Alan Parker
Alan is not to be confused with, nor is he related to Clifton Parker (see below). Alan as a session guitarist but would go on to write music for 20 feature films including Jaws-3D.

   Clifton Parker
b. 1905 London, England, UK. d. 1989
Clifton began his professional career working as an organist with the Eastbourne Municipal Orchestra. He began to compose (rather profusely) small light orchestral pieces, which in time brought him to the attention of the dean of British Film Music, Muir Mathieson. Muir as he did for so many others, launched Clifton on a long film career. Perhaps the best known of his film scores is the music for the 1960 film Sink the Bismarck, Earlier, in 1944, his had been awarded a Crown Film Unit commission to score Western Approaches, the first major Technicolor feature to be filmed entirely at sea. He earned a fee of 100 for that music.

Among his other films are:
Children on Trial (1945)
Johnny Frenchman (1945)
Blanche Fury (1947)
The Smugglers (1948)
The Man Within (1947)
Diamond City (1949)
The Blue Lagoon (1949)
Treasure Island (1950)
The Wooden Horse (1950. an early Prisoner Of War film)
The Gift Horse (1952)
Elizabeth Express (1952)
The Story of Robin Hood and His Merry Men (1952)
The Sword and the Rose (1953)
Hell Below Zero (1954)
A Day to Remember (1955)
The Feminine Touch (1956)
The Gentle Touch (1957)
Tarzan and the Lost Safari (1957)
Cambell's Kingdom (1957 based on a Ralph Hammond Innis (July 15, 1913/4 - June 10, 1998) novel)
The Curse of the Damned (1958)
Harry Black and the Tiger (1958)
The Secret Place (1958)
The Thirty-Nine Steps (1959 Starred Robert Donat and Madeline Carroll)
The House of the Seven Hawks (1959)
The Hellfire Club (1960)
Blue Pullman (1960)
Circle of Deception (1960)
The Long Night Haul (1960)
Desert Patrol (1961)
Scream of Fear (1961)
The Secret of Monte Carlo (1961)
HMS Defiant (1962)
Mystery Submarine (1962)
The Informers (1963 With a wonderful performance by Victor McLauglin)
The Great Highway (1965)

   Harry Parr Davies
b: May 24, 1914, Glamorgan, U.K, d: October 14, 1955, London, UK.
aka: Harry Parr-Davies
This Neath (Wales, U.K.) born composer is today mainly recalled as accompanist for famed English singer Gracie Fields, but he also composed for stage plays and for many film scores in the 1930s-'40s.

Among the plays for which he supplied music are:
 Big Top (1942), this Herbert Farjeon revue had the songs:
  "Getting Rid of It", Music by Geoffrey Wright and Harry Parr Davies
  "London Song", Music by Geoffrey Wright and Harry Parr Davies
  "Baritone Song", Music by Geoffrey Wright and Harry Parr Davies
  "Dirty Song", Music by Geoffrey Wright and Harry Parr Davies
  "Paris Song", Music by Geoffrey Wright and Harry Parr Davies
  "Tin Pan Alley Plugger's Lament", lyric Barbara Gordon and Basil Thomas
  "Hey Ho", Parr-Davies music; Lyrics Barbara Gordon and Basil Thomas
  "The Lady in Grey", Parr-Davies music; lyric: Barbara Gordon and Basil Thomas
  "When I Hear Music" Lyric; Barbara Gordon & Basil Thomas; Parr-Davies music
  Full Swing (1942 co-composed with "George Posford" né: Benjamin George Ashwell 1906-'76)
  The Knight Was Bold (1943)
  Lisborn Story (1943-'44 over 500 performances), with the songs:
    "Pedro The Fisherman", was the big hit
    "It's In The Air"
    "Wish Me Luck As You Wave Me Goodbye"
  Jenny Jones
  Her Excellency (1949 co-composer was Manning Sherwin)
  Dear Miss Phoebe (1951), had the songs:
    "I Leave My Heart in an English Garden", the big hit of the show.
    "Whisper While You Waltz"
    "Living A Dream"
    "Spring Will Sing a Song For You"
    "All's Well Tonight"
    "Livvy's 'Ad One Of Her Turns"
  "Maytime in Mayfair" (1952. Music: Harry Parr Davies/Words: Harold Purcell), this Herbert Wilcox film
  from MGM Studios, Boreham Wood, was a follow up to 1949's success 'Spring in Park Lane. It had the same stars (Anna Neagle, wife of producer Herbert Wilcox, and Michael Wilding)

Among other songs which he composed or to which he contributed are:
  "Bluebird of Happiness", music by Sandor Harmati. Words by Edward Heyman and additional words by Harry Parr Davies; (ca. 1934) -Introduced at Radio City Music Hall - later Popularized by American Opera star Jan Peerce. In 1948 Art Mooney and his Orch. had the best selling record.

