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Theatre, Film, and Television Biographies
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Jules Tasca to Sam Trammell
Mel Torme Biography (1925-1999)
Full name, Melvin Howard Torme; born September 13, 1925, in Chicago, IL; diedof complications from a stroke June 5, 1999, in Los Angeles, CA; married Susan Perry, 1949 (divorced); married Arlene Niles, 1956 (divorced, 1965); married Janette Scott, 1966 (divorced, 1977); married Ali Severson, 1984; children: Steve, Melissa, Traci, Daisy, James. Career: Singer and songwriter.Awards, Honors: Grammy Award nominations, best male vocal and best rhythm and blues recording, both 1962, for Comin' Home Baby; Grammy Awardnomination, arrangement accompanying vocalists, 1975, for Gershwin Medley; Grammy Award nomination, jazz vocal, 1978, for Together Again--For the First Time; Grammy Award nomination, jazz vocal--male, 1980, for Torme/A New Album; Grammy Award nomination, jazz vocal--duo or group, 1981,for "Silly Habits"; Grammy Award, jazz--best vocal performance, male, 1982,for An Evening With George Shearing and Mel Torme; Grammy Award, jazzvocal--male, 1983, for Top Drawer; Grammy Award nomination, jazz vocal, 1984, for An Evening at Charlie's; Grammy Award nomination, jazz vocal--male, 1986, for An Elegant Evening.
Addresses: Contact: Capitol Records, 1750 Vine St., Los Angeles, CA 90028.
- Nationality
- American
- Gender
- Male
- Occupation
- Singer, songwriter
- Birth Details
- September 13, 1925
- Chicago, Illinois, United States
- Death Details
- June 5, 1999
- Los Angeles, California, United States
Famous Works
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CREDITS
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Film Appearances
- Marty, Higher and Higher, RKO Radio Pictures, 1943
- Ricky O'Bannon, Pardon My Rhythm, Universal, 1944
- Drummer, Ghost Catchers, Universal, 1944
- "Streak" Edwards, Let's Go Steady, Columbia, 1945
- Sterling Brown, Junior Miss, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1945
- Dick's Buddy, Janie Gets Married, Warner Bros., 1946
- Danny, Good News, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1947
- Guest Star, Words and Music, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1948
- Cyril, Duchess of Idaho, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1950
- Barney Bond, The Fearmakers, United Artists, 1958
- Fred Alger, Girls' Town, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1959
- Fred McAfee, The Big Operator, Cinema Associates, 1959
- The Deacon, Walk Like a Dragon, Paramount, 1960
- Hal Sanders, The Private Lives of Adam and Eve, Universal, 1960
- Title song performer, Sunday in New York, 1963
- Himself, The Patsy, Paramount, 1964
- Himself, A Man Called Adam, Embassy Pictures, 1966
- Song performer, "Once," The Swinger, Paramount, 1966
- Zak O'Brien, The Land of No Return, International Picture Show, 1978
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Artie Shaw: Time Is All You've Got, 1984
- Song performer, "The Christmas Song," Falling in Love, Paramount,1984
- Voice, Daffy Duck's Quackbusters, Warner Bros., 1988
- Song performer, "Born to Be Blue," Let's Get Lost, 1988
- Song performer, "The Christmas Song," Scrooged, Paramount, 1988
- Singing Voice of Daffy Duck, Night of the Living Duck (animated),1988
- Song performer, "The Christmas Song," The Big Picture, Columbia, 1989
- Song performer, "Live Alone and Like It," Dick Tracy, Buena Vista,1990
- Himself, The Naked Gun 2 & 1/2: The Smell of Fear, Paramount,1991
- Song performer, "The Christmas Song," The Ref, Buena Vista, 1994
- Song performer, "The Christmas Song," With Honors, Warner Bros., 1994
- Song performer, "The Christmas Song," 101 Dalmatians (animated), Buena Vista, 1996
- Song performer, "Born to Be Blue," Living Out Loud, New Line Cinema, 1998
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Television Appearances
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Movies
- Himself, Pray TV, ABC, 1982
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Hotel, ABC, 1983
- Song performer, "The Christmas Song," Hallelujah, 1993
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Episodic
- "The Handy Man," The Virginian, NBC, 1968
- Host and narrator, It Was a Very Good Year, ABC, 1971
- Himself, "Leon, We Hardly Knew Ye," Night Court, NBC, 1986
- Himself, "Christine's Friend," Night Court, NBC, 1987
- Himnself, "I'm OK, You're Catatonic," Night Court, NBC, 1988
- Himself, "Melvin and Harold," Night Court, NBC, 1990
- Himself, "It Is a Wonderful Life.Sorta," Night Court, NBC, 1991
- Himself, "Santa on the Lamb," Night Court, NBC, 1992
- Himself, "Shave and a Haircut," Night Court, NBC, 1992
- God, Dave's World, CBS, 1994
- Himself, "The Jimmy," Seinfeld, NBC, 1994
- Himself, The Monroes, ABC, 1995
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The Movie That Changed My Life, AMC, 1995
- Himself, "Great Fellas," Sliders, Fox, 1996
- Also appeared in episodes of Night Court, NBC.
