Pee Wee Marquette
| Pee Wee Marquette | |
|---|---|
| Born |
October 12, 1914 Montgomery, Alabama |
| Died | September 21, 1992 (aged 77) New York, New York |
| Other names | William Crayton Marquette, Will Clayton Marquette, Billy J. Marquette |
| Occupation | Entertainer |
| Known for | Birdland jazz club |
William Clayton "Pee Wee" Marquette (October 10, 1914 – September 21, 1992) was the former master of ceremonies at the Birdland jazz club in New York City. Born in Montgomery, Alabama, Marquette was the son of Willis and Kinnie Markett (or sometimes, Markette).
Marquette was under four feet tall, some reports stating three-and-a-half feet.
Marquette got his start with the Francis Craig Orchestra in Nashville, and was a part of that organization for ten years, both dancing and telling jokes. While in Nashville, Marquette lived in the home of Dr. Oliver L. Hambrick, an African-American general practitioner. In 1936, "Willie (Pee Wee) Marquette" is listed as one of the performers in Nashville's spring musical, presented by the Friendship Interest Club, and held in the parlors of the Gardner Undertaking Company. In 1943, he moved to New York City "with $35 in his pocket". The owner of Club Zanzibar saw him walking by on the street, and offered him a job hosting; Marquette worked there off-and-on for five years, also hosting at Hank Armstrong's Melody Room. In 1949, he became host at the Birdland jazz club in New York City, filling that role until 1965. On July 25, 1955, Marquette and other Birdland regulars like Count Basie appeared at New York's Dunderberg Field for an exhibition baseball game.
He had a reputation for being mean and demanding "tips" to the point of extortion. An explanation of his system was given by Bobby Hutcherson in an interview. He claimed Marquette told him on his first day that he was not needed and that he should "pack your things and get on out of here." This did not occur as he had been asked to play, but Marquette made Hutcherson's first night playing at the club difficult. Marquette intentionally mispronounced his name to embarrass Hutcherson and blew cigar smoke in his face to further the irritation. However once Marquette was paid his "tip" he pronounced Hutcherson's name correctly. This is said to have been a pattern for him: other musicians had similar stories of having to pay him to avoid public humiliation. Perhaps because of this, or because of the era, most musicians who knew him still referred to him as a "midget".
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