   "There'll Always Be An England", Composers: Ross Parker/Harry Parr-Davies (1939)
   "Smile When You Say Goodbye", Composed By: Parr/Davies
   "Someday We Shall Meet Again"
   "Music at Midnight"
   "Serenade For Sale"
   "Carnival Song"
   "Song of the Sunrise"

Among the films to which he contributed are:
   Shipyard Sally
   We're Going to be Rich
   Lassie for Lancashire
   The Show Goes On.

   Osvaldo Pedro Pugliese
b: Dec. 2, 1905, Bueno Aires (villa Crespo), Argentina, d: July 25, 1945, Bs. As. Argentina
Overview
Pugliese, a member of the 'post-golden age guard', was one of the finest Tango pianists. He remained a major Tango influence right up to his death in 1995. His band was like a finishing school, producing some of the most accomplished Tango musicians of the late twentieth century including Anibal Troilo and Astor Piazzolla
This wonderful Argentinian composer, the youngest, and his older brothers, were born into a musical family. His mother was Aurelia Terragno, and his father, Adolfo Pugliese, was a flutist in various 'conjuntos of the Old Guard'. At age 14, he was enrolled in the Odeon Conservatory, receiving further training from Antonio D'Agostino, with the piano becoming his principal instrument. In time, he would study Harmony, composition and counterpoint with other well known teachers including Vicente Scaramusa.

He began his professional career playing in local restaurants and clubs. Then in 1921, he joined Paquita Bernardo's orchestra, - who was the first woman to play the Bandoneon professionally. During the 1920s, he worked in various 'conjuntos', most notably with with bandoneonist Enrique Pollet. In 1926, he was pianist with Pedro Maffia's famous Sextet. Later, when Roberto Firpo formed his own band, he hired Pugliese as his pianist, and still later, he became the 'relief' pianist for Juan Carlos Cobian's band, where he worked with the famous vocal quartet "Buenos Aires". In 1929, he and violinist Elvino Vardaro formed the Vardaro-Pugliese Sextet, a group that included violinst Alfredo Gobbi and bandoneonist Anibal Troilo. Regretfully, they were never recorded. The band was often featured at the 'National' cafe. Interestingly, their vocalist was Malena de Toledo, who became the subject of Lucio Demare and Homero Manzi's famous Tango "Malena".

After the Sextet's dissolution, Pugliese and bandoneonists Federico Scorticati and Juan Jose Gallastegui were accompanists for singers 'Charlo' and Adhelma Falcon. In 1931, Pugliese and violinist Alfreo Gobbi were heard on Radio Argentina. In 1934, he joined bandoneonist Pedro Laurenz's orchestra. During this same period, he worked with Elvino Vardaro, Edwardo Peyrera, Miguel Calo, and Daniel Alvarez.

In 1936, Pugliese led his own first 'true' orchestra (photo source unknown). The band opened at the Germinal Cafe (on Corrientes Street in Buenos Aires), and made very little impression on anyone. In 1939 however, they opened at the Nacional Cafe, where they were a tremendous success. Their vocalist was Amadeo Mandarino. The engagement lasted for two years, during which time, Pugliese dedicated himself to the Tango, - first the music of Buenos Aires, then the music of the World.

   Andre Previn
b. April 6, 1929, Berlin, Germany
Andre's early studies were at the Berlin Conservatory. His family emigrated to the U.S. in 1938, and in 1943, Previn was naturalized. He continued his musical studies in a Los Angeles high school with Joseph Achron and with Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco. MGM hired Andre, who was still in high school, to arrange a musical movie score, Holiday in Mexico, starring Jose Iturbi. In 1948, when he was just 19 years old, MGM hired him as a conductor and composer, and also 'loaned' him out to other film studios. While at MGM, Andre was part of the famous Arthur Freed 'unit', that included such musicians as Connie Salinger; Kay Thompson; Roger Eden, and Lennie Hayton.

