Duchin started as a pianist with Leo Reisman and His Orchestra, having abandoned studies in pharmacy. Due to his flashy piano playing, as well as his personal charisma, he assumed Reisman's place as leader of the 10-piece Central Park Casino Orchestra in 1931. Coast-to-coast radio broadcasts and sponsored shows (Cadillac Motor Cars, Pall Mall Cigarettes, Elizabeth Arden Cosmetics, Texaco) ensured his ever-growing popularity with and exposure to the public. His band was also featured at top spots, like the Waldorf-Astoria, the Persian Room of the Plaza Hotel in New York and the Cocoanut Grove of the Ambassador in LA.