Award-winning songwriter ("All the Way" [Academy Award, 1957], "Three Coins in the Fountain" [Academy Award, 1954], "Love and Marriage" [Emmy Award, 1955], "High Hopes" [Academy Award, 1959], "Call Me Irresponsible" [Academy Award, 1963]), composer, author and publisher, educated at Seward Park High School in New York.
He was a violinist in vaudeville orchestras, and organized a dance band wih Saul Chaplin. He wrote the night club scores for "Connie's Hot Chocolates of 1936", "New Grand Terrace Review", and "Cotton Club Parade" (1939).
Arriving in Hollywood in 1940, he wrote many title and theme songs along with film scores and incidental music. His Broadway stage scores include "High Button Shoes", "Two's Company", "Skyscraper", and music for the marionette show "Les Poupees de Paris". He joined ASCAP in 1936, and his chief musical collaboraors included Saul Chaplin, Jule Styne, and James Van Heusen. He became a musical publisher in 1955.
His other song compositions include "If I Had Rhythm in My Nursery Rhymes", "Rhythm Is Our Business", "Shoe Shine Boy", "Until the Real Thing Comes Along", "Dedicated to You", "If It's the Last Thing I Do", "Bei Mir Bist Du Schon", "Posin'", "Please Be Kind", "Joseph, Joseph", "I've Heard That Song Before", "Victory Polka", "I'll Walk Alone", "Saturday Night is The Loneliest Night in the Week", "Poor Little Rhode Island" (the official state song), "The Charm of You", "I Fall in Love Too Easily", "What Makes the Sunset", "Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out to Dry", "It's Been a Long, Long Time", "Day By Day", "Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow", "I Should Care", "I'm Glad I Waited For You", "The Things We Did Last Summer", "Five Minutes More", "Time After Time", "Papa, Won't You Dance With Me?", "You're My Girl", "I Still Get Jealous", "It's Magic", "Be My Love", "Because You're Mine", "Teach Me Tonight", "The 86th! The 86th!" (official song of the US Army 86th Infantry Regiment), "The Impatient Years", "Look to Your Heart", "I'll Never Stop Loving You", "Hey, Jealous Lover", "The Second Time Around", "September of My Years", "My Kind of Town", "I Like to Lead When I Dance", "Love Is a Bore", "Everybody Has a Right to Be Wrong", "I'll Only Miss Her When I Think of Her", and the film title songs for "The Tender Trap", "It's A Woman's World", "The Long Hot Summer", "Indiscreet", "Pocketful of Miracles", "Come Blow Your Horn", "The Best of Everything", and "Where Love Has Gone".
| Virginia (Tita) Basile | (2 August 1970 - 15 January 1993) (his death) |
| Gloria Delson | (1946 - 1964) (divorced) 2 children |
Wrote first lyric, "Like Niagara Falls, I'm Falling for You" at 16
At one point, he earned more than $1000 for his writing.
Won Academy Awards for 4 songs " Three Coins in the Fountain" ; "High Hopes" ; " All the Way " and "Call Me Irresponsible"
Was nominated for Broadway's Tony Award three times, each time in collaboration with Jimmy Van Heusen": in 1966, his lyrics as part of a Best Musical nomination for "Skyscraper;" and in 1967, as Best Composer and Lyricist and his lyrics as part of a Best Musical nomination for "Walking Happy."
Holds the record for most "Oscars for Best Song" alone.
Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1972.
Father of famed jazz fusion guitarist, Steve Khan.
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