Some children are encouraged to play music, while others are tolerated in
their desire to learn music. Handy, in his autobiography tells how his
father, a minister, once told the child "I'de rather see you in a hearse
than have you become a musician." Handy's grandfather, a minister too, also
tried to discourage the boy from studying music. In spite of all this, Handy
managed to purchase a cornet from a traveling circus performer, paying him
one dollar for the instrument, and proceeded to teach himself to play.
In time, he was playing in one of the local brass bands, and soon afterwards
joined a traveling Minstrel Show.
Educated as a teacher,
In 1909, Handy composed his first published blues "Memphis Blues".
During his life, Handy also edited some books, among which are:
Today, W. C. Handy is an American Icon. Schools, Theaters, a Foundation
for the Blind, and at least one park (Memphis) have been named in his honor.
Totally blind during the final years of his life, he still managed to
occasionally play his cornet on some radio and TV programs.
Some NOTES concerning W.C.Handy.
On Handy's composing style:
On his 'discovery' of the Negro Blues style of song. Handy writes:
On the writing of the "St. Louis Blues"
Brief Chronology:
Brief Chronology of Harbach's lyrics:
Otto is a Songwriter's Hall of Fame member.
"Yip" has told an interesting story. One night in early 1925, he was aroused from sleep in the middle of the night by a telephone call from
composer Vincent Youmans. Youmans had just found an interesting tune and he wanted Harburg to hear it. Harburg sleepily informed Youmans of the time,
and then - just before hanging up, - he did what many lyricists do, - he thought up a "Dummy" rhyme. (A Dummy rhyme is an instrument used by
lyricists to remember the melody of a new tune.) "Yip" said that the rhyme he thought of was "Tea For Two, For Me, For You", and then promptly went
back to sleep. The next day, - no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't think up a better title or lyric. Here's the way "Tea For Two" sounded
back in 1925 when The Benson Orchestra
recorded it.
After graduating from CCNY, Harburg became a journalist in South America. He
returned to New York, where he estabilished an Electrical Supplies business. The
great stock market crash of 1929 effectively killed his business, and he
turned to writing lyrics for pop tunes. It was his old freiend Ira Gershwin
who introduced him to the first of his long-term collaborators, Jay Gorney. The team worked on both a number of films and
Broadway shows starting with 'Earl Carroll's Sketchbook of 1929'. Their
biggest hit was "What Wouldn't I Do For That Man", sung by Helen Morgan in
two 1929 Hollywood (Paramount-Laskey Corp.) films, 'Glorifying the American
Girl' and 'Applause'. Dduring the 1930's he often worked with Vernon
Duke and Johnny Green.
In 1934, he worked with Harold Arlen on the picture 'The Wizard of Oz', and
afterwards worked on other films with such composers as Burton Lane and
Jerome Kern. He also collaborated with Earl Robinson on animated short
subject films. (Both were 'Blacklisted' in the late 1940's because of their
socialist political agendas.)
Brief chronology:
1932 From the Broadway show 'Ballyhoo of '32'.
1934 For the show, 'Life Begins at 8:40', the songs: (music Harold Arlen. Co-lyrics Ira Gershwin.)
1936 For film 'Stage Struck', Fancy Meeting You" music H. Arlen.
1943 "Happiness Is Just a Thing Called Joe", music by Harlen for the
Broadway show, 'Cabin In The Sky'. Star Ethel Waters, sang it.
1944 from the show 'Bloomer Girl', with Harold Arlen music,
1947 For Broadway show, 'Finian's Rainbow', music Burton Lane
And, a great many other songs for such shows as:
1968 For show 'Darling of the Day', music by Jule Styne.
1971 For show 'What A Day For A Miracle', music Henry Myers, Larry Orenstein, and Jeff Alexander.
Harburg spent his life learning his trade and experimenting
in the two genres of popular song that formed the backbone of the music
industry, Production numbers for revues, and Ballads and Love Songs for
interpolation into revues, cabarets, radio and the films. He also produced
English lyrics for German, Spanish and French songs that were released
by Harms Music, his publisher. "Yip's" work was the result of constant
practice. He was forever jotting down notes and thoughts in note books and
slips of paper, - constantly honing his skills as a lyricist.
