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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

• CREDITS
• 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
• 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
• Television Appearances
• Movies
• Himself, Pray TV, ABC, 1982
• Hotel, ABC, 1983
• Song performer, "The Christmas Song," Hallelujah, 1993
• 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
• The Movie That Changed My Life, AMC, 1995
• Himself, "Great Fellas," Sliders, Fox, 1996
• Also appeared in episodes of Night Court, NBC.
• Specials
• 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
• Remembering Bing, PBS, 1987
• Host, Sentimental Swing: The Music of Tommy Dorsey, PBS, 1987
• Happy New Year, U.S.A.!, PBS, 1988
• Song performer, "The Christmas Song," John Denver's Christmas in Aspen, CBS, 1988
• Christmas With the Stars: An International Earthquake Benefit, Discovery Channel, 1989
• Song performer, "Barclay Square," and "Pick Yourself Up," Newport Jazz'89, PBS, 1989
• The Royal Variety Performance, Arts & Entertainment, 1989
• The Unforgettable Nat "King" Cole, The Disney Channel, 1989
• 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
• A Spinal Tap Reunion, NBC, 1992
• Song performer, "The Christmas Song," The Christmas Songs with Mel Torme, Maureen McGovern, and Doc Severinsen, PBS, 1992
• The National Memorial Day Concert, PBS, 1992
• Song performer, Cincinnati Pops Holiday With Erich Kunzel and Mel Torme, PBS, 1995
• Mel Torme, Arts & Entertainment, 1995
• Song performer, An Evening with Mel Torme, Arts & Entertainment, 1996
• Hugh Hefner: American Playboy, Arts & Entertainment, 1996
• Christmas in Hollywood, syndicated, 1998
• 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
• Stage Appearances
• Hey, Look Me Over!, Avery Fisher Hall, 1981
• Night of 100 Stars II, Radio City Music Hall, New York City, 1985
• RECORDINGS
• Albums
• Mel Torme's California Suite, Discovery, 1949
• Musical Soundings, Coral, 1953
• It's a Blue World, Bethlehem, 1955
• Lulu's Back in Town, Charly, 1956
• Porgy and Bess, A Jazz Version, Bethlehem, 1956
• The Complete Porgy and Bess, Bethlehem, 1956
• Torme Touch, Bethlehem, 1956
• Mel Torme Sings Fred Astaire, Bethlehem, 1956
• Mel Torme's California Suite II, Bethlehem, 1957
• At the Crescendo, Charly, 1957
• Mel Torme and the Marty Paich Dek-Tette, Bethlehem, 1957
• Prelude to a Kiss, Simitar, 1957
• Sings About Love, Audiophile, 1958
• Torme, Sound Products, 1958
• Ole Torme, Verve, 1959
• Back in Town, Verve, 1959
• Broadway Right Now, Verve, 1960
• I Dig the Duke, I Dig the Count, Verve, 1960
• The Duke Ellington and Count Basie Songbooks, Verve, 1960
• Swingin' on the Moon, Verve, 1960
• Mel Torme Swings Shubert Alley, Verve, 1960
• My Kind of Music, Verve, 1961
• Comin' Home, Baby, Atlantic, 1962
• Mel Torme at the Red Hill, Atlantic, 1962
• Sunday in New York and Other Songs About New York, Atlantic, 1963
• Songs of New York, Atlantic, 1963
• Songs, MGM, 1964
• That's All, Sony, 1965
• Right Now!, Columbia/Legacy, 1966
• Right Now!, Sony, 1966
• Smooth as Velvet, Laserlight, 1966
• Songs for Any Taste, Bethlehem, 1973
• Live at the Maisonette, Atlantic, 1974
• A New Album, Gryphon, 1977
• London Sessions, DCC, 1977
• Together Again: For the First Time, Century, 1978
• Mel's London Mood, Parade/Rhapsod, 1980
• Live at Marty's, Finesse, 1981
• An Evening with George Shearing and Mel Torme, Concord Jazz, 1982
• Encore at Marty's, New York, DCC, 1982
• Chase Me, Charley, Concord Jazz, 1983
• An Evening at Charlies, Concord Jazz, 1983
• Top Drawer, Concord Jazz, 1983
• Mel Torme, Rob McConnell and the Boss Brass, Concord Jazz, 1986
• A Vintage Year, Concord Jazz, 1987
• In Concert in Tokyo, Concord Jazz, 1988
• Reunion, Concord Jazz, 1988
• Fujitsu-Concord Festival, Concord Jazz, 1990
• Mel and George Do WWII, Concord Jazz, 1990
• Night at the Concord Pavilion, Concord Jazz, 1990
• Nothing Without You, Concord Jazz, 1991
• Christmas Songs, Telarc, 1992
• Sing Sing Sing, Concord Jazz, 1992
• The Great American Songbook, Telarc, 1992
• I've Got the World on a String, Pilz, 1994
• A Tribute to Bing Crosby, Concord Jazz, 1994
• Velvet & Brass, Concord Jazz, 1994
• Good News, Sandy Hook, 1995
• An Evening with Mel Torme, Concord Jazz, 1996
• Mellow Moods, Pickwick, 1998
• 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."
• WRITINGS
• Books
• Mel Torme: It Wasn't All Velvet (autobiography), Viking (New York), 1988

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

Periodicals:

• People Weekly, October 30, 1995, .*