Johnny Green facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Johnny Green
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | John Waldo Green |
| Born | October 10, 1908 New York City, U.S. |
| Died | May 15, 1989 (aged 80) Beverly Hills, California, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Composer, Conductor |
| Instruments | Piano, Trombone |
| Years active | 1930–1989 |
| Labels | Paramount Pictures |
| Associated acts | Gus Kahn, E.Y. "Yip" Harburg, Edward Heyman, Paul Francis Webster, Mack David, Billy Rose, Johnny Mercer, Jack Benny |
Johnny Green (born John Waldo Green on October 10, 1908 – died May 15, 1989) was a very talented American musician. He was a songwriter, composer, musical arranger, conductor, and pianist. He wrote many famous songs and won five Academy Awards for his amazing work in films. In 1972, he was added to the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and he even has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame!
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Early Life and Education
Johnny Green was born in New York City. His parents, Vivian and Irina, were also musical.
Johnny went to Horace Mann School and the New York Military Academy. He was very smart and got into Harvard University when he was just 15 years old in 1924. He learned music from great teachers like Herman Wasserman and Walter Spalding.
While he was still in college, a famous bandleader named Guy Lombardo heard Johnny's orchestra play. Lombardo was so impressed that he hired Johnny to create dance music for his own popular orchestra. Johnny's first big song, Coquette (1928), was written for Lombardo.
Johnny's father wanted him to work as a stockbroker (someone who buys and sells stocks). But Johnny didn't like this job. With encouragement from his wife, Carol Faulk, he decided to leave Wall Street and follow his dream of a music career.
A Career in Music
Johnny Green wrote many songs that are now considered jazz standards, meaning they are very well-known and often played by jazz musicians. Some of his most famous songs include "Out of Nowhere" and "Body and Soul". He also wrote music for many movies and TV shows.
At the start of his career, Johnny arranged music for dance orchestras. He also worked as an accompanist (playing piano for singers) and arranger for famous musicians like Ethel Merman. In 1930, while writing music for Gertrude Lawrence, he composed "Body and Soul". This song quickly became a hit!
Working in Hollywood
From 1930 to 1933, Johnny worked for Paramount Pictures. He arranged and conducted music for films and worked with many popular singers. During the 1930s, he wrote many of his hit songs, including "Out of Nowhere" (1931), which was Bing Crosby's first number one hit. He also wrote the theme music for Max Fleischer's Betty Boop cartoons in 1932.
After 1933, Johnny Green started his own orchestra and performed all over the country. He also conducted orchestras for popular radio shows like The Jack Benny Program.
Big Performances and Film Scores
Johnny Green was asked to write larger pieces for orchestras. One of his works, "Night Club (Six Impressions for Orchestra with Three Pianos)," was performed at Carnegie Hall in 1933. While working at Paramount Pictures' Kaufman Astoria Studios, he learned a lot about writing music for films.
In 1933, Johnny spent time in London, where he wrote songs for musical comedies. When he returned to the U.S. in 1934, he formed "Johnny Green, His Piano and Orchestra." This orchestra played dance music and made records.
Johnny also worked on popular radio shows like Socony Sketchbook and The Fred Astaire Hour. His band even played for Fred Astaire's classic recording sessions.
Johnny Green eventually moved to Hollywood to work in the film industry. He made a big impact at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) studios. From 1949 to 1959, he was the music director at MGM. He helped change the sound of the MGM Symphony Orchestra, making their musicals sound even more amazing.
He created music for many films, including Raintree County (1957). He was nominated for an Oscar thirteen times! He won four Oscars for the musical scores of Easter Parade, An American in Paris, West Side Story, and Oliver!. He also won a fifth Oscar for producing a short musical film called "The Merry Wives of Windsor Overture."
After leaving MGM, Johnny Green continued to conduct orchestras all over the country, including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. He also composed music for other films like Twilight of Honor (1963) and They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (1969).
Famous Works
Johnny Green had many important roles in creating music for films. He was a musical executive, arranger, conductor, and composer.
Musical Director
As a musical director, Johnny Green oversaw the music for many famous films. These include Easter Parade, An American in Paris, Royal Wedding, High Society, and West Side Story. Even though he was the musical director, other talented musicians often helped with the orchestrations (arranging music for all the different instruments).
Conductor
Johnny Green conducted the orchestra for many well-known musicals. He conducted for An American in Paris and the 1961 film version of West Side Story.
In 1965, he conducted the music for the TV musical Cinderella, which starred Lesley Ann Warren.
He also adapted and conducted the music for the film Oliver! (1968), based on the popular stage musical. He won an Academy Award for this work. He even wrote some of the extra music heard in the film, based on the original songs. His daughter, Kathe Green, sang for the character of Oliver in the movie.
Other Achievements
Johnny Green was a respected member of ASCAP (a group that protects the rights of songwriters and composers). He also led the orchestra for 17 Academy Award telecasts (the Oscar ceremonies) and produced TV specials.
Personal Life
Johnny Green was married three times. He had a daughter, Babbie Green, with actress Betty Furness. He also had two daughters, including actress and singer Kathe Green, with Bunny Waters. Actress Liza Snyder is his granddaughter.
During his first marriage to Carol Faulk, he wrote many of his hit songs. Carol once said, "We didn't have children, we had songs," because they were so focused on his music.
Johnny Green was known for his confidence. He once quoted his friend Alan Jay Lerner, saying, "Modesty is for those who deserve it. And I don't."
See also
