The Eton Boys

American close-harmony barbershop quartet. They were very popular on radio in the 1930s. Victor ledgers state that members of the group are Earl Smith, tenor; Art Gentry, 2nd tenor; Charles Day, baritone; and Jack Day, bass. The Four Eton Boys received their education in small towns near St. Louis, where they all gained experience in amateur productions. Charlie and Jack Day spent nine years touring the country as acrobats, performing at the Palace Theatre on Broadway nine times within a single year. In 1923, they introduced songs into their act, which was met with great success. They were soon booked to perform at every variety theatre on Broadway, and were featured in the musical comedy Rufus Lemaire's Affairs, and appeared in a two-reel comedy film. After singing with the Four Rajahs and working as an announcer at station KMOX in St. Louis, Art Gentry joined the quartet as the lead. Earl Smith, who had left vaudeville in the Middle West, joined the Day brothers at the Nut Club for New York night club work. The Eton Boys became a popular feature on CBS's Borden's Forty-Five Minutes in Hollywood, and were also heard on the Columbia Varieties program. They made short films for Paramount and Warner, and toured the Loews Circuit. In addition, they recorded for Columbia records. In 1935, the Eton Boys joined the cast of the Socony Sketch Book, a weekly radio series hosted by Johnny Green.