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Remembering Rainbo Records
On January 30, 2020, the oldest vinyl record plant in America closed its doors. Rainbo Records was an institution. Formed in 1939 by engineer Jack Brown, their first plant was located in downtown Los Angeles. Brown created cardboard recording discs that evolved into thin flexi records. Flexi discs were used for political messages, advertising, magazine insertions and fan club mailings. They played at 33-rpm or 78-rpm. During World War II, Rainbo was commissioned by the US government to record messages on discs to be sent by families to soldiers fighting overseas. In 1954, Rainbo teamed with General Mills to press 31 million Mouseketeer records that went on the back of Wheaties boxes.
Walt Disney hired Rainbo to press the “Talking Map,” a folding poster sold at the 1955 Disneyland opening. Rainbo also made the first picture discs, records with embedded photos. In the late 50’s, Rainbo made miniature records for Mattel that went inside Chatty Cathy dolls. Kids pulled a string and the doll said, “I’m hungry” or “I hurt myself.” Rainbo issued the first Hollywood fan magazine (“Hear, Inc.”) with a picture record in each issue.
In 1955, Rainbo began pressing 45-rpm and 78-rpm vinyl discs. They moved to Hollywood in 1963 and became the backup plant for Capitol Records. They pressed 8,000 records a day for performers like Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, the Beach Boys and the…
