was: "If you can walk, we teach you how to dance", and the company guaranteed that the pupils learn to dance in ten lessons.

"Green Eyes" by Jimmy Dorsey

After WWII, Murray's business grew with the rise of interest in Latin dance, and he regularly taught and broadcast in Cuba in the 1950s. Murray went on television with a dance program hosted by his wife, Kathryn.  The Arthur Murray Party, which ran from 1950 to 1960, on CBS, NBC, DuMont, ABC, and then on CBS.

The Murrays made ballroom dancing a household word and at its peak in 1952, when Arthur Murray sold the franchise, there were 500 studios around the world. Currently, there are 300 worldwide. The couple sold most of their interest in the franchise in 1964, and came to live in Hawaii. Arthur Murray died in 1991. Kathryn lived her last years in Honolulu, Hawaii and passed in 1999. And her pet studio was of course the Honolulu Arthur Murray Studio.

Pub's Note: Check out the Town Dancer blog. Two good ones by Calvin Ota and then followed up with another good blog by June Kadomoto. The hits are going through the roof.