Van Alexander facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Van Alexander
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Alexander Van Vliet Feldman |
| Born | May 2, 1915 New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Died | July 19, 2015 (aged 100) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Bandleader, composer, arranger |
| Years active | 1930–1985 |
Van Alexander (born Alexander Van Vliet Feldman) was a talented American musician. He was a bandleader, meaning he led music groups. He was also an arranger, which means he wrote how different instruments should play a song. And he was a composer, creating new music. He lived from May 2, 1915, to July 19, 2015.
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Early Life and Music Beginnings
Van Alexander was born in Harlem, a neighborhood in New York City. His mother was a classical pianist, and she taught him how to play the piano. He loved music and even studied it at Columbia University.
Even when he was in high school, Alexander was already leading bands. He also started arranging music, which means he wrote down how different instruments would play a song.
Music Career Highlights
In the mid-1930s, Van Alexander got a job selling his music arrangements to Chick Webb. Webb was a famous bandleader. One of Alexander's most famous arrangements was for the song "A-Tisket, A-Tasket." This song became a huge hit for Webb and the singer Ella Fitzgerald. It was so popular that it became one of Ella Fitzgerald's most well-known songs.
Alexander also arranged other children's nursery rhymes into jazz songs. Some of these included "Where, Oh Where Has My Little Dog Gone?" and "Got a Pebble in My Shoe."
Leading His Own Bands
In 1938, Van Alexander started his own music band. They played in theaters for several years, into the 1940s. When his first band stopped playing together, Alexander and two other musicians from his group joined Larry Clinton's orchestra.
A music historian named George T. Simon wrote about this. He quoted Larry Clinton saying that Alexander brought a "package deal." This meant Alexander joined Clinton's band and brought along two other talented musicians, Butch Stone and Irv Cottler. Cottler's drumming was especially important to the band.
By June 1942, Van Alexander had formed another one of his own bands.
Working in Hollywood
Later in the 1940s, Van Alexander moved to Hollywood. He was hired by Bob Crosby to work on films. In Hollywood, he became very busy as a composer, arranger, and conductor for movie music. He even wrote a textbook in 1950 called First Arrangement, which taught people how to arrange music for films. A famous composer named Johnny Mandel studied with him.
Alexander created music for many movies. Some of these included films starring Mickey Rooney, like The Atomic Kid (1954) and Baby Face Nelson (1957). He also wrote music for movies like 13 Frightened Girls (1963), Strait-Jacket (1964), and Tarzan and the Valley of Gold (1966).
Music for Television Shows
Van Alexander also wrote music for many popular television shows. These included Hazel, The Farmer's Daughter, Bewitched, and I Dream of Jeannie. He also worked on Dennis the Menace and The Wacky World of Jonathan Winters.
He arranged and conducted music for variety shows. These shows featured famous stars like Dean Martin, Mickey Rooney, and James Stewart. Alexander also worked on recording sessions with many well-known singers and musicians. These included Doris Day, Benny Goodman, Peggy Lee, and Dinah Shore.
Later Life and Legacy
Van Alexander lived a very long life. He turned 100 years old in May 2015. His wife, Beth, had passed away in 2010.
He died a couple of months later, on July 19, 2015, in Los Angeles.
Awards and Recognition
Van Alexander was recognized for his amazing musical talent. He was nominated twice for an Emmy Award. This award is given for excellent work in television.
His first Emmy nomination was in 1972 for his music direction on The Golddiggers Chevrolet Show. His second nomination was in 1973 for his work on The Wacky World of Jonathan Winters.
He also received the Henry Mancini Award for his lifetime achievements in music from ASCAP.
See also
In Spanish: Van Alexander para niños
