FAQ

1.	When and where was Lord Buckley born?
2.	Where Can I find Lord Buckley recordings?
3.	Was Lord Buckley part Native American?
4.	Did Lord Buckley really have six wives?
5.	How many children did Lord Buckley have?
6.	Is there any video of Lord Buckley available?
7.	How did Lord Buckley die?
8.	Where is Lord Buckley buried?
9.	Where can I buy Oliver Trager's book "Dig Infinity!"?
10.	Is there any way to contact the Buckley family?

1. When and where was Lord Buckley born?
Lord Buckley was born April 5, 1906 in a little mining and lumber town called Tuolumne, California. His parents were William (Bill) and Annie Laurie Buckley. Bill Buckley was purportedly from Manchester, England. Annie Laurie's parents were born in Cornwall, England. [top]

2. Where can I find Lord Buckley recordings?
LordBuckley.com has an area called "Sources" in the The Wax section. This area lists a number of possibilties for finding Lord Buckley recordings. ebay is a good place to start. Also, typing the names of the various Lord Buckley albums into Google and Yahoo search engines can yield results. [top]

3. Was Lord Buckley part Native American?
The short answer is no. His mother, however, did marry a man named Al Harlan after Lord Buckley's father Bill Buckley died. Al Harlan was part Native American. [top]

4. Did Lord Buckley really have six wives?
Here is a quote from intrepid researcher and author Oliver Trager's biography of Lord Buckley "Dig Infinity".

"Buckley was allegedly married six times., and there is indication that as early as 1928 he was betrothed to a wealthy Seattle, Washington, woman several years his senior by the name of Emerald Botting. Presumably, the rigors and temptations of show business contributed to the marriages early demise, as they would to at least several others.

Along with Anita O'Day's recollections of Peaches and Angel Rice, a Jewell Lange, Joanna Daum, and an unnamed woman of Russian heritage are remembered by Buckley's friends as at least temporary legal mates."

And according to Lord Buckley himself he did marry six times. His last wife was Elizabeth Hanson. Here is a partial transcript of a "You Bet Your Life Show" from 1956 in which Groucho and His Lordship have some fun. [top]

Groucho
Now, is there a Lady Buckley stashed away in a castle someplace –

Lord Buckley
Ah, yes, sir, my Lady Buckley –

Groucho
- behind a moat?

Lord Buckley
Yes, no, no, she’s in a castle. She’s tucked very beautifully in a castle. Lady Buckley is a very exquisite, charming, gracious, talented lady.

Groucho
I’m, I’m sure she’s a lady, Mr. Buckley. And I respect you for speaking so well of her. How did you acquire this smooth way with women?

Lord Buckley
I’ve been married six times. [strong laughter from audience]

Groucho
Well, if you had learned anything you wouldn’t have gotten married the second time. Six times you’ve been married?

Lord Buckley
Yes, sir.

Groucho
Well, are you planning on fighting any more preliminaries or is this, is this current one the main bout?

Lord Buckley
No, no, I’ve been married for ten years, sir. I have a divine young boy four years old and a little girl five.

Groucho
I see. The other five [referring to the five marriages] went rather rapidly didn’t they?

Lord Buckley
Quite, sir, yes.

Groucho
Over the damn in no time.

Lord Buckley
High rhythm. [top]

5. How many children did Lord Buckley have?
Lord Buckley fathered three children: Fred, Laurie and Richard Jr. Fred Buckley was a love child, the sweet result of a dalliance Lord Buckley had with a woman named Paula Banks. Laurie and Richard Jr.'s mother was Elizabeth Buckley née Hanson. [top]

6. Is any there any video of Lord Buckley available?
Lord Buckley appears on video very rarely. There is a VHS video titled "Classic TV for the 50's & 60's" featuring a 1949 Toast of the Town (the early version of The Ed Sullivan Show) with Lord Buckley doing his 4 Chairs Vaudeville routine. This video is probably out of print. There is also a box set of Groucho Marx's "You Bet Your Life" show currently available on DVD featuring one episode with Lord Buckley. There is a DVD issue of the Beanie and Cecil show in which Lord Buckley provides the voice of intrepid beaknik Go Man Van Gogh. And His Lordship appeared in "We're Not Married", a 1952 Hollywood movie. In this film he plays Mr. H. D. Graves, a radio show producer, in a scene with Ginger Rogers and Fred Allen. This film can sometimes be found on VHS and and also on DVD. [top]

7. How did Lord Buckley die?
What we know for sure is that Lord Buckley died at 7:30 PM on Tuesday, November 12, 1960 at Columbus Hospital in New York City. His death certificate lists "Natural Causes" as the cause of death. But, like most mythic characters, there are many theories about the real cause of his death. Some have claimed that he was harrassed night and day by the police after he lost his Cabaret Card and the stress of this caused him to have a stroke. Others have suggested that he was mysteriously poisoned. And still others assert that he was just so heavy that he fell off the planet. So, like many aspects of Lord Buckley's life, reality is a hall of mirrors and the truth depends on which reflection you decide is the right one. [top]

8. Where is Lord Buckley buried?
Lord Buckley's funeral was on November 16, 1960 at the Frank E. Campbell Chapel on 88th Street in New York City. Lord Buckley was cremated at the Ferndale Cemetary in Hartsdale, New York and eventually, according to Fred Buckley, his ashes were scattered in Red Rock Canyon about 15 miles from Las Vegas. [top]

9. Where can I buy Oliver Trager's book, "Dig Infinity"?
Oliver Trager's biography of Lord Buckley is a rare item these days. It sold out it's initial press run and now sometimes can be found on Amazon.com, Alibris.com and ebay. Prices range from $11.25 to over $200. [top]