Person
Benny Goodman
Chicago, Illinois, USA
The King of Swing! Famed clarinetist, composer ("Stompin' at the Savoy") and conductor, educated at the Lewis Institute in Chicago and a student of Schillinger and Schoepp. He w…
IMDbKnown for
Popular titles
Photos
More stills of Benny Goodman
Biography
A closer look
Read full biography
The King of Swing! Famed clarinetist, composer ("Stompin' at the Savoy") and conductor, educated at the Lewis Institute in Chicago and a student of Schillinger and Schoepp. He was a clarinetist with the orchestras of Bix Beiderbecke, Jules Herbuveaux, Arnold Johnson and Ben Pollack, and also played in Broadway theater orchestras. He began to lead his own orchestras in 1934 at the Billy Rose Music Hall, then conducted the orchestra on the weekly radio program "Let's Dance" in 1934-1935, and played at numerous hotels, colleges and theaters. Expanding his musical efforts, he performed in chamber music concerts, later touring throughout the US, Europe, the Far East, South America and the USSR and made many recordings. Joining ASCAP in 1945, his chief musical collaborators included Count Basie, Harry James, Mitchell Parish, Andy Razaf, Edgar M. Sampson, Chick Webb, and Teddy Wilson. Some of his other popular songs and instrumental compositions include "Lullaby in Rhythm," "Don't Be That Way," "Seven Come Eleven," "Flying Home," "Two O'Clock Jump," "Air Mail Special," "Dizzy Spells," "If Dreams Come True," "Georgia Jubilee," "Four Once More," and "The Kingdom of Swing".
Filmography
Movies and shows, newest first
-
2026
Tag! You’re It!
Movie Original Music Composer
-
2022
Charlie Parker: Bird Songs
Movie Self (archive footage)
- 2004
- 2001
-
2001
Jazz
TV show Self (archive footage)
-
2000
The Sid Caesar Collection: The Magic of Live TV
Movie Self (archive footage)
- 2000
-
1994
The World of Polygoon
Movie Self (archive footage)
-
1993
Benny Goodman - Adventures In The Kingdom Of Swing
Movie Self (archive footage)
-
1983
Åke Hasselgård story
Movie
-
1978
The Kennedy Center Honors
TV show Self
-
1978
Mitzi... What's Hot, What's Not
Movie Self
-
1978
Bio’s Bahnhof
TV show Self
-
1976
Copland Conducts Copland
Movie Self - Clarinet
-
1975
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
Movie Self (archive footage)
-
1972
Le Grand Échiquier
TV show Self
More credits
-
1968
The Dick Cavett Show
TV show Self - Guest
-
1963
The Danny Kaye Show
TV show Self
-
1963
Sackgasse
Movie Original Music Composer
-
1962
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
TV show Self
-
1961
The Mike Douglas Show
TV show Self
-
1959
The Big Party
TV show Self
-
1959
John Gunther's High Road
Movie Self
-
1959
The Bell Telephone Hour
TV show Self
-
1958
The All-Star Christmas Show
Movie Self
-
1957
DuPont Show of the Month
TV show Self
-
1956
The Dinah Shore Chevy Show
TV show Self
-
1955
Allen in Movieland
Movie Self
-
1955
Music Land
Movie Orchestra Leader (archive footage)
-
1954
Two for the Record
Movie Self
-
1950
What's My Line?
TV show Self
-
1948
A Song Is Born
Movie Professor Magenbruch
-
1948
The Ed Sullivan Show
TV show Self
-
1946
All the Cats Join In
Movie
-
1946
Make Mine Music
Movie Self (voice)
-
1944
Sweet and Low-Down
Movie Benny Goodman
-
1944
The Shining Future
Movie Self
-
1943
The Gang's All Here
Movie Benny Goodman
-
1943
Stage Door Canteen
Movie Benny Goodman
-
1943
The Powers Girl
Movie Self - Orchestra Conductor (uncredited)
