Louis Alter facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Louis Alter
Born	(1902-06-18)June 18, 1902 Haverhill, Massachusetts
Died	November 3, 1980(1980-11-03) (aged 78) Saint Clare's Hospital (Manhattan)

Louis Alter (born June 18, 1902 – died November 3, 1980) was an American pianist, songwriter, and composer. From a young age, he showed a talent for music. When he was just 13, he started playing the piano in theaters. These theaters showed silent films, and Louis would play music to go along with the movies.

He later studied music at the New England Conservatory of Music. There, he learned from a teacher named Stuart Mason.

Louis Alter's Early Life and Career

Louis Alter was born on June 18, 1902, in a town called Haverhill, Massachusetts.

He began his career playing piano in vaudeville shows. Vaudeville was a popular type of entertainment with different acts like singers, comedians, and dancers. Louis was an accompanist, meaning he played the piano for the main performers. He worked with famous singers like Irène Bordoni and Nora Bayes.

Louis toured all over the United States and even other countries with Nora Bayes from 1924 until she passed away in 1928. Before this, he had already written some songs for Broadway shows. After Nora Bayes's death, Louis decided to focus more on writing songs.

His first big hit song was "Manhattan Serenade" in 1929. This song was first an instrumental piece, meaning it had no words. Later, it became the theme music for a radio show called Easy Aces. Many people have recorded "Manhattan Serenade." Louis once said that he loved New York City and walked around for six months to get ideas for the song. He finished it in just two hours!

Songs for Films and Broadway Shows

In 1929, Louis Alter moved to Hollywood. This is where many movies are made. He started writing songs for films, and his first movie was The Hollywood Review of 1929.

He also continued to play piano for different singers, including Beatrice Lillie and Helen Morgan. Louis wrote songs for Broadway musicals too, like Sweet and Low (1930) and Ballyhoo (1931).

His very first song hit was "Hugs and Kisses" in 1926. In 1928, he wrote both the music and words for a show called Paris.

Some of Louis Alter's other popular songs include:

• "My Kinda Love"
• "You Turned the Tables on Me"
• "Nina Never Knew"
• "Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans" (written for the 1947 movie New Orleans)
• "Blue Shadows"
• "Rainbow on the River"

He also wrote "A Melody from the Sky" and "Twilight on the Trail" for the 1936 movie The Trail of the Lonesome Pine. Louis worked with other talented writers like Oscar Hammerstein II and Sidney D. Mitchell.

Service During World War II

In 1941, Louis Alter joined the United States Air Force. He performed for soldiers and helped organize shows and other entertainment at air bases on the West Coast. He even performed as a piano soloist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic orchestra at the Hollywood Bowl.

In 1942, his song "Manhattan Serenade" became popular again after new words were added by Harold Adamson.

Later Years and Achievements

Louis Alter also wrote bigger musical pieces for piano and orchestra. These included American Serenade and Metropolitan Nocturne. In his later years, he lived in New York City and spent summers on Fire Island.

He was nominated for two Academy Awards for his songs "Dolores" and "A Melody from the Sky." In 1975, he was honored by being added to the Songwriters Hall of Fame. This is a special place for people who have written many important and famous songs.

Impact of "Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans"

After Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2005, Louis Alter's song "Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans" became very meaningful again. The song was used in many documentary films and TV shows about the hurricane's effects. It was featured in Spike Lee's film When the Levees Broke (2006) and in a moving performance by Billy Crystal on Comic Relief 2006. The song helped people understand the deep feelings of loss and longing for the city.

Louis Alter's Compositions

Louis Alter wrote many different kinds of music. Here are some of his orchestral compositions and songs:

Orchestral Pieces

• American Serenade
• Jewels from Cartier Suite
• Manhattan Masquerade
• Manhattan Moonlight
• Metropolitan Nocturne
• Side Street in Gotham
• "Manhattan Serenade"

Songs Written by Louis Alter

• "Blue Shadows"
• "Circus" (1949) - He wrote this song for a party for John Ringling North, who ran the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.
• "Dolores"
• "Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans"
• "Give Trouble the Air" (1927)
• "Hugs and Kisses" (1926)
• "Overnight" (1930)
• "Manhattan Serenade"
• "A Melody from the Sky"
• "My Kinda Love"
• "Nina Never Knew"
• "Rainbow on the River"
• "You Turned The Tables On Me"

Listen to Louis Alter's Music

You can listen to some of Louis Alter's music online:

• Jazz violinist John Frigo playing Louis Alter's "Nina Never Knew"
• Tommy Dorsey: "Manhattan Serenade"

Death

Louis Alter passed away on November 3, 1980, at the age of 78. He died from pneumonia in Saint Clare's Hospital in Manhattan, New York City.