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BobRussell (bornSidney Keith Rosenthal;[1][2] April 25, 1914[1] – February 18, 1970[3]) was an American songwriter (mainlylyricist) born inPassaic, New Jersey.[1]
Russell attendedWashington University in St. Louis,Missouri. He worked as an advertising copywriter in New York; for a time, his roommate there wasSidney Sheldon, later a novelist. He turned to writing material forvaudeville acts, and then forfilm studios, ultimately writing complete scores for two movies:Jack and the Beanstalk andReach for Glory. The latter film received theLocarno International Film Festival prize in 1962. A number of other movies featured compositions by Russell, includingAffair in Trinidad (1952),Blue Gardenia (1953),The Girl Can't Help It (1956),The Girl Most Likely (1957),A Matter of WHO (1961),Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd (1952),Sound Off (1952),That Midnight Kiss (1949), andA Ticket to Tomahawk (1950).[4] In the moviesThe Girl Most Likely, Blue Gardenia andMatter of WHO, Russell's compositions included the title songs.
In 1968, Russell along with songwriting partnerQuincy Jones was nominated for anAcademy Award in the Best Original Song category ("The Eyes of Love" for the filmBanning). The following year, he and Jones were again nominated in the same category (the title song for theSidney Poitier filmFor Love of Ivy).
He had his last hit song in 1969–70 with "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother", co-written withBobby Scott and recorded byThe Hollies. The song was introduced to the group by Russell's son-in-law Jefferey Spearitt, who was living inLondon at the time with his wife Simohn.
Among Russell's collaborators wereLouis Alter,Peter De Rose,Duke Ellington,Bronislaw Kaper, Lester Lee,Carl Sigman,Harold Spina, andHarry Warren.
In 1970, he was inducted into theSongwriters Hall of Fame.[5] In 2004, he was posthumously awarded theAmerican Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers lifetime achievement award in the pop category. The award's presenter, songwriterMarilyn Bergman, called Russell a "mentor and dear, dear friend", without whom she "never would have become a songwriter".[6]
Russell died in 1970 fromlymphoma inBeverly Hills at the age of 55. He was survived by his wife, Hannah Green (1913–2002), sister of songwriterBud Green.
For ASCAP president/chairman and foundation president Marilyn Bergman, her presentation to the daughters of late master lyricist Bob Russell (Don't Get Around Much Anymore, which paired Russell's words with Duke Ellington's 'Never Know Lament,' and 'Ballerina,' written with Carl Sigman) was profoundly personal. 'I never would have become a songwriter if it weren't for Bob Russell,' she said, citing him as her "mentor and teacher and dear, dear friend.'
