Johnny Burke
b. October 3, 1908, Antioch, CA, USA; d. Feb. 25, 1964, New York, NY, USA
The family moved from Antioch, CA to Chicago, where Johnny's father founded a construction business. As a youth, he studied the piano, and had some drama studies also. He attended the Univ. of Wisconsin where he played piano in the orchestra. After graduating, he joined the Chicago office of the Irving Berlin Publishing Company, in 1926, as a pianist and song salesman.

Irving Berlin, Inc. transferred Johnny to their New York city office where he began to write lyrics in collaboration with composer Harold Spina, and in 1932, the team wrote "Shadows On The Swanee", which was followed in 1933 with their first big hit "Annie Doesn't Live Here Anymore." (A hit record for the famous Guy Lombardo Orchestra.) In 1934, they wrote a novelty tune "You're Not The Only Oyster In The Stew" which was recorded by Fats Waller and his Rhythm. The team of Burke and Spina then turned out a string of songs that were played by some of the great bands of the day, including Ben Pollack; Paul Whiteman, and Ozzie Nelson. Among their other hit tunes were "Beat of My Heart" and, "My Very Good Friend, the Milkman", a big hit for pianist Fats Waller.

Hollywood beckoned in 1936, and that ended the team of Burke and Spina. At first, he was teamed with composer Arthur Johnston, then with Jimmy Monaco, but he was to make his mark teamed with Jimmy Van Heusen. The team of Burke and Van Heusen turned out some of the great hit tunes of the late 1930's and throughout the 1940's. It is interesting to note that Johnny was the only composer to spend his entire career with just one studio, Paramount Pictures, primarily as a lyricist for Bing Crosby films. Of the 41 films on which Johnny worked, 25 starred Bing Crosby. The 25 Crosby films had 17 songs that made the Hit Parade, including such as: "Pennies From Heaven," "I've Got a Pocketful of Dreams," "Only Forever," "Moonlight Becomes You," and "Sunday, Monday and Always."

Brief Chronology of his most famous lyrics:
With Composer Arthur Johnston: 1936 For film, 'Pennies from Heaven', the title song,
        "Pennies from Heaven"; A Hit Parade Selection.
        "One Two, Button Your Shoe"

1937 For film, 'Double or Nothing'
        "The Moon Got In My Eyes"
       "All You Want To Do Is Dance"

With composer Jimmy Monaco: 1938 For film 'Sing You Sinners',
        "I've Got a Pocketful of Dreams"
        "Don't Let That Moon Get Away" 1938 for film, 'The Star Maker'
        "An Apple For The Teacher"

1938 for film, 'Doctor Rhythm,
        "On the Sentimental Side"
        "My Heart is Taking Lessons"

1939 For film, 'That's Right - You're Wrong',
        "Scatterbrain"
        "What's New?"

1939 for film 'The Star Maker',
        "An Apple for the Teacher"

1939 for film 'East Side of Heaven'
        "That Sly Old Gentleman from Featherbed Lane"
        "Sing a Song Of Moonbeams"
        "East Side of Heaven"

The Burke and composer Jimmy Van Heusen team began in 1940: 1940 For film 'Rhythm on the River', the song,
        "Only Forever,"

1940 For 'Road to Singapore", first Hope/Crosby 'Road' film:
        "Too Romantic"
        "Sweet Potato Piper"

1941 For film 'The Road to Zanzibar'

1942 For the film 'The Road to Morocco', starring Crosby and Hope.
        "Polka Dots and Moon Beams", music by Jimmy Van Heusen
        "Imagination"; Van Heusen music.
        "Moonlight Becomes You"; A Hit Parade Selection.

1943 For film , 'Dixie',
        "Sunday, Monday, or Always"; A Hit Parade Selection.

1944 For film 'Going My Way', the songs,
        "Going My Way"
        "Swinging on a Star", an Academy Award tune.
        "It Could Happen to You"

1944 For film, 'And the Angels Sing', the songs,
        "It Could Happen to You"
        "And His Rockin' Horse Ran Away", A Betty Hutton hit.
        "The First One Hundred Years"

1945 For film, 'The Bells of St. Mary's", starred Bing Crosby.
        "Aren't You Glad You're You"

1945 For film 'The Road to Utopia'

1947 For film, 'Road to Rio'
        "But Beautiful"
        "Appalachicola, Fla."

1949 For film 'A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court'

1950 For Film, 'Riding High'

1953 For film 'Little Boy Lost', the songs,
        "Cela M'est Egal"
        "Apropos de Rien"

1955 "Misty."

1956 The Film 'The Vagabond King', the songs,
        "A Harp, A Fiddle and a Flute"
        "One, Two, Three, Pause"
        "Bonjour"
        "Watch Out For the Devil"

Burke-Van Heusen also scored the Broadway musical 'Carnival In Flanders' which featured such tunes as:
        "Here's That Rainy Day"
        "It's An Old Spanish Custom"

The team had other hit songs during this period:
        ""Oh, You Crazy Moon"
        "Suddenly It's Spring"
        "Like Someone In Love"

In the 1950's, Burke wrote the lyrics for:
        "Scatterbrain", with music by Frankie Masters.
        "Keene-Bean"
        "What's New" Both with Bob Haggart.