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Specials
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The Night of 100 Stars II, ABC, 1985
- Song performer, "The Christmas Song," Evening at the Pops, 1987
- Song performer, A Tribute to American Music: Cole Porter, PBS, 1987
- Host, Happy New Year, U.S.A.!, PBS, 1987
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Remembering Bing, PBS, 1987
- Host, Sentimental Swing: The Music of Tommy Dorsey, PBS, 1987
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Happy New Year, U.S.A.!, PBS, 1988
- Song performer, "The Christmas Song," John Denver's Christmas in Aspen, CBS, 1988
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Christmas With the Stars: An International Earthquake Benefit, Discovery Channel, 1989
- Song performer, "Barclay Square," and "Pick Yourself Up," Newport Jazz'89, PBS, 1989
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The Royal Variety Performance, Arts & Entertainment, 1989
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The Unforgettable Nat "King" Cole, The Disney Channel, 1989
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Night of 100 Stars III, NBC, 1990
- Host, Frank Sinatra: The Voice of Our Time, PBS, 1991
- Daffy Duck's Musical Voice, Bug Bunny's Creature Features (animated), CBS, 1992
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A Spinal Tap Reunion, NBC, 1992
- Song performer, "The Christmas Song," The Christmas Songs with Mel Torme, Maureen McGovern, and Doc Severinsen, PBS, 1992
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The National Memorial Day Concert, PBS, 1992
- Song performer, Cincinnati Pops Holiday With Erich Kunzel and Mel Torme, PBS, 1995
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Mel Torme, Arts & Entertainment, 1995
- Song performer, An Evening with Mel Torme, Arts & Entertainment, 1996
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Hugh Hefner: American Playboy, Arts & Entertainment, 1996
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Christmas in Hollywood, syndicated, 1998
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Television Work
- Producer and music provider, It Was a Very Good Year (series), ABC, 1971
- Special program consultant, Sentimental Swing: The Music of Tommy Dorsey (special), PBS, 1987
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Stage Appearances
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Hey, Look Me Over!, Avery Fisher Hall, 1981
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Night of 100 Stars II, Radio City Music Hall, New York City, 1985
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RECORDINGS
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Albums
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Mel Torme's California Suite, Discovery, 1949
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Musical Soundings, Coral, 1953
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It's a Blue World, Bethlehem, 1955
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Lulu's Back in Town, Charly, 1956
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Porgy and Bess, A Jazz Version, Bethlehem, 1956
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The Complete Porgy and Bess, Bethlehem, 1956
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Torme Touch, Bethlehem, 1956
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Mel Torme Sings Fred Astaire, Bethlehem, 1956
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Mel Torme's California Suite II, Bethlehem, 1957
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At the Crescendo, Charly, 1957
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Mel Torme and the Marty Paich Dek-Tette, Bethlehem, 1957
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Prelude to a Kiss, Simitar, 1957
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Sings About Love, Audiophile, 1958
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Torme, Sound Products, 1958
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Ole Torme, Verve, 1959
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Back in Town, Verve, 1959
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Broadway Right Now, Verve, 1960
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I Dig the Duke, I Dig the Count, Verve, 1960
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The Duke Ellington and Count Basie Songbooks, Verve, 1960
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Swingin' on the Moon, Verve, 1960
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Mel Torme Swings Shubert Alley, Verve, 1960
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My Kind of Music, Verve, 1961
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Comin' Home, Baby, Atlantic, 1962
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Mel Torme at the Red Hill, Atlantic, 1962
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Sunday in New York and Other Songs About New York, Atlantic, 1963
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Songs of New York, Atlantic, 1963
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Songs, MGM, 1964
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That's All, Sony, 1965
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Right Now!, Columbia/Legacy, 1966
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Right Now!, Sony, 1966
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Smooth as Velvet, Laserlight, 1966
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Songs for Any Taste, Bethlehem, 1973
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Live at the Maisonette, Atlantic, 1974
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A New Album, Gryphon, 1977
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London Sessions, DCC, 1977
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Together Again: For the First Time, Century, 1978
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Mel's London Mood, Parade/Rhapsod, 1980
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Live at Marty's, Finesse, 1981
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An Evening with George Shearing and Mel Torme, Concord Jazz, 1982
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Encore at Marty's, New York, DCC, 1982
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Chase Me, Charley, Concord Jazz, 1983
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An Evening at Charlies, Concord Jazz, 1983
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Top Drawer, Concord Jazz, 1983
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Mel Torme, Rob McConnell and the Boss Brass, Concord Jazz, 1986
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A Vintage Year, Concord Jazz, 1987
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In Concert in Tokyo, Concord Jazz, 1988
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Reunion, Concord Jazz, 1988
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Fujitsu-Concord Festival, Concord Jazz, 1990
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Mel and George Do WWII, Concord Jazz, 1990
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Night at the Concord Pavilion, Concord Jazz, 1990
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Nothing Without You, Concord Jazz, 1991
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Christmas Songs, Telarc, 1992
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Sing Sing Sing, Concord Jazz, 1992
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The Great American Songbook, Telarc, 1992
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I've Got the World on a String, Pilz, 1994
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A Tribute to Bing Crosby, Concord Jazz, 1994
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Velvet & Brass, Concord Jazz, 1994
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Good News, Sandy Hook, 1995
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An Evening with Mel Torme, Concord Jazz, 1996
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Mellow Moods, Pickwick, 1998
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Live, DCC, 1998
- Also recorded I Wished on the Moon, Metro; Mel Torme Sings,Strand; Gershwin, Medley; and Fine and Dandy, Musicraft; recorded compilations and boxed set albums, including The Mel Torme Collection,A Foggy Day, Round Midnight, Gone with the Wind, It Happened in Monterey, Luck Be a Lady, Magic of Mel Torme, and Live with the Meltones, Vols. 1-2; and song "Silly Habits."
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WRITINGS
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Books
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Mel Torme: It Wasn't All Velvet (autobiography), Viking (New York), 1988
Further Reference
OTHER SOURCES
Periodicals:
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People Weekly, October 30, 1995, .*
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