Victor Young facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Victor Young
Victor Young
Background information
Birth name	Albert Victor Young
Born	(1899-08-08)August 8, 1899 Chicago, Illinois
Died	November 10, 1956(1956-11-10) (aged 57) Palm Springs, California
Occupation(s)	Composer arranger violinist conductor
Instruments	Violin, piano
Years active	1920–56

Albert Victor Young (born August 8, 1899 – died November 10, 1956) was an American musician. He was a talented composer, who wrote music, an arranger, who changed music for different instruments, a violinist, and a conductor, who led orchestras.

About Victor Young

Victor Young was born in Chicago, Illinois. His family loved music. His father was a singer in an opera company. Victor started playing the violin when he was just six years old.

When he was ten, he went to Poland to live with his grandfather. He studied music at the Warsaw Imperial Conservatory. He became a very skilled violinist. He also learned to play the piano. As a teenager, he played with the Warsaw Philharmonic orchestra.

World War I made it hard for him to return to the United States. He stayed in Poland and played music to earn money. He played in orchestras and small music groups. He also gave music lessons.

He came back to Chicago in 1920. He joined an orchestra there. Later, he moved to Los Angeles. He played the violin for movies and theaters. He also worked as a violinist and arranger for popular music bands.

In 1930, a bandleader asked Victor to arrange the song "Stardust". This song was usually played fast. Victor slowed it down and played it as a beautiful violin solo. This new version inspired someone to write lyrics for the song. It became a very famous love song.

Victor Young moved to Hollywood in the mid-1930s. He focused on making music for films. He also recorded light music and helped popular singers like Bing Crosby.

He wrote many famous songs, including:

• "When I Fall in Love"
• "Blue Star"
• "Sweet Sue, Just You"
• "Street of Dreams"
• "Love Letters"
• "Around the World"
• "My Foolish Heart"
• "Stella by Starlight"
• "Johnny Guitar"

His Music Recordings

Victor Young signed with Brunswick Records in 1931. His groups recorded many popular dance songs and waltzes. These groups often included some of the best jazz musicians of the time. They also featured great singers.

In 1934, he started recording with Decca Records. He continued to make music in New York. Later, he moved his recording work to Los Angeles.

Work in Radio, Film, and TV

Victor Young was a musical director for radio shows. He also directed music for many of Bing Crosby's recordings. He conducted the first album of songs from the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz. This album featured Judy Garland singing songs from the movie.

He was nominated for an Academy Award 22 times for his film music. This is a record for the most nominations before winning. He finally won his only Oscar after he passed away. It was for his music in the movie Around the World in Eighty Days (1956).

Some other movies he was nominated for include:

• Anything Goes (1936)
• Golden Boy (1939)
• For Whom the Bell Tolls (1943)
• The Uninvited (1944)
• Love Letters (1945)
• Samson and Delilah (1949)
• The Quiet Man (1952)
• Shane (1953)

Victor Young also won a Primetime Emmy Award. This was for his music in a TV special called Light's Diamond Jubilee in 1954.

His last movie music was for films released after he died in 1957. One of these, China Gate, was finished by his friend Max Steiner.

His Broadway Work

Victor Young also contributed to Broadway shows. He wrote music for several musicals and revues:

• Murder at the Vanities (1933) – He helped compose the music.
• Blackbirds of 1933 (1933) – He was a featured songwriter.
• Arms and the Girl (1950) – He performed in this musical.
• Pardon Our French (1950) – He composed music for this show.
• Seventh Heaven (1955) – He composed music for this musical.

His Passing

Victor Young passed away on November 10, 1956, in Palm Springs, California. He was 57 years old. He is buried in the Beth Olam Mausoleum in Hollywood Forever Cemetery. His family gave his awards and special items, including his Oscar, to Brandeis University. They are kept there today.

Awards and Nominations

Academy Awards

Golden Globes

Primetime Emmy Awards

See also

In Spanish: Victor Young para niños