The 1956 film, 'The Vagabond King' was Johnny's last Hollywood work. Eight years later, he died at age 55.

   Ernie Burnett

Currently no information available.
In 1911, Ernie wrote the Lyric to a George Norton song then called "Melancholy", Later, the name was changed to "My Melancholy Baby" and was subsequently recorded by the Paul Whiteman and the Dorsey Brothers orchestras (among others).

   Cliff Burwell
Currently no information available.
Overview
Cliff was pianist for 'Rudy Vallee & his Connecticut Yankees' in late 1920's.
Among his compositions are:
"Just the Way You Look Tonight", with lyric by Mitchell Parrish.
"Sweet Lorraine", Parrish lyric. (Here played by Mr Irwin Schwartz)

   Bretton Byrd
né: James Thomas Byrd.
b, 1904, Ramsgate, Kent, England
This prolific composer and music director began his career playing (1918-'20) Piano for the Silent Theatres and for private Galas. He toured all through the 1920s, and, in 1930, was introduced to Louis Levy who brought him into the music staff at Gainsborough. He then became active solely in the British film studios. For the film The Magic Bow starring Stewart Granger, Byrd worked closely with famed violinist Yehudi Menuhin.

Among the films for which he composed music are:
Tony Draws a Horse (1950)
Look Before You Love (1948)
My Sister and I (1948 Byrd was the musical director)
White Unicorn, The (1947 aka Bad Sister in USA)
Time Flies (1944)
Goose Steps Out, The (1942)
Saint's Vacation, The (1941 Byrd was the musical director)
Inspector Hornleigh (1939)
Keep Smiling (1939 aka Smiling Along in USA)
Gangway (1937 Byrd contributed a special orchestration)
It's Love Again (1936)

   Jerry Butler
b. Dec. 8, 1939, Sunflower, MS, USA.
(NOTE: Another singer/songwriter born in Sunflower, MS, was William "Pat" Best)
Butler appeared in about 10 films between 1973 and 2003, and also composed some songs for at least 2 films, - 1967s 'Come Spy with Me' (song "The Shark"), and 1972s 'Melinda'.

In 1991, Butler was elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (as a member of 'The Impressions'). A Philadelphia DJ gave Butler the nick-name of "The Iceman".

In 2004, Butler, now the Cook County Commissioner of Water, was still performing, - mostly on weekends. On June 21, 1959, Butler and Annette Smith were married, and the union produced 2 children.

   James Brockman
b. Dec. 8, 1886, Russia, d. May 22, 1967, Santa Monica, California, USA.
Some sources claim b. December 8, 1878, New York, NY, USA
né: Jacob Brachman
In 1896 (age 10), he emigrated to the United States, by himself. The early 1900s, found him working as a vaudeville comedian. In 1914,his song "Down Among The Sheltering Palms", (co-composed with Abe Olman) was published and became a huge national hit In 1919, he was a co-writer of anoather hit song "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles", He was a partner, along with James Kendis, of the Kendis-Brockman Music Company.

Subsequently, Brockman, began working in the Hollywood studios. (Hollywood was an oasis for songwriters all through the economic depression years of the 1930s.) His most memorable score was for the 1930 film ' Happy Days '. He was age 82 when he died.

Among his compositions are:
   "As Long As the Shamrock Grows Green"
   "Autumn Leaves" ( w: and m: James Brockman.)
   "Down Among the Sheltering Palms", (co-composed with Abe Olman)
   "Faithfully Yours" (co-composed with Abe Lyman and Ted Snyder)
   "Feather Your Nest" (co-composed with James Kendis and Howard E. Johnson )
   "Golden Gate (co-composed with James Kendis)
   "Jabberwocky " (co-composed with Ray Brown, Ted Eastwood, James Kendis and Louis Weslyn)
   "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles", ( became the anthem of the English football (soccer) club West Ham United)
    "I Faw Down and Go Boom", (co-composed with B. B. Berman, James Brockman and Leonard Stevens)
   "I Know What It Means to be Lonesome",
   "Let's Grow Old Together". (co-composed with Will Oakland and Ira Schuster)
   "Nightingale" ( w: and m: James Brockman.)
   "Strumbery, Pich, Hample Pies"
   "Toodle Oo I'll Be Seeing You"
   "Where It s Peach Jam Makin' Time" (co-composed with James Kendis and Nathaniel H. Vincent )

   Val Burton
b. Feb. 22, 1901, London, England, UK., d. Nov. 9, 1981, Los Angeles, California, USA.
né: Valentine Burton
This English composer, producer, screenwriter and author, was educated at the Oundie School. In England, during WWi, he produced the Royal Air Force concert party "The Stunters". amd subsequently wrote musical revues for C.B. Cochran. In America, during the late 1930s and 1940s, he wtote the radio scripts for popular "Henry Aldrich" series. He often collaborated musically with Will Jason.

His song compositions include:
"Penthouse Serenade (When We're Alone)", collaborated with Will Jason
"Josephine", collaborated with Will Jason
"And The Big Bad Wolf Is Dead", collaborated with Will Jason
"Waiting for the Springtime"
"You Alone", collaborated with Will Jason
"The Day I Met You"
"If It Isn't Love", collaborated with Will Jason
"Some Day Soon"
"Singing a Vagabond Song".