Eddy Marnay
b: 1920, Algiers, French Morocco, d: Jan. 3, 2003, Neuilly, France.
né: Edmond Bacri
aka: Eddie Marnay
Singer/lyricist
Overview
In 1937. Marnay who had been born in Algiers, (then part of French North Africa), moved to Paris France. He first found work as a scriptwriter but was soon writing lyrics. In 1948, Marnay co-composed (wth the singer Leo Ferre,) the song "Les Amants de Paris" ("Lovers of Paris"), which became a hit for Piaf. From then on, he would pen the lyrics for a great many other songs. He also composed the title song for Charlie Chaplin's 1957 movie "A King in New York." in the early 1980's, he was writing for Celine Dion when she was still a 13 year old teenager living in Quebec, Canada. ( He called her "la voix du bon Dieu" (the voice of God), and most of her French-language hits are by Marnay.) When Dion sang his "La Voix du Bon Dieu," it helped her to obtain a contract with CBS Records Canada. Marnay also supplied the French lyric when Barbra Streisand recorded her hit "Evergreen". In additon to the American singer Streisand, he contributed to such other performers as Dalida, an Egyptian-born singer and actress; Claude Franeis, a French singer; and Nana Mouskouri, a Greek singer. In a six-decade career, Marnay wrote lyrics for about 4,000 songs, mostly for French singers.

Marnay often collaborated with pianist/composer Emil Stern and singer Michel Legrand in writing songs. Marnay's career was traced by producer Anne Dorr (along with Marie Schneider and Arlette Tabart, artistic director and author) in the French documentary series "the Slides of Creation", the sixth episode of which was "The BALLADE Of EDDY MARNAY".

In the documentary, Marnay told of his 50 year career in music, and of his associations with Emil Stern and Michel Legrand - his accomplices in composing -, and of vocalists such as Mireille Mathieu, Celine Dion, Didier Barbelivien, Rene Angelil, Claude Pascal and Frida Boccara with whom he worked. Marnay spoke also of his childhood in Algiers, amd of his artistic renalssance in Quebec, Canada (where he wrote for Celine Dion and others), together with his meetings with Edith Piaf, Le Ferre Henri Salvador, Renee Lebas, Reine, Marie Lafore, Bourvil, Yves Montand, Barbra Streisand, Nana Mouskouri, Claude Francois, and Maurice Chevalier.

Edmond Bacri belonged to a small 'Quod Libet', which also included Francis Lemarque, Stehane Golmann, and Le Ferre During his career, Marnay often collaborated with pianist/composer Emil Stern and singer Michel Legrand in writing songs. But his success mostly came thanks to recordings of his songs by such stars as Yves Montand ("To Plant Coffee", with music by Emil Stern). Also with Emil Stern, he wrote "The Irish Ballade", which was a hit for Bourvil. Patachou sang his "Java". Another of his compositions, "One Day a Child" was recorded by Frida Boccara (Price Eurovision 1969. It was a adaptation of a series of traditional pieces.) He also collaborated with Andre Popp ("Manchester and Liverpool").

For Marie Lafore, he wrote "My Love My Friend", and for Michel Legrand he wrote "The Waltz of The Lilacs", and "The Moon". For Claude Franeis he wrote "The Weather is Nice", and "He Makes Good". For singer Mireille Mathieu, he wrote "Thousand Doves", while for Serge Reggiani he wrote "My Daughter". In 1975, For Charles Aznavour, he wrote "Tes Yeux, Mes Yeux". He also recorded some of his own discs.

Stern was uncredited but, he also worked on the the film "Schelme von Schelm, Die" (aka: Real Shlemiel, The; aka: in USA 1997: Aaron's Magic Village. 1995). Michel Legrand supplied the music while the words were by Sheldon Harnick and Eddy Mornay.

One of his lyrics, -"Les Amants" (Traces in the Sand), was written to music by Chopin. In 1948, he wrote the lyric to "Lovers of Paris" with music by Shoed Leo, which was a hit release for singer Edith Piaf. Marnay also sang his own lyric in a duet with Celine Dion for the song "Cent Mille Chansons". (Ceine Dion was born on March 30, 1968 in Charlemagne, Quebec, Canada. She is youngest of a family of fourteen children. Her very first record release was one in which all the songs were written by Eddy Marnay.) His song "End of a Love" was interpreted by vocalist Nicole Croisille.

