San Francisco County
Biographies
ROBERT KLIER
As a talented leader of band and orchestra, and as a brilliant player of the zither, Robert Klier is admired not only by the music lovers and radio fans of San Francisco and the bay district but in all of the important cities of the United States where he has appeared. In countless homes listeners await the unsurpassed music of “Bob and his Zither” over the air, and diners at the popular States restaurant are drawn there by the charm of Bob Klier and his Hoffbrau Syncopators.
Robert Klier was born in Carlsbad, the famous watering place of Bohemia, in 1880, and is a son of Joseph Klier, who was then mayor of that city. In his childhood he manifested his musical genius and his love of the art, and when only ten years of age he left his home for the purpose of following the musical career he desired. He traveled extensively and in his eighteenth year he was participating in the Boer war in South Africa; he was in Johannesburg, Ladysmith, Victoria, and other places familiar to those who know the story of that conflict. After the close of hostilities, he returned to England, where he appeared with the theatrical stars of that day, including the dancer, Adeline Genee. He played at Buckingham Palace, in appreciation of which Queen Alexandra presented him with an exceptionally valuable zither, which he now plays on special occasions. After departing from England, he came to the United States and for forty-eight weeks appeared on the B. F. Keith vaudeville circuit, then made a personal tour of the whole United States which covered a period of two and a half years. In 1907, he came to California on Easter Sunday, having been the only soloist and artist on that religious program. He next became the leader of his own orchestra and for twenty-five years so continued. During this time he was associated with the widely known Mr. Tait, restaurateur, in his various places, including the traditional Cliff House at the Golden Gate, Tait’s at the Beach, and in 1907, the year he started, he played his first engagement at the noted Hoffbrau in San Francisco. After an association of a quarter century with Mr. Tait, Mr. Klier returned to the same restaurant, now known as The States, in 1931, bringing with him his own band. Bob Klier and his Hoffbrau Syncopators, as the organization is termed, are known as one of the finest bands in the country, being a group of skilled and splendidly trained musicians and led by one of the few real masters of the baton.
Mr. Klier has likewise achieved fame over the radio, the tones of his zither first going over the air from station KFRC for three years. Then, for one year, he broadcast over station KTAB, and now he and his band are heard from station KPO, San Francisco, and are one of the featured programs from that important station.
Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
Source: Byington, Lewis Francis, “History of
San Francisco 3 Vols”, S. J. Clarke Publishing Co.,
Chicago, 1931. Vol. 3 Pages 496-497.
© 2008 Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
GOLDEN NUGGET'S SAN FRANCISCO
BIOGRAPIES