He became interested in the Jazz idiom upon hearing some Art Tatum records. Since 1945, when he cut his first jazz records, he has worked with Shelly Mann on drums, and Red Mitchell on bass. He has received a half dozen 'Downbeat Awards' for his jazz work.

Among Previn's classical work, he has composed a string quartet, a flute quintet, two symphonies, a cello sonata and many solo piano compositions.

He has written background music for more than 30 films, including:
       Who Was That Lady, "Your Smile", lyric by his wife, Dory Langdon
       Designing Woman, (the title song by Previn and lyric by Jack Brooks.)
       Bad Day at Black Rock
       The Subterraneans, "Why Are We Afraid", lyric by Dory Langdon.
       House of Numbers
       Tall Story, title song by Previn; lyric by his wife, Dory Langdon.
       Invitation to the Dance
       The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse

Some of Previn's songs with other lyricists have been interpolated in several films. Some are:
For film, 'Hot Summer Night', song "Lost in a Summer Night", lyric Milton Raskin
For film, 'Who Was

Some of his solo songs have been recorded by such stars as Judy Garland; Doris Day and Eileen Farrell. He was the music director for the Academy Awards ceremonies in both 1960 and 1961. He has also recorded some of his instrumental works for CBS Records.

As a music director, he has many screen hits to his credit, some are:
For Cole Porter's:
       Kiss Me Kate
       Kismet
       Silk Stockings
For Sam Goldwyn's production of Gershwin's opera:
       Porgy and Bess
For Jule Styne's:
       Bells Are Ringing
Lerner and Loewe
       Gigi

He has also scored two film musicals:
'It's Always Fair Weather', lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green
       "Time For Parting"
       "I Like Myself"
       "Music Is Better Than Words"
       "Thanks, But No Thanks"
       'Pepe', lyric by Dory Langdon (Previn's Wife)
       "The Rumble"
       "The Far-away Part of Town"
       "That's How It Went All Right"

He has also worked as a teacher-lecturer at the Univ. of California in Los Angeles.

   Cedric King Palmer
b. Feb. 13, 1913, England, UK. d. June 1999
A native of Sussex, and long-time resident of London, Palmer was a graduate of the Tonbridge School. During his career he worked as a vocalist (baritone), pianist, oboist, cellist, lecturer, author, composer, and conductor.

As a Conductor, he led such orchestras as King Palmer Light Orchestra (on the BBC), City Literary Institute Orchestra, orchestra of the Sevenoaks Music Society, as well as some Symphonic, and various film and theatre orchestras.

As a Composer, His:
    orchestral compositions include such suites as 'Down a Country Lane', 'Out of Doors',
    'Eight Period Pieces', 'Studies in Motion', and 'Studies in Happiness'.
    genre movements included 'Fairy Cobweb', 'Golden Harvest', 'Blue Days at Sea', 'Country
    Market', 'Hackney Carriage', 'Paddle Steamer', 'Enchantment', 'Feather on the Breeze', 'Paul Pry',
    'Frivolity', 'Procession', Gala, 'Spindlelegs', 'Stormy Passage', 'Softly She Sleeps', 'Busy Life,
    'Tomorrow the World' and 'March of the Astronauts',
    Individual compositions include such songs as "For The Sake of a Song", and "Lonely Star".
    Film and Radio Library work includes much 'utility' music, -some appearing in piano
    versions, including his 'Three Atonal Studies'.

As an Orchestral Arranger, for he was responsible for a large number of classical arrangements (many played by the King Palmer Orchestra). During the 1940s, his "Galopade", (a pot-pourri of galops and can-cans), was popular, and his "Sousa on Parade" was a popular 1950s work.

His Children's Work includes music for the plays 'Hop o' my Thumb' (1958), 'Two Weeks to Californiay' (1962), which he co-composed with his wife Winifred, 'Aladdin' (1965), 'Dick Whittington', and 'Coalblack and the Seven Giants' (1965).