Among this lyricist's other works are:
"Once Upon A Summertime"
"La Valse Des Lilas"
"A Quatre Pas D'Ici" Lyric by Eddy Marnay, Pete Sinfield and Andy Hill.
"The Land Of Make Believe" Sinfield and Hill wrote lyric, and Marnay translated into French. "Traces in the Sand (Les Amants)" (music: Chopin with lyric by Mornay) It should be noted that Marnay has written lyrics for well over 100 songs.

   Boris Morros
b. 1891, d. 1963
né: Boris Mihailovitch
Currently no information available.
Overview
Was active as a Musical Director for the Hollywood Studios from about mid-1930's to the 1940's.This Russian born musician was scoring some of the early Hollywood films in the mid-1930's. Unfortunately, most of them were 'B' Western two-reelers. A bit later, he became an independent producer and among his films are:
1939 'The Flying Deuces' (Oliver and Hardy Comedy)
1941 'Second Chorus', starring Fred Astaire and Paulette Goddard
1942 'Tales of Manhattan', starring Charles Boyer, and others. The story follows the lives of different people who own a Tuxedo that is passed down to various new owners.
1948 'Carnegie Hall', New York's famous Concert Hall

Morros served as an American Spy as he himself revealed in his 1957 book 'Ten Years As A Counter-Spy". The book was filmed in 1961 under the name 'Man On A String' and starred Ernest Borgnine.

   Andrea Morricone
Currently no information available.
Among his film scores are:
Here on Earth (2000)
Ombra del gigante, L' (1999)
Liberty Heights (1999)
Ultimo (1998 Composed for the TV show.)
Uomo proiettile, L' (1995)
Disclosure (1994 no compositions. Music recordings collaborator)
In the Line of Fire (1993 - no compositions. Scoring assistant)
Nuovo cinema Paradiso (1988)

   Ennio Morricone
b. Oct. 11, 1928, Rome, Italy
aka: Leo Nichols, and also as: Dan Savio
Morricone has written nearly 400 film scores, so a brief summary is impossible. He studied at Rome's Santa Cecilia Conservatory, specializing in the trumpet. One of his classmates was Sergio Leone, who would go on to a wonderful career as a film director. On the strength of some of his song arrangements, Morricone was later hired by Leone for the 1964 film 'Per un pugno di dollari'. These two men would go on to form one of the great director/composer partnerships (Other notable Director/Composer partnerships are 'Eisenstein and Prokofiev', 'Hitchcock and Herrmann', and 'Fellini and Rota'). Morricone's score for that film featured some very unorthodox instrumentation including jew's harp, bells, harmonicas, and electric guitars, - all strung together with interesting sparse arrangements that revolutionized forever the way music would be used in 'Westerns'.

Today, Morricone's name is synonymous with Sergio Leone's "spaghetti" Westerns. However, he has also contributed to a huge range of other film genres including comedies, romances, dramas, thrillers, art movies, and even horror films. And, he has worked with many other directors such as Pontecorvo (1965's Battle of Algiers), Pasolini (1970's The Decameron Bertolucci), and Roman Polanski (1988's Frantic). In addition, his scores for 1978's 'Days of Heaven', 1986's 'The Mission', 1987's 'The Untouchables', and 1991's 'Bugsy' have all been Oscar-nominees. His scores for 1969's 'The Bird With the Crystal Plumage', and 1991's 'Cinema Paradiso' have been recorded. All of this makes Morricone one of the film world's most versatile artists.

   Theodore F. Morse
b. 1873, Washington, D.C. d. May 25, 1924, New York, N.Y.
As a child, Morse studied both the piano and the violin. At age 14, he ran away from the Maryland Military Academy and traveled to New York City. Morse found a job in a music shop in the Harlem area of the city. He worked there for a year in exchange for his room and board, and then found work as a salesman for the Oliver Ditson Music Company. On off hours, he would write music, and he also played violin in a trio that played at weddings and similar events.

In 1897, he was just 24 years old, Morse formed the Morse Music publishing company, and published a hit song (written by Will Cobb and Paul Barnes) of the Spanish-American War, "Goodbye, Dolly Gray". Apparently, the firm was not too profitable, for he sold it in 1900, and took a job with the publishing firm of 'Howley, Haviland and Dresser', as pianist, composer, arranger.

