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On this day, June 25, 1976, Johnny Mercer died.
Adios, my huckleberry friend.
Johnny Mercer
Johnny Mercer, c. 1947
Background information
Birth name: John Herndon Mercer
Born: November 18, 1909; Savannah, Georgia, U.S.
Died: June 25, 1976 (aged 66); Hollywood, California
John Herndon Mercer (November 18, 1909 – June 25, 1976) was an American lyricist, songwriter, and singer, as well as a record label executive who co-founded Capitol Records with music industry businessmen Buddy DeSylva and Glenn E. Wallichs.
He is best known as a Tin Pan Alley lyricist, but he also composed music, and was a popular singer who recorded his own songs as well as songs written by others from the mid-1930s through the mid-1950s. Mercer's songs were among the most successful hits of the time, including "Moon River", "Days of Wine and Roses", "Autumn Leaves", and "Hooray for Hollywood". He wrote the lyrics to more than 1,500 songs, including compositions for movies and Broadway shows. He received nineteen Oscar nominations, and won four Best Original Song Oscars.
{snip}
Johnny Mercer, c. 1947
Background information
Birth name: John Herndon Mercer
Born: November 18, 1909; Savannah, Georgia, U.S.
Died: June 25, 1976 (aged 66); Hollywood, California
John Herndon Mercer (November 18, 1909 – June 25, 1976) was an American lyricist, songwriter, and singer, as well as a record label executive who co-founded Capitol Records with music industry businessmen Buddy DeSylva and Glenn E. Wallichs.
He is best known as a Tin Pan Alley lyricist, but he also composed music, and was a popular singer who recorded his own songs as well as songs written by others from the mid-1930s through the mid-1950s. Mercer's songs were among the most successful hits of the time, including "Moon River", "Days of Wine and Roses", "Autumn Leaves", and "Hooray for Hollywood". He wrote the lyrics to more than 1,500 songs, including compositions for movies and Broadway shows. He received nineteen Oscar nominations, and won four Best Original Song Oscars.
{snip}
Related:
Thu Feb 15, 2018: Remembering Nat King Cole, who died 53 years ago today.
Hat tip, This Day in Rock. The URL is now in use by someone else.
1968 – Crooner Nat “King” Cole dies at age 48 in Santa Monica, Calif., due to complications from lung cancer surgery.
Well, no, it was 1965. Oh, they have two entries for that. Try this:
1965 – American singer and pianist Nat King Cole died of lung cancer. First hit was the 1943 ‘Straighten Up and Fly Right’, had the 1955 US No.2 single ‘A Blossom Fell’ and 1957 UK No.2 single ‘When I Fall In Love’ plus over 20 other US & UK Top 40 singles. Father of singer Natalie Cole. In 1956 he became the first black American to host a television variety show.
Nat King Cole
Nathaniel Adams Coles (March 17, 1919 – February 15, 1965), known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American jazz pianist and vocalist. He recorded over one hundred songs that became hits on the pop charts. His trio was the model for small jazz ensembles that followed. Cole also acted in films and on television and performed on Broadway. He was the first black man to host an American television series.
Nathaniel Adams Coles (March 17, 1919 – February 15, 1965), known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American jazz pianist and vocalist. He recorded over one hundred songs that became hits on the pop charts. His trio was the model for small jazz ensembles that followed. Cole also acted in films and on television and performed on Broadway. He was the first black man to host an American television series.
This is such a great song. Johnny Mercer wrote the lyrics. But you could tell. It's a Capitol recording all the way, so it is especially well done. The songs recorded there were so wonderful.
I Remember You (1941 song)
"I Remember You" is a popular song, published in 1941. The music was written by Victor Schertzinger, the lyrics by Johnny Mercer.
"I Remember You" is a popular song, published in 1941. The music was written by Victor Schertzinger, the lyrics by Johnny Mercer.
For 2025, I'm adding Rosemary Clooney. She shows up in a clip a bit later.
“I Remember You” Rosemary Clooney | 1956
Ryland Groves
2.26K subscribers
3,601 views Jun 5, 2021
No description has been added to this video.
Ryland Groves
2.26K subscribers
3,601 views Jun 5, 2021
No description has been added to this video.
A few more:
JOHNNY MERCER SINGS a MEDLEY of his HITS
93,752 views • Dec 31, 2013
spookylorre
20.3K subscribers
Songwriting. legend JOHNNY MERCER performing some of his classics...