Among his writings, Yip has said:
E. Y. Harburg is a member of the Songwriters'Hall of Fame.
Just some of the films on which Harline worked (almost always uncredited) are:
In 1932, this son of a Episcopal church minister lost his sight in an accident in Hurley Iowa, when he pounded on a dynamite cap he had picked up on a railroad track after heavy rains had flooded the area. it exploded in his face, leaving the 16 year old high school drummer totally blind.
Hardin was then sent to the 'Iowa School for the Blind', where he received formal training in violin, viola, pipe organ and singing. After this school, he returned home and for the next 5 years worked on his father's farm.
In 1943, he relocated to New York City, first earing a living by posing as an artist's model. His spare time was spent composing on a small organ in his tiny room in New York's 'Hell's Kitchen' district. During WWII, he first started wearing a cape and monk's hood and sporting a long dark beard.
In 1947, he began using the name "Moondog" (his dog liked to howl at the moon), and earned his living distributing his hand printed poems, and music to passersby in return for some small contribution.
In 1948, Hardin took up residence in Los Angeles, CA, where, among other activities, he played a piano piece at the 'Million Dollar Theatre' opposite Duke Ellington. That may have been the first time that the Press confused him with a then somewhat popular novelty act,
"Nature Boy" eden ahbez - (yes, small e small a), who like "Moondog" also dressed like some prehistoric man (and wrote the eponymous song that singer Nat "King" Cole made famous. One of the newspaper headlines at the time (talking about "Moondog") exclaimed "Match for Nature Boy Sells His Music Here". In 1949, finding no success in California, Hardin returned to New York, and began playing his drums in that city's famed Times Square" theatre district. In the 1950s, he began standing on the corner of 54th Street and Sixth Avenue, and sometimes on the corner of 52nd Street and Sixth Avenue. He soon became friendly with many of the Jazzmen, including Benny Goodman, and Charlie Parker, then playing at the clubs on New York's famed "Swing Steet", as well as with Classical musicians such as Toscanini and Artur Rodzinski.
In 1954, New York disc jockey Alan Freed (credited with coining the term 'rock and roll') adopted his "Moondog Symphony" as a theme song, and began calling himself "King of the Moondoggers". However, "Moondog" obtained a legal injunction preventing Freed from using the music or the name 'Moondog'. Hardin later learned that composer Igor Stravinski had interceded with the judge on his behalf. (It has been reported that Stravinski told the judge that 'Moondog' was not a lunatic, but a serious composer.) 'Moondog' soon became an icon of the 'Beat' movement, even singer Janis Joplin had a hit with one of his songs ("All Is Loneliness" ), while other compositions found their way into advertising jingles and film soundtracks. One of "Moondog's" pieces was used for the soundtrack for "Drive. She said" starring Jack Nicholson. During this time, Hardin arranged an album of Mother Goose songs for singer Julie Andrews, and in 1969, recorded his LP "Moondog".
It was during the 1950s and '60s, he became friendly with three avant garde composers, Philip Glass, Steven Reich and Terry Riley, with Moondog completing the quartet as "The Manhattan Four". At a later date, "Moondog" told interviewers that only listened to his own compositions because the work of others was full of "unspecified mistakes". As a Classicist, he sought: "The art of concealing art, maximum effect but with minimum means". It was this concept thata caused composers Philip Glass and Steve Reich to hail him as the originator of "minimalism".
As a child, Hardin had attended Native North American dances, and, in the 1940s, even performed with an Idaho Blackfoot tribe. Later, the chants, and the cyclic rhythms of North American Indian drums would be integrated into his pieces, adding a contrapuntal texture to his dense, complex melodic lines. (Writing instrumental parts in braille, he rarely produced full scores.)
In 1971, he recorded an album of Madrigals for Columbia, which met with little success, and he was dropped by the label. This was also the start of the "Hippie" era, and a bearded man in an army blanket became a rather common site. Still he was one of the icons of the "Beat" era, performing with Allen Ginsburg at poetry reading, appearing on stage with "Tiny Tim" and comedian Lenny Bruce, and in films with William S. Boroughs. Such labels such as Mars, CBS and Prestige had released his works. However, the start of the drug era (speed and heroin) was making the streets very unsafe for a blind man.
