and the movies. Their youngest brother, Harry Shilkret, became a medical doctor but was also active as a trumpeter in Nathaniel's orchestra. He paid for his medical school tuition at the Yale School of Medicine by performing as a jazz cornetist in venues in New Haven in the mid 1920s. Harry also recorded professionally as a jazz trumpeter with both Nat's orchestra and Jack's orchestra, and with musicians like Rudy Vallee and Jimmy Ray.

Early career