Leroy Anderson
b. June 29, 1908, Cambridge, MA, USA.d. 1975, Woodbury, CT, USA.
His mother, an organist with the Swedish Congregational Church, gave Leroy his first music instruction. (His father was a Cambridge Postal worker.) By age 11, he was studying piano in the New England Conservatory. In 1925, he was admitted to Harvard where he majored in music, graduating Magna Cum Laude, with a Phi Beta Kappa key.He received his Master's degree also from Harvard.In 1929, he became the choirmaster and organist of the East Congretional Church, in Milton, MA., remaining 6 years. His other activities at this time were as director of the Harvard University Band, and he also was on the staff of Radcliffe College. During this time, he was also working towards his Doctorate in foreign languages, but never completed his thesis.

In 1935, he started to free-lance as a composer, conductor and arranger in both the New York City and Boston areas.Arthur Fiedler, of the Boston Pops Orchestra, engaged him as the permanent orchestrator for the Boston Pops.In 1937, he wrote his first original compostion, "Jazz Pizzicato". During WW2, he served in both Iceland and as an Intelligence officer in Washington, D.C. After the war, he resumed his duties with the Boston Pops. He also became a music director for Decca Records.

Anderson is most remembered today as the composer of musically descriptive songs, each with an apt title, played by large studio orchestras. Among his best known hits are:
1950
"Sleigh Ride"
"The Syncopated Clock", a million-seller disc.
"Sandpaper Ballet"
"A Trumpeter's Lullaby"
"The Typewriter"
1952
"The Blue Tango", a million-seller disc.

Maxwell Anderson
b. 1888, Atlantic, PA, USA. d. 1959, Stamford, CT, USA.
Overview
While playwright Maxwell Anderson is most recalled today as one of America's leading authors, he did contribute both book and lyrics for some Broadway shows. Anderson contributed JUST the book for the following shows:
'What Price Glory?'
'Saturday's Children'
'Key Largo'
'The Bad Seed'

1938 Wrote Book and Lyrics for Broadway show, 'Knickerbocker Holiday'.
"September Song",Kurt Weill music.
1944 Wrote Book and Lyrics for Broadway show, 'Lost in the Stars'.
"Lost in the Stars" (title song) Kurt Weill music.

[ George Antheil ]
George Antheil b. June 8, 1900, Trenton, NJ, USA; d. Feb. 12, 1959, New York, NY, USA.
Currently no information available.
During a long Hollywood career (about 50 films from 1935 to 1952), only one of his songs -"Careless Lover", written for the 1954 film "Jesse James' Women", made it onto the "charts'.

The first film on which he worked was 1935s 'The Scoundrel' and then in 1936, 'The Plainsman'. Along the way he composed for such other films (to name only a few) as:
20 Million Miles to Earth (1957) (uncredited) aka The Beast from Space,aka The Giant Ymir,
Daughter of Horror - aka Dementia(1955)
The Giant Claw,(1957) (uncredited)
China Corsair (1951)
The Young Don't Cry, (1957)
Sirocco (1951)
The Pride and the Passion, (1957)
The Plainsman and the Lady, (1946)
Angels Over Broadway (1940)
Union Pacific (1939)
Hopalong Rides Again (1937)
and before his demise, Antheil also did the background music for the TV Series, "Two Faces West" which which began telecasting in 1960.

There's an interesting bit of trivia associated with Antheil and famed actress Hedy Lamarr. Hedy Lamarr's first husband was Fritz Mandl, a German munitions manufactuer and a Nazi sympathizer, It is said that she was able to drug him and escape out of a window, then traveling first to Paris, then to England, and finally to America. During her marriage to Mandl, she learned about one of his ideas. In Hollywood, she confided in Antheil, and he was able to come up with a plan based on the idea of twin music boxes synchronized by radio communication. During WW II, (August 11, 1942) using her married name of Hedy Kiesler Markey, she and composer George Antheil were awarded patent #2,292,387, for a "Secret Communication System", --which was the first known instance of spread-spectrum communications based on frequency-hopping techniques. Hedy and George originally applied this invention to the radio control of torpedos fired from a submarine, but the U.S. Navy did not take it seriously at the time. Today, this "Frequency-Hopping" technique is used by every major power in the world. Hedy and George allowed their patent to expire, and so, never profited from the idea.