93,752 views • Dec 31, 2013
spookylorre
20.3K subscribers
Songwriting. legend JOHNNY MERCER performing some of his classics...
The Johnny Mercer Story 02
20,282 views • Apr 30, 2013
corporalhenshaw
40.4K subscribers
Exploring Johnny Mercer's roots in the Deep South, there is too much great material to list completely, but look out for Ray Charles,Margaret Whiting, Louis ARmstrong,Jack Teagarden,Hoagy Carmichael and Humphrey Littleton for a start.
20,282 views • Apr 30, 2013
corporalhenshaw
40.4K subscribers
Exploring Johnny Mercer's roots in the Deep South, there is too much great material to list completely, but look out for Ray Charles,Margaret Whiting, Louis ARmstrong,Jack Teagarden,Hoagy Carmichael and Humphrey Littleton for a start.
The Songs of Johnny Mercer - Too Marvelous for Words
11,263 views • May 29, 2016
Prestigitator77
480 subscribers
Celebrating the legendary songwriter Johnny Mercer, this tribute concert took place at the Biltmore Estate in 1997. This program, now out of print, originally aired on Public Television and should remain public and available to all. No copyright infringement intended.
11,263 views • May 29, 2016
Prestigitator77
480 subscribers
Celebrating the legendary songwriter Johnny Mercer, this tribute concert took place at the Biltmore Estate in 1997. This program, now out of print, originally aired on Public Television and should remain public and available to all. No copyright infringement intended.
JUDY GARLAND & JOHNNY MERCER, 'THE DREAMS ON ME'. A LOVE AFFAIR.
41,849 views • Nov 17, 2009
Michele Bell
6.34K subscribers
A brief video clip from 'Clint Eastwood Presents Johnny Mercer: The Dreams On Me'.
Judy & Johnny shared a relationship for over 30 years ... She was, in every sense of the word, his Muse ... inspiring his love & creativity. In Greek mythology, the Muses inspired the creation of music, poetry & literature. Judy wrote poetry. She sang songs. She told stories. With these gifts, she created the POWER TO INSPIRE.
41,849 views • Nov 17, 2009
Michele Bell
6.34K subscribers
A brief video clip from 'Clint Eastwood Presents Johnny Mercer: The Dreams On Me'.
Judy & Johnny shared a relationship for over 30 years ... She was, in every sense of the word, his Muse ... inspiring his love & creativity. In Greek mythology, the Muses inspired the creation of music, poetry & literature. Judy wrote poetry. She sang songs. She told stories. With these gifts, she created the POWER TO INSPIRE.
Sun Jun 25, 2023: On this day, June 25, 1976, Johnny Mercer died.
Mon Jun 27, 2022: On June 25, 1976, Johnny Mercer died.
Fri Nov 18, 2022: Johnny Mercer was born on this date.
Thu Jun 25, 2020: On this day, June 25, 1976, Johnny Mercer died.
Tue Jun 4, 2019: Happy 77th birthday, Capitol Records.
2 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
= new reply since forum marked as read
Breakfast at Tiffany's (film)
Original theatrical release poster by Robert McGinnis
Directed by: Blake Edwards
Release date: October 5, 1961
Budget: $2.5 million
Box office: $14 million
Breakfast at Tiffany's is a 1961 American romantic comedy film directed by Blake Edwards, written by George Axelrod, adapted from Truman Capote's 1958 novella of the same name, and starring Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly, a naïve, eccentric café society girl who falls in love with a struggling writer. It was theatrically released by Paramount Pictures on October 5, 1961, to critical and commercial success. In 2012 the film was selected to be preserved in the National Film Registry.
{snip}
Music
Main article: Breakfast at Tiffany's: Music from the Motion Picture
During the film, Hepburn sang the film's signature song, "Moon River" by Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer. The song was tailored to Hepburn's limited vocal range, based on songs she had performed in 1957's Funny Face. On the Anniversary Edition DVD of Breakfast at Tiffany's, co-producer Dick Shepherd says in his audio commentary that after a preview in San Francisco, Martin Rankin, Paramount's head of production, wanted "Moon River" replaced with music by somebody else but "Marty [Jurow, co-producer] and I both said 'over our dead bodies,'" - a remark attributed to Hepburn herself in another account.
