Lennie Hayton Biography

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Leonard George (Lennie) Hayton (13 February 1908 â?? 24 April 1971) was a Jewish American composer, conductor and arranger. He was initially a pianist in jazz groups led by Frankie Trumbauer, Bix Beiderbecke, Red Nichols, Joe Venuti and others. He also played with the Paul Whiteman Orchestra.

He became musical director for MGM in 1940 and guided it through its prime years as forerunner of the movie musical. Up until his retirement from the post in 1953, he racked up four Academy Award nominations: for the Judy Garland musicals â??The Harvey Girlsâ?? (1946) and â??The Pirateâ?? (1948), and two of the all-time classic musicals, â??On the Townâ?? (1949- for which he won the Academy Award) and â??Singin' in the Rainâ?? (1952).

Hayton notched up two more nominations â?? one in 1968 for the flop Julie Andrews musical â??STAR!â?? and his last the following year for the Barbra Streisand vehicle â??Hello Dolly!â??, which brought him his second Oscar.

In 1970, Hayton arranged Frank Sinatra's first attempt at the George Harrison composition Something. However, Sinatra later began using a Nelson Riddle arrangement of the song in concert performances and in 1979 he put the Riddle version on record. Hayton's only work with Sinatra was thus cast into comparative obscurity.

Hayton also had the distinction of enjoying one of Hollywoodâ??s longest lasting marriages, unique because it was also an interracial one, to Lena Horne. They were married in 1947, a union that lasted up until his death in 1971. Throughout the marriage, Hayton also acted as Horneâ??s music director.

His trademark was the wearing of a captainâ??s hat, which he always wore at a rakish angle.

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