As an Author, his work includes the Home University Library's Teach Yourself series: 'Music', 'Compose Music', and 'Play the Piano'. Other publications include 'Your Music and You' , a study of 'Granville Bantock', 'The Musical Production', and 'The ABC of Church Music', which was co-authored with Stephen Rhys.

Among the films for which he contributed are:
    Rhythm of the Road
    The Cockney Kid's Adventure
    Dark Eyes of London
    Secrets of the Stars
    Signs of the Times
    Holiday Time.

Among the Stage Shows for which he composed are:
    Gay Romance (1937. His hit tune was "The Man For Me")
    The Film Opens
    The Snow Queen (Music was adapted from Grieg)

Among his works for Television was the "Eleventh Hour Melody" which was the theme music for the show 'The Eleventh Hour' (a 'medical' drama). This "Eleventh Hour Melody" was an adaptation of his original Mood Music Library composition "The Film Opens". The music was adapted by Winifred Palmer (ASCAP), Carl Sigman (ASCAP) added the lyric, and it became a popular instrumental recording in the United States.

Sadly, Cedric King Palmer passed away in June 1999, and upon his demise, his daughter, Jane Palmer took over the editorial duties for his "Teach Yourself ...." titles.

   Jerome "Doc" Pomus
b. June 27, 1925, d. March 14, 1991
Memorable quote: Jerry Wexler [Atlantic Records co-owner] once said:
"If the music industry had a heart, it would be Doc Pomus." In 1992, Doc was inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Among the songs composed by Doc Pomus are:
       "Boogie Woogie Country Girl"
       "Lonely Avenue"
Among the songs he wrote with co-composer Mort Shuman: are:
       "A Teenager in Love"
       "Turn Me Loose"
       "Can't Get Used to Losing You"
       "Save the Last Dance for Me"
       "This Magic Moment"
       "A Teenager In Love"
       "His Latest Flame"
       "Surrender"
       "Hound Dog Man"
       "A Mess Of Blues"
       "Viva Las Vegas"
       "Suspicions"
       "Young Blood"
       "Sweets For My Sweet"

   Ernesto Poncio (aka: Ponzio)
b: July 10, 1885, Buenos Aires, Argentina, d: Oct. 21, 1934, Bs As. Argentina.
Instruments: Violinist and composer.
Poncio was born into a musical familiy, where both his father and his uncle were recognised musicians. Ernesto inherited his passion for music from them. His father was his first violin teacher, but he died when Ernesto was still a child, he then went to live with his uncle who sent him to take lessons at Williams conservatory. The young Ernesto, -unable to finish his musical studies because he had to help support his family, began playing at the local cafes, and parties for whatever little money offered. In this way he slowly became well-known among the local Tango aficionados. By 1906, he was already a recognised artist. He then formed a trio that included his teacher Genaro Vazquez and Luis Teisseire, with which he performed at the best Tango venues.

In 1913, after a strange situation in Rosario, Argentina, Ponzio was arrested, accused of murder, tried, and sentenced to 15 years of prison. In 1928, he continued his artistic career. With Juan Carlos Bozan, he formed the Tipica Orquesta Ponzio-Bozan, which played for the opening of the carnival dances at the Luna Park in 1932.

As a composer, his most famous song was "Don Juan", but he also wrote "Don Natalio", "La Milonga" ("The Dancehall"), "Culpas Ajenas" ("Other People's Guilt") and many more. The orchestra was very popular for some years during which it made many tours, until Ernesto Ponzio died from a heart attack, on October 21st, 1934 in Buenos Aires.

   Hugh Prince
aka: Hughie Prince.
Currently no information available on this Lyricist.
The Nov 8, 1945 Broadway Musical 'The Girl From Nantucket', (Book by Harold Sherman, Hi Cooper and Paul Stamford) had words and music by Jacques Belasco, Hughie Prince, Rick Rogers and Kay Twomey. In addition to writing lyrics, he also directed the 1950 film ""The Strip Tease Murder Case".

