Dick Manning

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For other people named Dick Manning, see Richard Manning (disambiguation).

Dick Manning
Dick Manning
Dick Manning
Background information
Birth nameSamuel Medoff
Born(1912-06-12)June 12, 1912
Gomel, Russian Empire
DiedApril 11, 1991(1991-04-11) (aged 78)
Marietta, Georgia, U.S.[1]
Occupation(s)Songwriter

Dick Manning (born Samuel Medoff (Самуил Медов), June 12, 1912 – April 11, 1991)[2] was a Russian-American songwriter, best known for his many collaborations with Al Hoffman. Manning composed the first full-length musical to be broadcast on television. The Boys From Boise aired on the DuMont Television Network in 1944.

Early years

Manning was born in

Juilliard School of Music.[2] Manning changed his name from Medoff in 1948,[2] although he continued also to play and record in Yiddish under his birth name.[3]

Yiddish swing

In the early 1940s, he had a radio show on

The Barry Sisters (Claire and Merna) were the vocalists for the program.[4][5] The radio show was originally done live at the Lowes State Theatre every Sunday at 1PM; it aired until 1955.[6][7] Medoff also played piano and organ for Yiddish crooner Seymour Rexite's radio show.[8]

Songwriting and composing

Manning was the co-writer of many popular songs, among them: "Takes Two to Tango", "Fascination", "Hot Diggity" and "Papa Loves Mambo".[2] They were recorded by artists such as Perry Como, Sammy Kaye, Kate Smith and others.[2] Manning's songs have been published in 27 languages.[1] In 1956, Manning shared a late-night subway ride with Perry Como's music publisher, Mickey Glass. As the two men talked, Glass mentioned a need for a new novelty song for Como. Manning said he had just made a demo recording of something like that which had yet to be heard by anyone else. Glass arranged to hear Manning's demo the next day; Como's recording of "Hot Diggity" was the result of that chance meeting of Manning and Glass.[9]

Manning also composed The Boys From Boise,[2] which was the story of a troupe of show girls who were stranded on an Idaho ranch. The girls take jobs as cowgirls on the ranch in an effort to raise enough money to return home.[10] This was the first full-length television musical, and was presented on the DuMont Television Network in 1944.[11] The television presentation of the musical was sponsored by Esquire magazine.[12][13] Manning appeared earlier in that year on DuMont's Key-Bored Televisual Presentations as a pianist.[14][15][16] Manning also was an arranger and vocal coach, and wrote radio jingles.[1]

Manning, the father of two daughters and a son, died of diabetes-related complications in Marietta, Georgia on April 11, 1991.[1]

Published songs

Songs written by Al Hoffman and Dick Manning

Songs written by Al Hoffman, Dick Manning and another collaborator

Other songs

Work on Broadway

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Dick Manning, 79, Composer and Lyricist". The New York Times. April 13, 1991. Archived from the original on January 30, 2013. Retrieved December 16, 2010.
  2. ^
    ISBN 0-85112-939-0
    .
  3. ^ Whitney, Christa (May 8, 2019). "Caraid O'Brien's Oral History". Yiddish Book Center. Retrieved March 8, 2023. Web page includes video and full transcript.
  4. ^ "The Barry Sisters". Donttellyourfriends.blogspot.com. October 31, 2008. Archived from the original on July 8, 2011. Retrieved December 17, 2010.
  5. ^ "Yiddish Radio Project; Story of the Long-Running Jewish Radio Program "Yiddish Melodies in Swing" Transcript". National Endowment for the Humanities. Archived from the original on January 6, 2011. Retrieved December 17, 2010.
  6. ^ Matt Temkin (December 2008). "American Yiddish Instrumental Fusion Music in the 1950s and 1960s". Matt Temkin. Archived from the original on October 6, 2010. Retrieved December 17, 2010.
  7. ^ "The Rise of Yiddish Swing". Yiddish Radio Project. Retrieved December 17, 2010.
  8. ^ "The Yiddish Crooner: Seymour Rexite". Yiddish Radio Project. Retrieved December 17, 2010.
  9. ^ Dachs, David (May 10, 1959). "The Story Behind Those Golden Records". Rome News-Tribune. Retrieved November 19, 2010.
  10. ^ Hathaway, Brad (February 4, 2014). "Before Sound of Music and Smash – TV musicals, 1944 – 1996". Retrieved June 24, 2014.
  11. ^ "The Hills Were Alive Again with 'The Sound of Music'". New Show Studios. January 7, 2014. Archived from the original on June 24, 2014. Retrieved June 24, 2014.
  12. ^ Szul, Barbara; Weaver, Maurice (April 23, 1989). "The Whole World Is Watching". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved June 24, 2014.
  13. ^ "Photo from the WABD presentation of The Boys From Boise". Early Television Museum. 1944. Retrieved June 24, 2014.
  14. ^ "The Boys From Boise". Musicals101.com. Retrieved December 16, 2010.
  15. ^ DuMont Television. Billboard. March 4, 1944. Retrieved December 17, 2010.
  16. ISBN 978-0195335330
    . Retrieved December 15, 2012.
  17. ^ a b "Dick Manning Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved April 15, 2014.
  18. ^
    ISBN 9780815607052
    . Retrieved June 24, 2014.
  19. ^ "Buddy Kaye". AllMusic.com. Retrieved December 17, 2010.
  20. ^ "The Fifth Season". Internet Broadway Database. 1975. Retrieved June 24, 2014.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Dick_Manning&oldid=1204821245"