Incidentally, while still in Germany, Hedy had a scene in the picture 'Extasy' in which she swam in the nude.Her same husband, Mandl (the good Nazi protector of women), was so shocked that he attempted to buy up all the prints of Extasy on which he could lay his hands. He was not able to succeed entirely because some owners --such as Italian dictator Benito Mussolini - simply refused to sell him their copies. The print still shows up occasionally on TV - nowadays most people just yawn.

Alfredo Antonini
b: May 31, 1901, Italyd.
Antonini was educated at the Royal Conservatory in Milan, Italy. In 1929, he emigrated to the USA, and, in 1938, became an American citizen. He worked first as an accompanist for Ferrari Fontana. He conducted the "house" orchestra for New York Radio Station WOR. In 1948, be became a member of ASCAP. In 1957, he became the music director for the Tampa (Florida) Philharmonic. Over his career, he was guest conductor for the symphony orchestras of New York (NY), Chicago, IL and Milwaukee, WI, as well as in Norway, Italy, Chile, and Canada. In 1955 he conducted the Oslo Philharmonic in the first of a series of American Exchange Programs. He served as chairman of the St. John's University music department. Perhaps he is best recalled as the music director for CBS-TV.

His compositions include: "The Great City"; "Sarabande"; "Sicilian Rhapsody"; "Suite for Cello and Orchestra"; "Preludes for Organ"; "Suite for Strings"; "The United States of America, Circa 1790", "Bolero for Love" (co-composed with Martin Kalmanoff, and "Mambo Tropical".

Luis Arcaraz
Theme Song:"Sombra Verde"
b. Dec. 5, 1910, Mexico City, Mexico
d. Dec. 15, 1963, Near San Luis Potos, Mexico. (Auto Accident)
né: Luis Arcaraz Torras
This composer/bandleader was most active writing music for Mexican Films, but also had a big band that toured both Mexico and the U.S.A. For further information on the band, please 'click' on this Arcaraz Big Band, prompt.

Among his (Mexican) motion picture compositional credits are:
A Que Le Tiras Cuando Suenas Mexicano (Cues)
Acorralados(Cues)
Adorables Criminales (Cues)
Ahora Mis Pistolas Hablan(Cues)
Ahorcado(Cues)
Al Cabo Que Ni Queria(Cues)
Apenitas (Cues)
Arriba Michoacan(Cues)
Cain Del Bajio (Cues)
Compadre Mas Padre (Cues)
Deportados (Cues)
Empiezo a Enamorarme De Ti
Esta Y La Otra Con Un Solo Buleto (Cues)
Juan Polainas(Cues)
Mataron A Camelia La Texana(Cues)
Mi Barrio(Cues)
Mientras Mexico Duerme(Cues)
Muerte De Pancho Villa(Cues)
Peor Que Las Fieras(Cues)
Por Un Vestida De Novia (Cues)
Temibles (Cues)
Trinquetero (Cues)
Victimas De La Pobreza(Cues)
The BigBand Database thanks Mr. Ken Tidwell for this entry on Luis Arcaraz.

Harry Archer
b. Feb. 21, 1888, Creston, IA, USA.d. April 23, 1960, New York, NY, USA.
né: Harry Auracher
Overview
During the 1920's and the 1930's, Archer was a very successful bandleader. While he is remembered as such today, he did score several Broadway shows, and also wrote a number of hit songs.

Harry's Mother taught him music, and he worked his way through the Michigan Military School playing the trombone in theater and pop music orchestras.He had advanced musical studies at Knox Colelge in Galesburg, IL, and at Princeton University.

Among the other musicals for which Harry did scores are
1912    The Pearl Maiden,Archer collaborated with Paul Whiteman to write the score.
1915    Merry, Merry
1921    Peek-a-Boo
1923    Little Jessie James, Harlan Thompson wrote the book and lyrics, was Archer's greatest success. On Broadway, the show ran well over 400 performances, after which it toured to Europe and Australia, where it played eight months. In London, it was called "Lucky Break" and played 198 performances in 1934 and 1935. The hit songs were         Suppose I Had Never Met You         "I Love You", and         "It Must Be Love".
1924    My Girlran six months on Broadway, and, speaking of the show's hit song "You and I", one newspaper critic wrote"all the feet in the auditorium were set tapping".
1924    Paradise Alley
1926    Twinkle, Twinkle
1928    Just a Minute
1935    Strip Girl ( his last show).

