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Mr. Wonderful (musical)
''Mr. Wonderful'' is a musical with a book by Joseph Stein and Will Glickman, and music and lyrics by Jerry Bock, Larry Holofcener, and George David Weiss. Written specifically to showcase the talents of Sammy Davis, Jr., the thin plot, focusing on entertainer Charlie Welch's show business struggles, primarily served as a springboard for an extended version of Davis's Las Vegas nightclub act. The Broadway production, staged by Jack Donohue, opened on March 22, 1956 at The Broadway Theatre, where it ran for 383 performances. In addition to Davis, the cast included his father Sammy Sr. and uncle Will (who together with Davis had performed as the Will Mastin Trio), Olga James, Jack Carter, Chita Rivera, Malcolm Lee Beggs, Marilyn Cooper and Patricia Marshall. The play closed on February 23, 1957. Song list ;Act I *"1617 Broadway" – Rita Romano, Hal and Ensemble *"Without You, I'm Nothing" – Fred Campbell and Lil Campbell *"Jaques D'Iraq" – Charlie Welch, Uncle, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jerry Bock
Jerrold Lewis Bock (November 23, 1928November 3, 2010) was an American musical theater composer. He received the Tony Award for Best Musical and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama with Sheldon Harnick for their 1959 musical ''Fiorello!'' and the Tony Award for Best Composer and Lyricist for the 1964 musical ''Fiddler on the Roof'' with Sheldon Harnick. Biography Born in New Haven, Connecticut, and raised in Flushing, Queens, New York, Bock studied the piano as a child. While a student at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, he wrote the musical ''Big As Life'', which toured the state and enjoyed a run in Chicago. After graduation, he spent three summers at the Tamiment Playhouse in the Poconos and wrote for early television revues with lyricist Larry Holofcener. One of their songs, the three-part "The Story of Alice," was performed by the Chad Mitchell Trio on their ''Blowin' in the Wind'' album of 1962. Career Bock made his Broadway debut in 1955 when he and Lawrence Holofcener co ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chita Rivera
Chita Rivera (born Dolores Conchita Figueroa del Rivero Anderson; January 23, 1933), is an American actress, singer and dancer best known for originating roles in Broadway musicals including Anita in ''West Side Story'', Velma Kelly in ''Chicago,'' and the title role in '' Kiss of the Spider Woman''. She is a ten-time Tony Award nominee and a three-time Tony Award recipient, including one for Lifetime Achievement. She is the first Latina and the first Latino American to receive a Kennedy Center Honor and is a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom."President Obama Names Medal of Freedom Recipients" White House Office of the Press Secretary, July 30, 2009 Early life and education Rivera was born in |
Star Spangled Rhythm
''Star Spangled Rhythm'' is a 1942 American all-star cast musical film made by Paramount Pictures during World War II as a morale booster. Many of the Hollywood studios produced such films during the war, generally musicals, frequently with flimsy storylines, and with the specific intent of entertaining the troops overseas and civilians back home and to encourage fundraising – as well as to show the studios' patriotism. This film was also the first released by Paramount to be shown for 8 weeks. ''Star Spangled Rhythm'' was directed by George Marshall and others, and written by Harry Tugend with sketches by Melvin Frank, George S. Kaufman and others. The film has music by Robert Emmett Dolan and songs by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer, and the cast consisted of most of the stars on the Paramount roster. Plot Pop Webster is a former silent movie star once known as "Bronco Billy" who now works as the guard on the main gate at Paramount Pictures. However, he's told his son Joh ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
That Old Black Magic
"That Old Black Magic" is a 1942 popular music, popular song written by Harold Arlen (music), with the lyrics by Johnny Mercer. They wrote it for the 1942 film ''Star Spangled Rhythm'', when it was sung by Johnnie Johnston, Johnny Johnston and danced by Vera Zorina. The song was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1943 but lost out to "You'll Never Know". It was first recorded by Gordon Jenkins and his Orchestra on July 9, 1942. Shortly thereafter, on July 26, 1942, Judy Garland recorded her own version, which was released as a single in January 1943 – just after the movie's release on December 30, 1942. Five other recordings (also made in 1942) were released as singles within the next two weeks. Composition The song was published in 1942 in music, 1942 and has become an often-recorded pop standard, standard, with versions that include the original single release by Glenn Miller, by the singers Margaret Whiting, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Johnny Merc ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Arthur Hammerstein
Arthur Hammerstein (December 21, 1872 – October 12, 1955) was an American songwriter, dramatist, playwright and theater manager. Biography Born and educated to a Jewish family in New York City, Hammerstein was the son of the theater impresario and composer Oscar Hammerstein I. Arthur started out as a bricklayer and plasterer, working on projects with his father including the Victoria Theater and Manhattan Opera House. In 1908 Hammerstein started working on becoming a producer, signing Italian singer Luisa Tetrazzini to the family's Manhattan Center and negotiating with Otto Kahn before moving to London in 1910. While there Arthur and his father had a disagreement with money spending and Arthur vowed never to speak to him again. With his father's support, Arthur embarked on his first production, ''Naughty Marietta''. Arthur's brother Willie Hammerstein died in June 1914, and Arthur took over management of the family's Victoria Theater. However, the theater was not financia ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Because Of You (1940 Song)
