Frankie “Half Pint” Jaxon (March 3, 1896 or 1897 – May 15, 1953) was a vaudeville singer, comedian and female impersonator. His nickname of “Half Pint” referred to his 5’2″ height. He got his start in show business some time around 1910 as a singer in cafes, movie theatres and bars in Kansas City. He traveled extensively throughout the United States between 1916 and 1921 and in the early 1920s he often appeared on the bill with King Oliver and Freddie Keppard in Chicago at the Sunset Cafe (313-17 East 35th Street at the corner of Calmet Street ) and the Plantation Cafe (338 East Thirty-fifth Street at State Street).
Throughout the rest of the 1920s and 1930s he continued to tour the vaudeville circuit, and record. Jaxon also seems to have had a side career of providing staging for the lavish musical revues that Bessie Smith and Ethel Waters toured the country with. These shows were quite elaborate and could include comedy routines, dance numbers, multiple costume changes and even acrobats from time to time.
Frankie recorded with Tampa Red and Thomas A. Dorsey in the late 1920s under the name of the Black Hillbillies. In the 1930s he frequently was heard on radio in the Chicago area and led his own band called Frankie “Half Pint” Jaxon and his Quarts Of Joy.
Jaxon’s music is still a lot of fun to listen to. The almost always bawdy comedy is still fresh and filled with sexual double entendre. Jaxon often plays the role of a woman in the songs and one can imagine him being a very funny drag queen. His song “Operation Blues” is a good example of his kind of risqué hokum. In 1941 he retired from show business and worked at the Pentagon in Washington D.C. and was transferred to Los Angeles in 1944 where he died in the veterans hospital.
Thanks to Uncle Dave Lewis for his help with this page.
Frankie “Half Pint” Jaxon and his Hot Shots | Frankie “Half Pint” Jaxon accompanied by the Harlem Hamfats |
Frankie “Half Pint” Jaxon accompanied by Punches Delegates of Pleasure | |
The Black Hillbillies | Frankie “Half Pint” Jaxon and his Quarts Of Joy |
Title | Director | Year |
Black And Tan Fantasy | Dudley Murphy | 1929 |
St. Louis Blues | Dudley Murphy | 1929 |
Title | Recording Date | Recording Location | Company |
Be Your Natural Self | 4-17-1940 | New York, New York | Decca 7786 |
Callin’ Corrine (Frankie Jaxon) | 5-19-1939 | New York, New York | Decca 7619 B |
Can’t You Wait Till You Get Home? Piano Accompiment by Blanche Smith Walton (Blanche Smith Walton / Frankie Jaxon) | 7-12-1927 | Chicago, Illinois | Gennett 6214-A Black Patti 8040-A |
Can’t You Wait? (Frankie Jaxon) | 2-13-1929 | Chicago, Illinois | Vocalion 1285 |
Chocolate To The Bone (I’m So Glad I’m A Brownskin) (Frankie Jaxon) | 10-28-1930 | Chicago, Illinois | Vocalion 1583 |
Corinne (Frankie Jaxon) | 8-3-1927 | Chicago, Illinois | Black Patti 8048 |
Corrine Blues (Frankie Jaxon) | 7-22-1929 | Chicago, Illinois | Vocalion 1424 |
Don’t Pan Me (Please Don’t Talk About Me When I’m Gone) | 5-19-1939 | New York, New York | Decca 7638 B |
Down At Jasper’s Bar-Be-Que (Frankie Jaxon) | 10-28-1928 | Chicago, Illinois | Vocalion 1226 |
Fan It (Frankie Jaxon) | 11-28-1928 | Chicago, Illinois | Vocalion 1257 |
Fan It Boogie (Frankie Jaxon / Williams) | 5-19-1939 | New York, New York | Decca 7638 A |
Gimmie A Pig’s Foot And A Beer (Wesley Wilson) | 4-17-1940 | New York, New York | Decca 7795-B |
Hit Ta Ditty Low Down (Frankie Jaxon) | 10-28-1928 | Chicago, Illinois | Vocalion 1226 |
How Can I Get It? (Frankie Jaxon) | 10-28-1928 | Chicago, Illinois | Vocalion 1257 |
I’m Gonna Dance Wit De Guy Wot Brung Me | 8-1-1927 | Chicago, Illinois | Gennett 6244 |
I’m Going To Steal You Piano Accompiment by Blanche Smith Walton (Frankie Jaxon / Blanche Smith Walton) | 7-12-1927 | Chicago, Illinois | Gennett 6214-B Black Patti 8040-B |
I’m Gonna Steal You (Frankie Jaxon) | 4-22-1938 | Chicago, Illinois | Decca 7548 B |
It’s Heated | 6-11-1929 | Chicago, Illinois | Vocalion 1539 |
Jive Man Blues | 6-11-1929 | Chicago, Illinois | Vocalion 1539 |
Let Me Ride Your Train | 4-17-1940 | New York, New York | Decca 7786 |
Let’s Knock A Jug (Frankie Jaxon) | 2-13-1929 | Chicago, Illinois | Vocalion 1285 |
Operation Blues | 7-22-1929 | Chicago, Illinois | Vocalion unissued |
Scuddlin’ (Frankie Jaxon) | 10-28-1930 | Chicago, Illinois | Vocalion 1583 |
Some Sweet Day (Frankie Jaxon) | 4-22-1938 | Chicago, Illinois | Decca 7548 A |
Something’s Goin’ On Wrong (Perry Bradford / Williams) | 3-5-1940 | New York, New York | Decca 7742 B |
She’s Got “It” | 8-1-1927 | Chicago, Illinois | Gennett 6244 |
Take It Easy | 8-27-1929 | Chicago, Illinois | Vocalion 1424 |
Take Off Them Hips (Porter Grainger) | 4-17-1940 | New York, New York | Decca 7795-A |
Turn Over | 4-17-1940 | New York, New York | Decca 7806 B |
Wasn’t It Nice? | 3-5-1940 | New York, New York | Decca 7733 |
When They Play Them Blues (Lil Armstrong / Frankie Jaxon) | 3-5-1940 | New York, New York | Decca 7742 A |
Willie The Weeper (Rymal / Melrose / Bloom) | 7-22-1927 | Chicago, Illinois | Black Patti 8048 |
You Can’t Put That Monkey On My Back (Hy Heath / Billy Haley / Al Bernard) | 5-19-1939 | New York, New York | Decca 7619 A |
You Can’t Tell | 4-17-1940 | New York, New York | Decca 7806 A |
You Know Jam Don’t Shake | 3-5-1940 | New York, New York | Decca 7733 |
Artist | Instrument |
Henry “Red” Allen | Trumpet |
Barney Bigard | Clarinet |
Wellman Braud | Bass |
Sid Catlett | Drums |
Rupert Cole | Clarinet |
Vance Dixon | Clarinet, Piano |
Thomas A. Dorsey | Piano |
Jimmy Flowers | Piano |
Bill Johnson | Bass |
Freddie Keppard ? | Cornet |
Lil Hardin-Armstrong | Piano |
Walter Martin | Washboard |
Punch Miller | Cornet |
Arnett Nelson | Clarinet |
Ikey Robinson | Banjo |
Jasper Taylor | Washboard |
Count Turner | Banjo |
Blanche Smith Walton | Piano |
Hudson Woodbridge | Guitar |