Archer's other hit songs of the era included "White Sails," "Alone in My Dreams," "You Know I Know" and "On a Desert Isle," a huge hit and a favorite of recording companies. He also wrote "Suppose I Had Never Met You," "I Was Blue" and "I'm Goin' to Dance With the Fellow Wot Brung Me." In 1953, curiously, "I Love You" was chosen for an extended scene in the movie "Stalag 17," in which American servicemen held prisoner in Germany during World War II danced with one another at a Christmas party in their barracks. The 1980's TV sit-com Empty Nest featured his "There Ain't No Maybe In My Baby's Eyes".The song was a favorite of the character played by Richard Mulligan.

He married actress Ruth Gillette and they had a happy life together, When he retired, he and his wife moved to New York City, where they made their home at 148 E. 48th St.Harry died in 1960, age 72.

Harold Arlen
b. Feb. 15, 1905, Buffalo, NY, USA d. April 23, 1986, New York, NY, USA.
né:Hyman Arluck
Overview
Harold Arlen's chief collaborator was lyricist Ted Koehler. Arlen is reputed to have sung in his father's synagogue when he was just two years old. (Hard to believe, isn't it?) Arlen left high school, before graduation, in his hometown of Buffalo.NY. At age 15, he started his career as a pianist in the silent movie theaters.He next formed his own jazz group where he acted as pianist, arranger and vocalist. Called the "Snappy Trio", it later became known as the "Southbound Shufflers". (Photo courtesy Mr. C. Steiger) The group played many local venues, including the steamboats on Lake Erie. Harold was heard on his first records in 1926, with 'The Buffalodians', where he sang two tunes: "Baby Face" and "How Many Times".His first big hit composition was "Get Happy" which appeared in the 1930 show '9:15 Revue'. After that, Harold became a full time songwriter.His works were heard in 6 more stage musicals, and he also contributed to four Cotton Club Revues, including the 1933 edition that featured his hit "Stormy Weather."

Brief Chronology:

 1930 For the Broadway show '9:15 Revue', he wrote,
	"Get Happy", His first song success.

 1931 "Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea";
 1932 "I Love a Parade" and
	 "I Gotta Right to Sing the Blues";
 1933 "Stormy Weather", for a 'Cotton Club' revue, a Harlem
	 nightspot.
	"It's Only a Paper Moon,"
	"I've Got the World on a String";
 1934 "What Can You Say In A Love Song", with lyrics by
 "Yip" Harburg & Ira Gershwin (Both childhood friends).
 1934for Paramount's 'Life Begins at 8:40', the songs:
	 lyrics by "Yip" Harburg and Ira Gershwin, Childhood friends.
"Fun To Be Fooled"
"Let's Take A Walk Around The Block"
"What Can You Say In A Love Song?"
 1934, he was working for Columbia Pictures.
	 "Let's Fall in Love", starring for Ann Sothern (Who had been
	 known as Harriet Lake on the Broadway stage).
 1936 "Speaking Of The Weather", lyric E.Y. Harburg.
 1937, Arlen was working for Warner Bros.After 1937, he free-lanced
	 for the next 20 years.

 1939 While Arlen wrote songs for many films, perhaps his most
	memorable was the excellent score for The Wizard of Oz.
	"Over the Rainbow"
	"Follow the Yellow Brick Road"
 1941 "Blues in the Night", for a Hollywood film starring Richard
	 Whorf and Bonita Granville.

 1942 "That Old Black Magic", Billy Eckstine had a big hit with it.
 1943 "My Shining Hour",
	"One for My Baby", for a Fred Astaire film.
	"Happiness Is Just a Thing Called Joe"
 1944 "Accent-tchu-ate the Positive", lyric Johnny Mercer.
 1946 "Come Rain or Come Shine"
 1954 For the film, 'A Star is Born', starring Judy Garland.
	"The Man That Got Away"
Just some of his other songs are:
	"Ill Wind"
	"Lydia, The Tattooed Lady", For Grouch Marx picture.
	"Happiness is a Thing Called Joe"
	"I Love a Parade"
	"Let's Take a Walk Around the Block"
and much, much more.

R. Alex Anderson
During the "Golden Era of Hawaiian Music", some of best "Hawaiian" songs were written by R. Alex Anderson, a confessed 'non-professional'. Anderson, a Honolulu business executive with no musical training and no knowledge of the Hawaiian language, nevertheless composedwell over one hundred 'Island' songs, some of which, like "Lovely Hula Hands" have become standards. Anderson, a serious student of Hawaiian music, later helped organize the "Association for Hawaiian Music"