Long before Merwyn Bogue won over mid-century audiences as the big-band entertainer Ish Kabibble, he spent roughly three years studying law at West Virginia University. The future star enrolled in Morgantown in September 1927 to pursue a legal education close to his hometown of Erie, Pennsylvania.
Merwyn Bogue Transitioned from Law to Music and Real Estate
- Merwyn Bogue spent three years studying law at West Virginia University starting in September 1927 before a serendipitous summer gig altered his career trajectory.
- A temporary fill-in performance with Kay Kyser’s orchestra in 1930 led to a permanent 21-year tenure on the road, where Bogue performed under the stage name Ish Kabibble.
- Off-stage, Bogue utilized his analytical law background to serve as the orchestra’s official business manager from 1931 through 1951, later transitioning into a successful real estate career in California and Hawaii.
Enrollment in Morgantown Classrooms
Bogue chose West Virginia University primarily for practical reasons. “That’s why I went to West Virginia University—it was close,” Bogue recalled in an interview published in the West Virginia Heritage Encyclopedia, noting that the institution “offered what I wanted to take, law.” He pursued his studies while frequenting campus landmarks like Stewart Hall, which was originally constructed as the university library and now houses the office of the WVU president.
The 1930 Summer Gig That Changed Everything
Bogue’s legal education came to an abrupt halt during the summer of 1930. Bandleader Kay Kyser brought his orchestra to perform at The Willows in Oakmont, Pennsylvania. When Kyser’s cornet player fell ill, Bogue stepped in to fill the vacancy. Though Bogue fully intended to return to Morgantown that autumn to complete his degree, Kyser persuaded him to stay on the road.
“In the fall, I wanted to go back to school,” Bogue recounted. “He talked me into delaying going back, first in the fall, then in the winter, and he kept delaying me for 21 years so I never went back.”
From Law Studies to Band Management
Bogue, who adopted the stage moniker “Ish Kabibble”—taken from the comedic song “Isch ga-bibble,” a mock-Yiddish phrase loosely meaning “I should worry?”—became a crowd favorite known for his novelty songs like “Three Little Fishes” and his iconic bowl haircut. Yet, away from the spotlight, Bogue applied the same analytical rigor that had once led him to pursue a legal education. Between 1931 and 1951, he functioned as the Kay Kyser Orchestra’s official business manager, guiding the group through its most prosperous commercial period.
The band rose to national prominence through its residency at the Blackhawk Restaurant in Chicago and its popular NBC radio and television show, “Kay Kyser’s Kollege of Musical Knowledge.” This widespread success paved the way for film roles alongside major Hollywood stars including Lucille Ball, John Barrymore, Joan Crawford, Kirk Douglas, and Bing Crosby.
| Career Phase | Timeline | Key Focus / Role |
|---|---|---|
| WVU Law Student | 1927–1930 | Studied law in Morgantown before joining the Kay Kyser Band. |
| Orchestra Business Manager | 1931–1951 | Managed operations during the peak of radio, television, and film success. |
| Real Estate Career | 1961–Later | Managed real estate properties in California and Hawaii following retirement from show business. |
Retirement Into California and Hawaii Real Estate
Following the decline of the big-band era, Bogue performed with his own Dixieland group and briefly teamed up with future TV host Mike Douglas for a comedy routine. In 1961, he retired from show business to enter the real estate industry in California and Hawaii. Drawing on his lifetime of audience connection, Bogue became a highly successful real estate manager, frequently joking that selling real estate was just another form of show business because “the applause happens when they write the check.”