In 1974, he was invited by the Hessischen Rundfunks (radio and TV station in Hessen, Germany) for two concerts. He relocated to Recklinghausen, where he would stay in residence till his demise. His sudden disappearence led many to believe he had died (even singer-songwriter Paul Simon mourned his passing on his TV-show). Hardin's self-exile in Germany was the most prolific period of his career. In Germany, he met a 27-year-old geology student named Ilona Goebel. Ilona, a music translator living in Oer-Erkenschwick, Germany, gave up her job to work full time with Hardin, putting onto paper the music that was in his head. Hardin remained in Germany, composing, and recording, with Goebel becoming his agent, producer, manager, transcriber and life companion.
During his sojourn in Europe, Hardin recorded 10 of his original compositions, including such works as "Witch of Endor" (written for dancer Martha Graham), "Minisym No. 1", and the the nine-hour "Cosmos" for 1,000 musicians and singers. He also composed a symphony titled "The Overtone Tree", for four conductors." (He later told a 'Los Angeles Times' newspaper critic, "One conductor to be the general overlooker, and three sub-conductors to handle their own individual scores.") All this and more than 300 canons and 100 keyboard works.
He remained in Germany until 1989 when he returned to New York for an appearance at the New Music America Festival. In the interim, most Americans had completely forgotten him. Hardin's appearance at the Brooklyn Academy of Music's Majestic Theatre was the finale of an evening that featured works by John Zorn and "Butch" Morris, - two other experimentalist musicians. It is fascinating to note that Hardin was accompanied to the stage by his youngest daughter, -whom he hadn't seen for 20 years. While she was browsing "Pulse", the music magazine of Tower Records shop, that she learned that her father was scheduled to appear that morning in her hometown of Philadelphia. The magazine 'People' reported: "New York has something to howl again- legendary 'Moondog' is back".
1997 saw "Moondog's" first American recording in 26 years. His "Sax Pax for a Sax" was scored for a reed choir of up to 10 saxophones accompanied by timpani. "Moondog" played the bass drum, and the contra bassist was Danny Thompson. It is a good example of 'Moondog's' rare gift of synthesizing Classical composition with 'Jazz' feeling. (Interstingly, the composition included tributes to two fine Jazz saxophonists, Lester Young and Charlie Parker.)
In his review, The New York Times music critic, Allan Kozinn, wrote that Hardin was "uncomfortable with being an authority figure, so he sits to the side of the orchestra and provides the beat on a bass drum or tympani." During his interview with Hardin (and Hardin's friend Ilona Sommer), Scotto reported that Hardin had told him he married in 1943 and subsequently divorced. He said that a second marriage, in the 1950s, to musician Sazuko Whiteing, also ended in divorce in the early 1960s. Mrs. Sommer thought Hardin was survived by a younger brother, Creighton Hardin, of Kansas City, MO; a daughter, June Hardin, and another daughter, whose name and whereabouts they did not know.
Early in his career as an aspiring composer, Hardin had refused to alter his dress code even when it provoked his eviction from the Philharmonic rehearsals. Finally, Hardin yielded to Ilona Sommer's coaxing and gave up his Viking helmet, cape, and spear outfit. However, in a 1989 interview, he said "But I still love horned helmets and swords and spears. I like to feel that I'm loyal to my past. I wouldn't want to be on the street anymore. But you know, that led to a lot of things."
Arthur Hamilton
Currently no information on this composer/lyricist.
He did contribute to at least three Hollywood films:
1955 'Pete Kelly's Blues'
1970 'Madron', he was the lyricist for "Till Love Touches Your Life"
2000 'Passion of Mind', song "Cry Me A River"
W. C. Handy
b. Nov. 16, 1873 Florence, AL, USA d. March 28, 1958, New York, NY. USA
né: William Christopher Handy
Overview
Here's a photograph of young W.C.Handy -"The Father of the Blues,",
who started his career as a cornetist in a brass band. And here's another photo
showing Handy in later years.
He led a vocal quartet that appeared at the 1893 Chicago Exposition.
