Irving Actman

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Irving Actman (June 2, 1907 - September 24, 1967) was an American conductor, musical director and composer. He is known for his work in film and on Broadway musicals, most notably as the music director of the original 1950 production of Guys and Dolls.

Contents

Career

Actman was a conductor, musical director, and composer for various shows. [1] Starting out as the accompanist for the vaudeville actress Lita Grey, he began a long collaboration with Frank Loesser. [2] While performing at a club, Black Dog, Actman was offered the job of composing the music for the 1936 Broadway revue The Illustrator's Show. [3] The revue was a failure but, writing in the New York Evening Post, John Mason Brown singled out the Actman song "Bang-the Bell Rang" for praise. [2]

In 1936, Actman moved to Hollywood under contract with Universal Studios. There, along with Loesser, he worked as a composer for a number of films and with composers like Jule Styne and Hoagy Carmichael. [3] He composed music for the 1936 film Yellowstone and the 1936 film Postal Inspector . He also worked on music for the film Mayerling (1957 film) . [2]

Returning to New York in 1950, Actman was the musical director for the Tony Award winning original production of Guys and Dolls, a musical based on short stories by Damon Runyon. [4]

Several of Actman's songs were recorded. [5] [6]

Personal life

Actman was married to Catherine Hanley, a chorus girl in the Ziegfeld Follies. Their daughter, Jane Actman was an actress. [7] Actman has been described as a heavy, good natured pianist. [8] He accompanied one of Maurice Chevalier's performances. [9]

Theater

Filmography

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References

  1. ↑ "Irving Actman – Broadway Cast & Staff | IBDB". www.ibdb.com.
  2. 1 2 3 Loesser, Susan (1993). A Most Remarkable Fella: Frank Loesser and the Guys and Dolls in His Life. New York: Donald I. Fine. ISBN   0-634-00927-3.
  3. 1 2 Desk, BWW News. "BrightSide Theatre to Roll the Dice in GUYS & DOLLS". BroadwayWorld.com.
  4. ↑ "The specialist's guide to Broadway musicals (with ten essential recordings)". Gramophone.
  5. ↑ "Irving Actman". Discogs.
  6. ↑ "70966365". viaf.org.
  7. ↑ "Clipped From The Sedalia Democrat". The Sedalia Democrat. March 11, 1973. p. 29 – via newspapers.com.
  8. ↑ Loesser, Arthur (1950). "My Brother Frank". Notes. 7 (2): 217–239. doi:10.2307/891581. JSTOR   891581 – via JSTOR.
  9. ↑ https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/maurice-chevalier-in-an-evening-of-songs-and-impressions-1809
  10. 1 2 3 https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/irving-actman-11283
  11. ↑ https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/along-fifth-avenue-2056
  12. ↑ https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/guys-and-dolls-1892
  13. ↑ https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/guys-and-dolls-13519
  14. ↑ "Irving Actman". BFI.
  15. ↑ "Bella C. Landauer Collection of Aeronautical Sheet Music || Collection". www.sil.si.edu.
  16. 1 2 3 4 https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/0%7C73244/Irving-Actman#overview
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