Ken Darby

Ken Darby

Kenneth Lorin Darby (May 13, 1909 – January 24, 1992) was an American composer, vocal arranger, lyricist, and conductor. His film scores were recognized by the awarding of three Academy Awards and one Grammy Award. He provided vocals for the Munchkinland mayor in The Wizard of Oz (1939), who was portrayed in the film by Charlie Becker. Darby is also notable as the author of The Brownstone House of Nero Wolfe (1983), a biography of the home of Rex Stout's fictional detective. Ken Darby's choral group, The Ken Darby Singers, sang backup for Bing Crosby on the original 1942 Decca Records studio recording of "White Christmas." In 1940 they also sang on the first album ever made of the songs from The Wizard of Oz, a film on which Darby had worked. However, the album was a studio cast recording, not a true soundtrack album (although it did feature Judy Garland), and it did not use the film's original arrangements. Darby also performed as part of "The King's Men," a vocal quartet that recorded several songs with Paul Whiteman's orchestra in the mid-1930s and were the featured vocalists on the Fibber McGee and Molly radio program from 1940 through 1953. In the early 1940s, he performed with the King's Men a musical version of "A Visit from St. Nicholas" that he wrote called "T'was the Night Before Christmas" which was performed on the Christmas episodes of Fibber McGee and Molly. They also participated on the soundtracks of several MGM films, including The Wizard of Oz and occasional Tom and Jerry cartoons. The King's Men portrayed the Marx Brothers in a musical spoof in the film Honolulu (Darby played one of two 'Grouchos' in the group). He also provided the theme song and the soundtrack for The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp, the 1955-61 television series starring Hugh O'Brian, and The Adventures of Jim Bowie starring Scott Forbes. He was a composer and production supervisor for Walt Disney Studios and was the choral and vocal director of the 1946 Disney film classic Song of the South. He was also Marilyn Monroe's vocal coach for Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953) and There's No Business Like Show Business (1954). Darby was also the principal composer of the 1956 Elvis Presley hit "Love Me Tender" for the movie of the same name but signed the rights over to his wife, Vera Matson, whose name appears as co-lyricist and co-composer with Presley. The song was adapted from the Civil War-era song "Aura Lee." Presley's composing credit was mandated by his management, to entice him to record the song. Darby was often asked about his decision to credit the song to his wife along with Presley, and his standard response was an acid, "Because she didn't write it either." An avid fan of Nero Wolfe, Rex Stout's fictional detective genius, Darby wrote a detailed biography of Wolfe's home titled The Brownstone House of Nero Wolfe (1983). Ken Darby died January 24, 1992, in the final stages of production of his last book, Hollywood Holyland: The Filming and Scoring of 'The Greatest Story Ever Told' (1992). He was buried at the Forest Lawn, Hollywood Hills Cemetery in Los Angeles.

  • Kichwa: Ken Darby
  • Umaarufu: 1.099
  • Kujulikana kwa: Acting
  • Siku ya kuzaliwa: 1909-05-13
  • Mahali pa kuzaliwa: Hebron, Nebraska, USA
  • Ukurasa wa nyumbani:
  • Pia inajulikana kama:
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Ken Darby Sinema

  • 1946
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    Make Mine Music

    Make Mine Music

    5.9 1946 HD

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  • 1950
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    The Brave Engineer

    The Brave Engineer

    6.063 1950 HD

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  • 1946
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    The Martins and the Coys

    The Martins and the Coys

    6 1946 HD

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  • 1941
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    Two-Faced Woman

    Two-Faced Woman

    6.4 1941 HD

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  • 1953
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    Walt Disney's Halloween Hilarities

    Walt Disney's Halloween Hilarities

    1 1953 HD

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  • 1933
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    Going Hollywood

    Going Hollywood

    5.5 1933 HD

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  • 1939
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    Honolulu

    Honolulu

    6.1 1939 HD

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  • 1939
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    Broadway Serenade

    Broadway Serenade

    6.2 1939 HD

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  • 1930
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    Let's Go Native

    Let's Go Native

    7.5 1930 HD

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  • 1940
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    Stagecoach War

    Stagecoach War

    4 1940 HD

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  • 1946
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    Margie

    Margie

    6.9 1946 HD

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  • 1939
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    Renegade Trail

    Renegade Trail

    5 1939 HD

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  • 1947
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    Donald's Dilemma

    Donald's Dilemma

    6.5 1947 HD

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  • 1939
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    Law of the Pampas

    Law of the Pampas

    5 1939 HD

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  • 1940
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    The Showdown

    The Showdown

    6 1940 HD

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  • 1952
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    Trick or Treat

    Trick or Treat

    6.871 1952 HD

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  • 1943
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    The Kansan

    The Kansan

    5.2 1943 HD

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  • 1942
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    For Me and My Gal

    For Me and My Gal

    6.4 1942 HD

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  • 1959
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    Porgy and Bess

    Porgy and Bess

    6.2 1959 HD

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  • 1950
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    The Brave Engineer

    The Brave Engineer

    6.063 1950 HD

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  • 1968
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    The Night Before Christmas

    The Night Before Christmas

    5.7 1968 HD

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  • 1954
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    River of No Return

    River of No Return

    6.652 1954 HD

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  • 1953
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    The Girl Next Door

    The Girl Next Door

    4 1953 HD

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  • 1952
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    Rancho Notorious

    Rancho Notorious

    6.5 1952 HD

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  • 1952
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    Rancho Notorious

    Rancho Notorious

    6.5 1952 HD

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  • 1953
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    Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

    Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

    7.323 1953 HD

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  • 1946
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    Song of the South

    Song of the South

    6.4 1946 HD

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  • 1956
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    Bus Stop

    Bus Stop

    6.1 1956 HD

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  • 1956
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    Bus Stop

    Bus Stop

    6.1 1956 HD

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  • 1946
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    Song of the South

    Song of the South

    6.4 1946 HD

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  • 1958
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    South Pacific

    South Pacific

    6.114 1958 HD

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  • 1957
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    An Affair to Remember

    An Affair to Remember

    7.366 1957 HD

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  • 1956
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    Carousel

    Carousel

    5.301 1956 HD

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  • 1962
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    How the West Was Won

    How the West Was Won

    7 1962 HD

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  • 1957
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    Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?

    Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?

    6.7 1957 HD

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  • 1952
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    Stars and Stripes Forever

    Stars and Stripes Forever

    6.8 1952 HD

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  • 1955
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    Daddy Long Legs

    Daddy Long Legs

    6.3 1955 HD

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  • 1962
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    How the West Was Won

    How the West Was Won

    7 1962 HD

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  • 1961
    imgSinema

    Flower Drum Song

    Flower Drum Song

    6.1 1961 HD

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  • 1953
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    Call Me Madam

    Call Me Madam

    6.3 1953 HD

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  • 1960
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    Elmer Gantry

    Elmer Gantry

    7.254 1960 HD

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