After that he worked as a music teacher and in various traveling minstrel
shows. It was during his travels that he noted down the songs that he heard all around
him, and then adapted these for his own performances. Looking back, it is
now impossible to tell just how much he himself wrote, and how much
originated with the itinerant singers that he heard. Suffice it to say, he
left us a rich legacy of the early blues.
In 1892, he graduated from Teacher's Agricultural and Mechanical College, in
Huntsville, Alabama, remaining briefly as a teacher. He then became a steel
foundry worker.
In 1893, he led a vocal quartet that appeared at the Chicago Exposition that
same year.
In 1896, he joined the 'Mahara's Minstrel Troupe', as performer, cornetist and
musical arranger, eventually becoming the troupe's band leader.
In 1900 to 1902, he returned to teaching at his alma mater, Teacher's College.
In 1903, he formed the first of several bands with which, for the next
quarter century, he would tour the south, concertizing. It was during these
travels that Handy's ideas on 'Negro Blues' were formed. (See NOTES Below.)
Originally called "Mr Crump", it helped the mayoralty campaign of Edward
H. Crump to gain the support of Beale Street Negroes. (Crump won.) After
this, Handy published the tune, as a piano solo, at his own expense. A
New York publisher bought the rights for $50.00, and published it
with lyrics by George A. Norton.
In 1914, Handy published the "St. Louis Blues". (SEE NOTES BELOW)
Handy had written this song not long after the success of "Memphis Blues",
but despite the success of "Memphis Blues", the "St. Louis Blues" did not
cause any excitement. No publisher wanted the song. Finally, in 1914,
Handy formed a musical publishing partnership with Harry Pace and published
the song, which still failed to catch on. Handy, then moved to New York
City, and things changed. The great vaudevillian Sophie Tucker sang it;
Gilda Gray sang it in a Broadway revue. and RCA Victor issued a hit
recording. It has now become a bit of 'Americana'.
After 1914, Handy continued composing such hits as:
"The Beale Street Blues"
"Careless Love"
"The Harlem Blues"
"The Joe Turner Blues"
"The John Henry Blues"
Among the marches that W.C.Handy has written are:
"Hail to the Spirit of Freedom"
"Go Down Moses March"
"The Big Stick Blues March"
Among his orchestral compositions are:
"Blue-Destiny Symnphony"
"Afro-American Hymn"
1926 'Negro Spirituals and Songs'
1938 'Book of Negro Spirituals'
1944 'Negro Music and Musicians'
1949 'A Treasury of the Blues'
In 1938, Nat 'King' Cole starred as W.C.Handy, in the film 'St. Louis Blues'.
In 1938, at age 65, a tribute performance of his music was held in New York's
Carnegie Hall.
In 1939, at the New York City World's Fair, he was proclaimed "One of America's
Greatest Contributors to World Culture."
In 1954, four years before his death, he married his secretary, Irma
Louise Logan, - his second marriage. Handy was 85 years old when he
died, in New York.
This writer cannot say it more elegantly than Handy himself, and so I have
included some pertinent quotations from his autobiography.
In his autobiography, Handy pointed to two events that shaped his composing
ideas. Once, in a deserted train station, he heard a Negro improvising a
vocal lament. Handy says that the experience made him aware of the "power
and beauty" of Negro song. Handy says the other event occurred in
Cleveland, Mississippi. He heard some of the local Negro musicians playing
folk tunes and jazz. "That night, a composer was born, an American
composer. Those country black boys taught me something that could not
possible have been gained from books, something that would, however, cause
books to be written."
"The primitive southern Negro, as he sang, was sure to bear down on the third
and seventh tone of the scale, slurring between major and minor. Whether
in the cotton field of the Delta or on the Levee up St. Louis way, it was
always the same. Till then, however, I had never heard this slur used by a
more sophisticated Negro, or by any white man. I tried to convey this
effect...by introducing flat thirds and sevenths (now called blue notes)
into my song, although it's prevailing key was major..., and I carried this
device into my melody as well... This was a distinct departure, but as it
turned out, it touched the spot. In the folk blues, the singer fills up
occasional gaps with words like 'Oh, Lawdy,' or 'Oh, Baby,' and the like.
