Ken Darby

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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.

Filmography

Movies and shows, newest first

1968
The Night Before Christmas
Movie Original Music Composer
1962
How the West Was Won
Movie Vocals
1961
Flower Drum Song
Movie Assistant Music Supervisor
1960
Elmer Gantry
Movie Music Supervisor
1959
Porgy and Bess
Movie Original Music Composer
1958
South Pacific
Movie Other
1957
Desk Set
Movie Vocal Coach
1957
Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?
Movie Vocal Coach
1956
Bus Stop
Movie Vocal Coach
1956
Carousel
Movie Other
1956
The Lieutenant Wore Skirts
Movie Songs
1954
River of No Return
Movie Songs
1953
Walt Disney's Halloween Hilarities
Movie Jack-o'lantern (voice)
1953
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
Movie Songs
1953
The Girl Next Door
Movie Vocal Coach
1953
Call Me Madam
Movie Vocal Coach

More credits

1952
Stars and Stripes Forever
Movie Vocal Coach
1952
Trick or Treat
Movie Jack-O'lantern (uncredited)
1952
Rancho Notorious
Movie Lyricist
1950
The Brave Engineer
Movie Himself
1947
Fun and Fancy Free
Movie The Bull (voice) (uncredited)
1947
Donald's Dilemma
Movie Donald Duck's Singing (voice) (uncredited)
1946
Song of the South
Movie Music Director
1946
Margie
Movie Off-Screen Singer (voice) (uncredited)
1946
The Martins and the Coys
Movie The King's Men
1946
Make Mine Music
Movie The King's Men / Choral Director (Ken Darby Chorus) (singing voice) (uncredited)
1943
The Kansan
Movie Member - The King's Men
1943
We've Never Been Licked
Movie Vocals
1942
For Me and My Gal
Movie The King's Men Member (uncredited)
1941
Two-Faced Woman
Movie Member - The King's Men (uncredited)
1940
Stagecoach War
Movie Outlaw
1940
The Showdown
Movie Rider
1939
Law of the Pampas
Movie The King's Men Member
1939
The Wizard of Oz
Movie Music Arranger
1939
Renegade Trail
Movie Rider
1939
Broadway Serenade
Movie Singers - 'High Flyin' Number (uncredited)
1939
Honolulu
Movie Groucho 1 (uncredited)
1933
Going Hollywood
Movie Member - The King's Men
1933
The Organ Grinder
Movie Singing Organ Grinder (voice) (uncredited)
1932
The Queen Was in the Parlor
Movie King (voice) (uncredited)