Benny Goodman
Born: 1909-05-30 in Chicago, Illinois, USA
Died: 1986-06-13
Known For: Acting
Biography
The King of Swing! Famed clarinetist, composer ("Stompin' at the Savoy") and conductor, educated at the Lewis Institute in Chicago and a student of Schillinger and Schoepp. He was a clarinetist with the orchestras of Bix Beiderbecke, Jules Herbuveaux, Arnold Johnson and Ben Pollack, and also played in Broadway theater orchestras. He began to lead his own orchestras in 1934 at the Billy Rose Music Hall, then conducted the orchestra on the weekly radio program "Let's Dance" in 1934-1935, and played at numerous hotels, colleges and theaters. Expanding his musical efforts, he performed in chamber music concerts, later touring throughout the US, Europe, the Far East, South America and the USSR and made many recordings. Joining ASCAP in 1945, his chief musical collaborators included Count Basie, Harry James, Mitchell Parish, Andy Razaf, Edgar M. Sampson, Chick Webb, and Teddy Wilson. Some of his other popular songs and instrumental compositions include "Lullaby in Rhythm," "Don't Be That Way," "Seven Come Eleven," "Flying Home," "Two O'Clock Jump," "Air Mail Special," "Dizzy Spells," "If Dreams Come True," "Georgia Jubilee," "Four Once More," and "The Kingdom of Swing".
Filmography
2022
- Charlie Parker: Bird Songs as Self (archive footage)
2001
- Jazz as Self (archive footage)
- Swing With Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman and Tony Bennett
2000
- The Sid Caesar Collection: The Magic of Live TV as Self (archive footage)
- Louis Armstrong & Benny Goodman - Sounds in Motion
1993
- Benny Goodman - Adventures In The Kingdom Of Swing as Self (archive footage)
1983
1978
- The Kennedy Center Honors as Self
- Bio’s Bahnhof as Self
- Mitzi... What's Hot, What's Not as Self
1976
- Copland Conducts Copland as Self - Clarinet
1975
- Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? as Self (archive footage)
1972
- Le Grand Échiquier as Self
1968
- The Dick Cavett Show as Self - Guest
1963
- The Danny Kaye Show as Self
- Sackgasse ... (Original Music Composer)
1962
1959
- The Bell Telephone Hour as Self
- The Big Party as Self
- John Gunther's High Road as Self
1958
- The All-Star Christmas Show as Self
1957
- DuPont Show of the Month as Self
1956
- The Dinah Shore Chevy Show as Self
1955
- Music Land as Orchestra Leader (archive footage)
- Allen in Movieland as Self
1954
- Two for the Record as Self
1950
- What's My Line? as Self
- Star Time as Self - Musician
1948
- The Ed Sullivan Show as Self
- A Song Is Born as Professor Magenbruch
1946
- Make Mine Music as Self (voice)
- All the Cats Join In
1944
- The Shining Future as Self
- Sweet and Low-Down as Benny Goodman
1943
- Stage Door Canteen as Benny Goodman
- The Gang's All Here as Benny Goodman
- The Powers Girl as Self - Orchestra Conductor (uncredited)
1942
- Syncopation as Benny Goodman
1941
- Birth of the Blues as Self (archive footage)
1938
- Hollywood Hotel as Benny Goodman, Leader of His Orchestra
1936
- The Big Broadcast of 1937 as Benny Goodman
1929
- Me and the Boys as Self - Clarinet