This meant that in writing a melody to be sung in the blues manner, one
would have to provide gaps or waits. In my compostion, I decided to
embellish the piano and orchestral score at these points. This kind of
business is called a 'break'...., and 'breaks' became a fertile source of
the orchestral improvisation, which became the essence of jazz... I used
a plagal cadence to give 'spiritual' effects in the harmony. Altogether, I
aimed to use all that is characteristic of the Negro from Africa to
Alabama." (See the 'Glossary Link' for explanations of 'Plagal' and of
'Authentic' cadences.)
He began to think of another song to capitalize upon the success of his
"Memphis Blues".
"First there was the picture I had of myself, unshaven, wanting even a
decent meal, and standing before the lighted saloon in St. Louis without a
shirt under my frayed coat. There was also from that same period a curious
and dramatic little fragment that till now seemed to have little of no
importance. While occupied with my own memories during the sojourn, I had
seen a woman whose pain seemed even greater. She had tried to take the
edge off her grief by heavy drinking, but it hadn't worked. Stumbling
along the poorly lighted street, she muttered as she walked, 'My man's got
a heart like a rock cast in the sea.'.... By the time I had finished all
this heavy thinking and remembering, I figured it was time to get
something down on paper, so I wrote "I hate to see de evenin' sun go down.'
If you ever had to sleep on the cobbles down by the river in St. Louis,
you'll understand the complaint."
James F. Hanley
b. Feb. 17, 1892, Renselaer, Indiana, USA, d. Feb. 8, 1942, Douglaston, New York, USA.
Overview
James was one of our true Tin Pan Alley composers, writing music to
order. Much of what he composed was for the theaters; shows and motion
picture houses.
1917 "(Back Home Again In) Indiana", lyric Ballard MacDonald.
1919 "Rose of Washington Square"
1921 "Second Hand Rose". Lyric by Grant Clarke. A big hit for Fanny Brice in
1921, and still a huge hit for Barbra Streisand in 1994.
1923 "Gee, but I Hate To Go Home Alone", lyric by Joe Goodwin. The cover
of the sheet music says that the tune was introduced by Jesse Crawford,
famous organist of the 'Chicago Theater'.
1925 "Just a Cottage Small"
1935 "Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart"
Otto Harbach
b. Aug. 18, 1873, Salt Lake City, UT, USA, d. Jan. 24, 1963, New York, NY, USA.
né: Otto Abels Hauerbach
Overview:
Otto was a young advertising executive who had ambitions to write for the
Broadway musical stage. In 1902, he met the composer Karl Hoschna. They
began a collaboration that did result in some stage successes. It was the
start of Harbach's musical career.
1910 "Every Little Movement"
1912 "Sympathy"
1920 "The Love Nest"
1924 "Rose Marie" and "Indian Love Call"
1925 "No, No, Nanette", "Sunny" and "Who?"
1926 "The Desert Song", "One Alone," and "The Riff Song"
1933 "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes"
"The Touch of Your Hand"
"Yesterdays"
"Cuddle Up a Little Closer" (1980);
E. Y. ("Yip") Harburg
b. April 8, 1896, New York, NY. USA; d. March 5, 1981, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
né: Isadore Y. Hochberg
Overview
Mr. E. Harburg (and Mr. N. Markovich of the Harburg Foundation) has kindly allowed us to publish this interesting photograph (taken ca. 1935 in Beverly Hills, CA) of his famous father "Yip" Harburg,
a lyricist who was most active during the 1930's and the 1940's. This child of Jewish immigrant parents, Louis and Marya
Hochberg, grew up in lower Manhattan, N.Y., where he was given the nickname
of 'yipsel' - "squirrel" in yiddish. In his Townsend Harris High School
days, he worked on the school newspaper (The Academic Herald) with Ira
Gershwin. Harburg was the editor and Ira was the Art Director. Both of
these future lyricists then matriculated from the City College of New York.
Yip began versifying and eventually worked on Broadway and Hollywood shows
with such composers Jay Gorney; Harold Arlen; Lewis Gensler, Richard Myers,
and Vernon Duke.
1932 "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?". Music by Jay Gorney. It was in the
Broadway show 'Americana', the song that 'defined' the depression years
of 1929 to 1935. Another tune from that show, "Satan's Lil Lamb" (Harburg/Mercer/Arlen)
was recorded by vocalist Ethel Merman.
