Victor Young
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Victor Young (August 8, 1899 - November 10, 1956) was an American composer, arranger, violinist and conductor. He was born in Chicago.
Young began as a concert violinist but moved into the popular music sphere when he joined Ted Fio Rito's orchestra. In the mid-1930s he moved to Hollywood where he concentrated on films, recordings of light music and providing backing for popular singers, including Bing Crosby.
His composer credits include "When I Fall in Love," "Blue Star (The 'Medic' Theme)," "Sweet Sue", "Can't We Talk It Over", "Street of Dreams", "Love Letters", "My Foolish Heart", "Stella by Starlight" and "I Don't Stand a Ghost of a Chance with You".
Radio and films
On radio, he was the musical director of Harvest of Stars. He was musical director for many of Bing Crosby's recordings for Decca Records.
He received 22 Academy Award nominations for his work in film, twice being nominated four times in a single year, but he did not win during his lifetime. He received his only Oscar posthumously for his score of Around the World in Eighty Days (1956). His other scores include Golden Boy (1939), For Whom the Bell Tolls (1943), Love Letters (1945), Samson and Delilah (1949), The Quiet Man (1952), Scaramouche (1952) and Shane (1953). His last film score was for Omar Khayyam (film), starring Cornel Wilde and released by Paramount in 1957 after Young's death.
At 57, Victor Young died in Palm Springs, California after a cerebral hemorrhage.
Broadway
- Murder at the Vanities (1933) - musical - contributing composer
- Blackbirds of 1933 (1933) - revue - featured songwriter
- Winged Victory (1944) - play - performer for the role of "Lee"
- Arms and the Girl (1950) - musical - performer for the role of "Son of Liberty"
- Pardon Our French (1950) - revue - composer
- Seventh Heaven (1955) - musical - composer
Sources
- Young, Victor. Cinema Rhapsodies: The Musical Genius of Victor Young Ontario: (Hit Parade Records, 2006).