Brief chronology:
While still with 'Howley, Haviland and Dresser':
1902 Morse wrote
"In The Moonlight", for Christie MacDonald to sing in the Broadway show 'The Toreador'.
1903
"Dear Old Girl", lyric by Richard Henry Buck. A Hit song.
"Hurray for Baffin's Bay", lyric by Vincent Bryan. The was heard in the Broadway show, 'The Wizard of Oz' by Montgomery and Stone.

While with Haviland and Morse:
1904 F. B. Haviland leaves to form his own firm making Morse a full partner. As principal composer of the firm, Morse, in the following years, wrote - all with lyrics by Edward Madden:

"The Leader of the German Band"
"I've Got A Feelin' For You"
"Please Come and Play in My Yard"
"Two Little Baby Shoes"
"Blue Bell"
"Two Blue Eyes"
"Nan!, Nan!, Nan!"
"Daddy's Little Girl"
"Starlight"
"She Waits by the Deep Blue Sea"

It is not too well recalled today, but Morse was married to Theodora Terris, a lyricist who contributed to her husband's songs. Thus, they were the first Tin Pan Alley husband-wife songwriting team. Theodora not only wrote with her husband, Morse, but also collaborated with other composers. Curiously, her most successful songs were not with her husband, but with others. For example, with Ernesto Leucuona, she collaborated on "Siboney", and with Julian Robeldo, she wrote the lyric to "Three O'Clock in the Morning".

And, with other lyricists, Morse composed:
"One Called Mother and the Other Home Sweet Home", lyric William Cahill
"Where the Southern Roses Grow", lyric by Richard H. Buck

With lyricist Jack Drislane, Morse wrote:
"Arrah Wanna"
"The Good Old U.S.A."
"Keep a Little Corner in Your Heart"
"Longing For You"
"Keep on the Sunny Side"
"Nobody's Girl"
"It's Great to be a Soldier"

In 1908, Morse scored his only Broadway show, 'Playing the Ponies'. This musical featured the well known comedy team of Nick Adams and Gus Yorke.

During 1907 and 1908, Morse, with Madden's lyrics, wrote:
"When You Wore a Pinafore"
"Lanky Yankee Boys in Blue"
"I'de Rather be a Lobster Than a Wise Guy"
"I've Taken Quite a Fancy to You"
"Down In Jungle Town"
"Consolation"

After this work with Madden, he worked with other lyricists,
"M-o-t-h-e-r", with lyric by Howard Johnson
"We'll Knock the Heligo-Into Heligo-Out of Heligoland", Lyric by John O'Brien.

1911, Morse wrote sone ragtime tunes to his own lyrics.
1911 "Another Rag"
1912 "When Uncle Joe Plays a Rag on his Old Banjo"

1917 was to be his most interesting year. Morse adapted the "Pirates' Chorus", from Gilbert and Sullivan's 'The Pirates of Penzance". His wife, writing under the pseudonym of D.A.Esrom, contributed the lyrics to the song, which was published under the title of "Hail, Hail, The Gang's All Here". It turned out to be their great hit.

Morse was 51 years old, when he died in 1924.

   Arthur Morton
b. August 8, 1908, Duluth, Minnesota, USA , d. April 15, 2000, Santa Monica, California, USA.
né: Arthur Goldberg
In 1929, Morton graduated from the University of Minnesota, and then continued post-graduate study in the university's law school for one more year before moving to Los Angeles in 1935. While at the university, he played in the school's Jazz bands. In Los Angeles, he met and married Emmy Lou Hellman , the daughter of screenwriter ‘Sam Hellman’ and the sister of editor ‘Verna Fields’ which facilitated his entry into the film studios.

Morton and one of his fellow composers, Jerry Goldsmith, soon became good friends, and Morton went on orchestrate virtually every one of Goldsmith's scores. During the 1940s thru the '60s., Morton also orchestrated for screen composer George Duning. Subsequently, Morton went on to score many television shows He also found time to compose some songs among with are "My Secret Castle", and "As I Live and Breathe". His younger son, John S. Morton, is a composer currently (2006) living in Tappan, New York.