"April in Paris", music by Vernon Duke for his first full Broadway score 'Walk a Little Faster'.
The song went nowhere until the society singer Marian Chase recorded it on a Liberty
recording, and used it in her nightclub act.
"How Do You Do It?", music Louis Gensler.
"Riddle Me This". This most interesting lyric exemplify's Harburg's excellence.
1933 "It's Only a Paper Moon", music by Harold Arlen. Co-lyricist was Billy Rose. Originally written
for a non-musical show 'The Great Magoo', it achieved popularity when it was interpolated
into the film 'Take a Chance'.
"Last Night When We Were Young", and many others.
"What Can You Say In A Love Song?"
"Fun To Be Fooled"
"Let's Take A Walk Around The Block"
"You're a Builder Upper". (Ethel Merman recorded the tune.)
1937 For film 'Gold Diggers of 1937', the song:
"Speaking of the Weather", music Harold Arlen.
1939 "Over the Rainbow", music Harold Arlen. Academy Award winner. An ASCAP All-Time Hit Parade,
as well as a 'Variety' 50 Years Hit Parade selection. The 16 year old Judy Garland sang it
in the MGM film 'The Wizard of Oz'.
"The Eagle and Me" and "Right As The Rain"
"How Are Things in Glocca Morra?"
"Old Devil Moon"
"Look to the Rainbow"
1951 For Show 'Flahooley' with music by Fred Saidy and Sammy Fain.
1957 For Show 'Jamaica', music by Harold Arlen.
1961 For show 'The Happiest Girl in the World', adapted from Aristophanes' 'Lysistrata', Harburg, Saidy and Gorney set the music of Offenbach for the show.
"I am one of the last of a small tribe of troubadours who still believe
that life is a beautiful and exciting journey with a purpose and grace
which are well worth singing about."
Leigh Harline
b: March 26, 1907, Salt Lake City, UT, USA. d: Dec. 10, 1969, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Currently no information available.
Do you know the name "Harline". This composer, who was active mainly in the Hollywood studios, may have worked on over 200 films, beginning with three in 1933, Father
Noah's Ark, Lullaby Land, and The Pet Store, - all uncredited, and his last film score being Strange Bedfellows in 1964. . His last works were heard
on three Television shows in 1964 Guns of Diablo, Daniel Boone, and Strange Bedfellows. It is probably safe to say that Leigh made a good living working
on the "Blondie" series of films. (Blondie was a character in an American comic strip.)
1935 Mickey's Service Station ( The 'mouse' that is! a Cartoon film)
1935 Pluto's Judgement Day (The 'dog' that is) (Cartoon)
1937 Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs ( Walt Disney full length Cartoon)