According to Time magazine, Mancini "sets off his melodies with a walking bass, extends them with choral and string variations, varies them with the brisk sounds of combo jazz. 'Moon River' is sobbed by a plaintive harmonica, repeated by strings, hummed and then sung by the chorus, finally resolved with the harmonica again."
The soundtrack featured a score composed and conducted by Henry Mancini, with songs by Mancini and lyricist Johnny Mercer. Mancini and Mercer won the 1961 Oscar for Best Original Song for "Moon River". Mancini won for Best Original Score. There are also unreleased score pieces from Breakfast at Tiffany's in existence; "Carousel Cue" is from an unsurfaced scene, while "Outtake 1" is from a deleted scene in which Holly and Fred visit Tiffany's and is a variation of the main theme.
{snip}
Original theatrical release poster by Robert McGinnis
Directed by: Blake Edwards
Release date: October 5, 1961
Budget: $2.5 million
Box office: $14 million
Breakfast at Tiffany's is a 1961 American romantic comedy film directed by Blake Edwards, written by George Axelrod, adapted from Truman Capote's 1958 novella of the same name, and starring Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly, a naïve, eccentric café society girl who falls in love with a struggling writer. It was theatrically released by Paramount Pictures on October 5, 1961, to critical and commercial success. In 2012 the film was selected to be preserved in the National Film Registry.
{snip}
Music
Main article: Breakfast at Tiffany's: Music from the Motion Picture
It took me a long time to figure out what Holly Golightly was all about. One night after midnight I was still trying. I don't drink much, but I was sipping. And it came to me. I wrote ["Moon River"] in half an hour.
Henry Mancini
During the film, Hepburn sang the film's signature song, "Moon River" by Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer. The song was tailored to Hepburn's limited vocal range, based on songs she had performed in 1957's Funny Face. On the Anniversary Edition DVD of Breakfast at Tiffany's, co-producer Dick Shepherd says in his audio commentary that after a preview in San Francisco, Martin Rankin, Paramount's head of production, wanted "Moon River" replaced with music by somebody else but "Marty [Jurow, co-producer] and I both said 'over our dead bodies,'" - a remark attributed to Hepburn herself in another account.
According to Time magazine, Mancini "sets off his melodies with a walking bass, extends them with choral and string variations, varies them with the brisk sounds of combo jazz. 'Moon River' is sobbed by a plaintive harmonica, repeated by strings, hummed and then sung by the chorus, finally resolved with the harmonica again."
The soundtrack featured a score composed and conducted by Henry Mancini, with songs by Mancini and lyricist Johnny Mercer. Mancini and Mercer won the 1961 Oscar for Best Original Song for "Moon River". Mancini won for Best Original Score. There are also unreleased score pieces from Breakfast at Tiffany's in existence; "Carousel Cue" is from an unsurfaced scene, while "Outtake 1" is from a deleted scene in which Holly and Fred visit Tiffany's and is a variation of the main theme.
{snip}
Breakfast at Tiffany's (3/9) Movie CLIP - Moon River (1961) HD
6,429,850 views Oct 8, 2011
Movieclips
54.4M subscribers
Breakfast at Tiffany's movie clips: http://j.mp/1BcPMOI
BUY THE MOVIE: http://amzn.to/rVUTNN
Don't miss the HOTTEST NEW TRAILERS: http://bit.ly/1u2y6pr
CLIP DESCRIPTION:
Fred (George Peppard) hears Holly (Audrey Hepburn) singing on the fire escape below his apartment and goes out to listen.
{snip}
6,429,850 views Oct 8, 2011
Movieclips
54.4M subscribers
Breakfast at Tiffany's movie clips: http://j.mp/1BcPMOI
BUY THE MOVIE: http://amzn.to/rVUTNN
Don't miss the HOTTEST NEW TRAILERS: http://bit.ly/1u2y6pr
CLIP DESCRIPTION:
Fred (George Peppard) hears Holly (Audrey Hepburn) singing on the fire escape below his apartment and goes out to listen.
{snip}
Tue Jun 27, 2023: Johnny Mercer and "Breakfast at Tiffany's"
Tue Oct 5, 2021: On this day, October 5, 1961, "Breakfast at Tiffany's" was released.
Hat tip, On This Day in Film and Television
1961 "Breakfast at Tiffany's" film, based on the novella by Truman Capote, directed by Blake Edwards, and starring Audrey Hepburn, George Peppard, and Buddy Ebsen, premieres