"Because of You" is a popular song, written by Arthur Hammerstein and Dudley Wilkinson in 1940. It was first recorded by Larry Clinton and His Orchestra on December 12, 1940, and was released March 28, 1941 on Bluebird 11094. It charted for one week (June 28) and ranked number 95 in the 1941 year-end list. It was used in the 1951 film ''I Was an American Spy.'' Tony Bennett recording A 1951 recording by Tony Bennett, Columbia Records catalog number 39362, recorded on April 4, 1951 with orchestral backing conducted by Percy Faith, was Bennett’s first major hit, reaching number one on the ''Billboard'' charts and staying there for 10 weeks. Due to its importance in establishing his fame, he continued to perform the song for the rest of his career, even singing it at his final concert performances 70 years after its release. Notable cover versions In 1951, there were several artists covering the song: *A cover version by Johnny Desmond reached number seventeen at the same ti ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lyn Murray
Lyn Murray (born Lionel Breeze, August 13, 1909 – May 20, 1989) was a composer, conductor, and arranger of music for radio, film and television. Early years Born in London, Murray was the son of a violinist. Before entering a career in music, Murray was a seaman. He followed that nautical occupation with a stint as a reporter with the Philadelphia Public Ledger. He also attended the Juilliard School. Radio Murray's initial involvement with radio came in Newport News, Virginia. From 1931 to 1937, he was staff conductor and arranger at WCAU in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. From there, he went to CBS, where he conducted, arranged, and composed music from 1934 to 1947. He later founded the Lyn Murray Singers, who became known throughout the United States as the featured group on CBS Radio's ''Your Hit Parade''. In the early 1940s, Murray, his orchestra and chorus were featured on ''Meet the Music'', "a Sunday evening feature paying weekly tribute to the modern song writers." Begi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sam Coslow
Sam Coslow (December 27, 1902 – April 2, 1982) was an American songwriter, singer, film producer, publisher and market analyst. Coslow was born in New York City. He began writing songs as a teenager. He contributed songs to Broadway revues, formed the music publishing company Spier and Coslow with Larry Spier and made a number of recordings as a performer. With the explosion of film musicals in the late 1920s, Hollywood attracted a number of ambitious young songwriters, and Coslow joined them in 1929. Coslow and his partner Larry Spier sold their publishing business to Paramount Pictures and Coslow became a Paramount songwriter. One of his first assignments for the studio was the score for the 1930 film ''The Virtuous Sin''. He formed a successful partnership with composer Arthur Johnston and together they provided the scores for a number of films including Bing Crosby vehicles. Coslow became a film producer in the 1940s and won the Academy Award for Best Short Film for hi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Honey (1930 Film)
''Honey'' is a 1930 American comedy film directed by Wesley Ruggles and written by Herman J. Mankiewicz. It is based on the 1916 novel ''Come Out of the Kitchen!'' by Alice Duer Miller. The film stars Nancy Carroll, Harry Green, Lillian Roth, Richard "Skeets" Gallagher, Stanley Smith and Mitzi Green. The film was released on March 29, 1930, by Paramount Pictures. The film is chiefly remembered today for introducing the song " Sing, You Sinners", written by W. Franke Harling (music) and Sam Coslow (lyrics), performed by Roth. The number was re-created for the 1955 Roth biopic ''I'll Cry Tomorrow'', starring Susan Hayward. Cast *Nancy Carroll as Olivia Dangerfield *Harry Green as J. William Burnstein *Lillian Roth as Cora Falkner * Richard "Skeets" Gallagher as Charles Dangerfield * Stanley Smith as Burton Crane *Mitzi Green as Doris *ZaSu Pitts as Mayme *Jobyna Howland as Mrs. Falkner *Charles Sellon Charles A. Sellon (August 24, 1870 – June 26, 1937) was an America ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sing, You Sinners (song)
"Sing, You Sinners" is a popular song with music by W. Franke Harling and lyrics by Sam Coslow. In 1930 it was used in the film ''Honey'' starring Lillian Roth. The Bing Crosby 1938 Paramount musical '' Sing You Sinners'' also included the song in the title credits. Popular recordings in 1930 were by The High Hatters (on Victor 22322) and by Smith Ballew and his Orchestra. A good early recording is found on the album "The Song Hits of 1930 (Jazz Age Chronicles, Vol. 9)", and is sung by The Charleston Chasers. This is, perhaps, the way Coslow and Harling intended it to be performed. A version was released in 1930 by Hit of the Week Records, credited to ''Harlem Hot Chocolates'' but actually performed by Duke Ellington and his band. In Britain, the song was recorded by the duo Bob and Alf Pearson. A popular version was recorded by Tony Bennett for Columbia Records (No. CO44125) on July 20, 1950. Bennett also recorded the song on several more occasions. In addition it is featured on T ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Too Close For Comfort (1956 Song)
"Too Close for Comfort" is a popular song by Jerry Bock, George David Weiss, and Larry Holofcener. It was written in 1956 as part of the score for the Broadway musical '' Mr. Wonderful'' starring Sammy Davis Jr., who released the song as a single on Decca Records prior to the musical's premiere. Several other pop vocalists, such as Eileen Barton, also recorded their own competing versions around this time, as well as other songs from the musical. Notable versions *A memorable 1956 duet of the song featured Ella Fitzgerald and Joe Williams, although the 1958 recordings by Davis and Frank Sinatra are the best-known versions of the song. *It also was recorded by Jamie Cullum in 2002 for his album ''Pointless Nostalgic'' *Dianne Reeves (in 2005) for the Grammy Award-winning soundtrack to ''Good Night, and Good Luck''. Other versions include: *Stan Getz - ''The Steamer'' (1956) *Eydie Gormé - Her single recording charted at #39 in the U.S. (1956) and was included on her album ''Eyd ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