Worked (mostly with composer Don Raye on 10 Hollywood films, including:
       Argentine Nights (1940)
       Recruiting Daze (1940)
       Buck Privates (1941, aka in UK: Rookies). With songs by Prince and Don Raye:
          "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy",
          "Bounce Me Brother With a Solid Four",
          "When Private Brown Becomes a Captain", and
          "I Wish You Were Here".
          The song "You're a Lucky Fellow, Mr. Smith" was
          interpolated into (uncredited) 1941 film "Abbott and Costello In the Navy",
       and also in the 1943 film entitled 'You're a Lucky Fellow, Mr. Smith'.)
       Abbott and Costello In the Navy (1941)
       Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Company 'B' (1941)
       You're a Lucky Fellow, Mr. Smith (1943)
       Swingtime Johnny (1943)
       Moonlight and Cactus (1944)
       One Exciting Week (1946)
       Strip Tease Murder Case, The (1950. Prince also directed this film.)

   Fess Parker, Jr.
b. August 18, 1925, Fort Worth, TX, USA.
Fess will always be remembered as an actor for both his roles as frontiersman Davy Crockett, and of Daniel Boone, and for starting a fad of wearing coonskin hats. During WW2, he served in the U. S. Marine Corps. He had wanted to be an aviator, but his height (1.96 meters -6 feet 5 inches) precluded that possibility and he served as a radioman instead. With the end of the war, he returned to school graduating in 1950 with a BA degree in History from the University of Texas. He subsequently earned a graduate degree in drama from the University of Southern California.

In 1951, Fess began his show business career acting in the play, 'Mister Roberts', and then, in 1954, was hired by the Disney Studios to play the role of the historic American frontiersman Davy Crockett. He would go on to act in other films, and on TV. In 1960, he married Marcella Rinehart and the union produced two children. In the early 1970s, at the conclusion of his television series about frontiersman Daniel Boone, Parker retired from the film industry. He currently (2005) owns and operates a family winery, the "Fess Parker Winery and Vineyard", near Santa Barbara, California along with some hotels.

Parker is included here because, while widely recalled as an actor, he did both compose and sing music, - mostly with 1.91 meters (6 feet 3 inch tall) actor/composer Buddy Ebsen, and Salvador Camarata

   Manuel Maria Ponce
b. Dec. 8, 1882, Fresnillo, Zacatecas, Mexico (raised in Aguascalientes), d. April 24, 1948
As a child, his sister gave him music lessons, and, before the age of 4, he was singing in the children's choir at the Temlo de San Diego. At just age 5, while recovering from the measles, he composed his first piece titled “Dance of the Measles,” which solidifed his reputation as a child musical prodigy. At age 12, Ponce was appointed organist at the Cathedral of Aguascalientes. Two years later, age 14, he composed a famous Gavotte that was used throughout the world in programs by the highly-acclaimed dancer 'La Argentina'.

In 1901, Ponce entered the Conservatorio Nacional in Mexico City, and two years later went to Europe where he study composition with Enrico Bossi and Dall'Olio in Bologna, Italy. In 1906 he traveled to Berlin where he studied piano with Martin Krause, a disciple of Franz Lizst. Under Krause's guidance, Ponce's emotive playing and compositional style gained focus and technical accuracy. In 1908, he returned to Mexico where he was appointed professor at the Conservatorio Nacional (where he had originally studied), and began to compose numerous songs and piano works in the distinctive Mexican style.

Throughout his life, he lived in various countries, studying different styles of music, and the works of other composers. In this way, he bettered his own work and helped to educate his home country of Mexico about the cultural world beyond. He studied and lived in Paris, Berlin, Havana and of course Italy, and introduced his students in Mexico to the works of the famous European composers, including Lizst, Chopin, Brahms, Beethoven and the Impressionists, particularly Debussy, whose music influenced much of his own later works.

Ponce will always be recalled for his composition, "Estrellita", one of the world's most beloved melodies. It was first published in 1914, but is thought to have been composed before or around 1900, when Ponce was just 17 or 18 years old. Violinist Jascha Heifetz helped make "Estrellita" widely known with his distinctive arrangement for violin and piano. To this day, the Heifetz arrangement still remains the most often performed version. This romantic melody has since been arranged for many different instruments, including bassoon and piano, cello and piano and guitar. Unfortunately, because of a copyright technicality, Ponce never received any royalties for the song.

He was an avid Mexican folklorist, and the songs and original themes in his works helped free future Mexican composers from the excessive domination of European music. He remains a beloved and unique figure in Mexico because he never abandoned the music of his own country.