1938 Wynken, Blynken & Nod (Animated film)
1938 Blondie (Arthur Lake and Penny Singleton. I believe they were in every one of the "Blondies")
1939 Lone Wolf Spy Hunt, The ( Warren William , Ida Lupino, Rita Hayworth )
1939 Blondie Meets the Boss
1939 Blondie Takes a Vacation
1939 Good Girls Go to Paris
1939 Blondie Brings Up Baby
1940 Blondie Has Servant Trouble
1940 Blondie on a Budget (1940)
1940 Pinocchio ( Cliff Edwards (Ukulele Ike) played Jiminy Cricket, Evelyn Venable played the Blue Fairy. )
1940 Lone Wolf Meets a Lady, The ( Warren William, Eric Blore, Jean Muir)
1940 Blondie Plays Cupid
1941 Lone Wolf Keeps a Date, The ( Warren William, Eric Blore, Frances Robinson)
1941 Lone Wolf Takes a Chance, The ( Warren William, Eric Blore, June Storey )
1941 Secrets of the Lone Wolf ( Warren William, Eric Blore, Ruth Ford )
1942 Pride of the Yankees, The ( Gary Cooper, Babe Ruth as himself, Teresa Wright.)
1942 Secret Agent of Japan ( Preston Foster, Lynn Bari)
1942 You Were Never Lovelier ( Rita Hayworth, Fred Astaire, Adolph Menjou, Xaver Cugat and Orch )
1942 Careful, Soft Shoulders (Virginia Bruce )
1942 Blondie for Victory
1943 Nazis Strike, The
1943 Footlight Glamour (Penny Singleton and Arthur Lake. + the rest of the "Blondie" films cast )
1944 Music in Manhattan (Charlie Barnet Orch, and Nilo Menendez Rhumba Band leader. )
1944 Falcon in Mexico, The (Tom Conway, Pedro de Cordoba, Mona Maris, Martha Vickers )
1945 Johnny Angel ( George Raft, Claire Trevor, Signe Hasso, Hoagy Carmichael played the part of Celestial O'Brien)
1945 Having Wonderful Crime (Pat O'Brian, George Murphy, and Carol Landis )
1945 Leave It to Blondie
1945 George White's Scandals (contributed the ballet music. starred Joan Davis, Ethel Smith on organ, Jack Haley, Jane Greer )
1945 First Yank Into Tokyo
1946 Road to Utopia ( Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Dorothy Lamour, Jack La Rue, Douglas Dumbrille )
1946 Blondie Knows Best
1946 Wonderful Life
1947 Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer, The
1947 Blondie's Anniversary
1947 Blondie's Big Moment
1947 Bulldog Drummond Strikes Back (Someone called Ron Randell played Bulldog Drummond )
1948 Blondie's Reward
1948 Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House
1948 Port Said
1949 Blondie Hits the Jackpot
1949 Blondie's Big Deal (Penny Singleton and Arthur Lake starred)
1949 I Married a Communist ( aka in UK: Woman on Pier 13, The )
1950 My Friend Irma Goes West ( Marie Wilson, Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin, Corinne Calvet )
1953 Down Among the Sheltering Palms (Mitzi Gaynor, Jane Greer, )
1955 Girl in the Red Velvet Swing, The
1956 Teenage Rebel
1956 23 Paces to Baker Street
1957 True Story of Jesse James, The (Robert Wagner, Hope Lange, Agnes Moorehead, John Carradine, Alan Hale)
1958 Ten North Frederick (starred Gary Coooper)
1959 "Man from Blackhawk, The" TV Series
1960 Comanche Station (starred Randolph Scott)
1961 "Ben Casey" TV Series (Vince Edwards, Franchot Tone, Sam Jaffe )
1962 Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm, The
1964 "Daniel Boone" TV Series (Fess Parker, Patricia Blair, Jimmy Dean, Ed Ames )
1964 Seven Faces of Dr. Lao ( Tony Randall, Barbara Eden, Noah Beery Jr. )
W. Frank Harling
b: Jan. 18, 1887, England, UK, d: Nov. 22, 1958, Sierra Madre, CA, USA.
Currently no information available
This lyricist was active in the 1920's and 1930's. He contributed music to
well over 150 films, beginning with 1928's The Whip. He also
worked on three other films that year Waterfront, Showgirl,
and the film Varsity, on which he was uncredited for his tune "My Varsity
Girl, I'll Cling To You". He was also uncredited for the "Piano Sonata" that he
contributed to the 1932 film A Bill of Divorcement. In fact, he was uncredited
in perhaps 90 percent of the films on which he worked. His biggest hit may have
been 1930's "Sing You Sinners", Harling and Sam Coslow music.
Louis Thomas Hardin
aka: "Moondog"
b. Marysville, Kansas, , USA, d.Sept. 8, 1999, Münster, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. (Coronary Arrest) Age: 83.
CAUTION: Do not confuse with another composer, eden ahbez, who is perhaps better known as "Nature Boy".
Here's a photo of a very young Louis Hardin, as he appeared in his 1937 "Arkansas College" yearbook.
It was while studying music at this school, near Batesville, Arkansas, that he began adopting an eccentric style of dress, and making plans for his life as a composer. Here's is a photo of Hardin, now known as "Moondog", as he appeared to passersby in New York City during 1956 (photo courtesy: New York Times). (He is standing on the corner of 54th Street and 6th Avenue, where this author -Murray L. Pfeffer - often stopped and spoke with him.) For about 30 years, this eccentric, gaunt, bearded and blind 'Beat" poet and musician was a familiar New York city landmark, standing (usually) on the corner of 6th Avenue and 54th Street in, wearing a Viking helmet, home-made robe, sandals, and holding a 6 foot long spear. (During winters, his feet were wrapped in some sort of heavy cloth.)
