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Leon Carr | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1910-06-10)June 10, 1910 Allentown, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | March 27, 1976(1976-03-27) (aged 65) New York City, U.S. |
| Genres | Classical |
| Occupations | |
Leon Carr (June 10, 1910 – March 27, 1976) was an Americansongwriter,composer,arranger,pianist, andconductor.[1] He developed several famed marketingjingles used in advertisements, including "Sometimes You Feel Like a Nut..." forMounds candy, "See the USA in Your Chevrolet" forChevrolet, and the "Bert the Turtle" theme song for the 1952 nuclear public education awareness filmDuck and Cover.
Carr was born inAllentown, Pennsylvania, on June 10, 1910. Carr was educated atPennsylvania State University. He also studied theSchillinger System atNew York University inNew York City.
Carr moved toNew York City in 1935. His marketingjingles are among the best known in the history of broadcast advertising. His biggest non-jingle hit was "There's No Tomorrow", a parody of "O Sole Mio", which was popularized byTony Martin in the filmTwo Tickets to Broadway; it spent 27 weeks on theBillboard charts in 1949, peaking at #2.
Carr's other popular song compositions include "Bell Bottom Blues", "Hotel Happiness", "Herthquake", "Hey There Lonely Girl", "Your Socks Don't Match", "A Man Could Be a Wonderful Thing", "Goblins in the Steeple", "Big Name Button", "If You Smile at the Sun", "I'd Do It All Again", "Skiddle-Diddle-Dee", "Should I Wait?", "Our Everlasting Love", "Another Cup of Coffee", "Most People Get Married", "Clinging Vine", "Marriage Is for Old Folks", "The Secret Life", and "Confidence".
Artists who have recorded Carr'spopular music includeBrook Benton,Teresa Brewer,Vikki Carr,Vic Damone,Roy Hamilton,Tom Jones,Dean Martin,Tony Martin,Johnny Mathis,Guy Mitchell,Patti Page,Gene Pitney,Louis Prima,Buddy Rich,Nina Simone,Mel Tormé,Bobby Vinton, andAnita Baker. In 1938,Jimmie Lunceford's orchestra recorded Carr's instrumental composition "Frisco Fog", which prefiguredDuke Ellington's celebrated 1940 "Ko-Ko".
Carr also composed theoff-BroadwaymusicalThe Secret Life of Walter Mitty based on theshort story of the same name byJames Thurber, which opened atThe Players Theatre inGreenwich Village on October 26, 1964, and ran for 96 performances.
Carr died inNew York City on March 27, 1976, at age 65. He was survived by his wife, Shirley, a son, Stephen, and a grandson.[2]
