David Daniel Rose (June 15, 1910 – August 23, 1990) was a British-born American songwriter, composer, arranger, pianist, and orchestra leader. His best known compositions were "

The Stripper "The Stripper" is an instrumental composed by David Rose, recorded in 1958 and released four years later. It evinces a jazz influence with especially prominent trombone slides, and evokes the feel of music used to accompany striptease artist ...

", " Holiday for Strings", and "Calypso Melody". He also wrote music for many television series, including '' It's a Great Life'', ''The Tony Martin Show'', ''

Little House on the Prairie The ''Little House on the Prairie'' books is a series of American children's novels written by Laura Ingalls Wilder (b. Laura Elizabeth Ingalls). The stories are based on her childhood and adolescence in the American Midwest (Wisconsin, Kansas, ...

'', ''

Highway to Heaven ''Highway to Heaven'' is an American fantasy drama television series that ran on NBC from September 19, 1984, to August 4, 1989. The series starred Michael Landon as Jonathan Smith, an angel sent to Earth in order to help people in need. Vi ...

'', ''

Bonanza ''Bonanza'' is an American Western television series that ran on NBC from September 13, 1959, to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 432 episodes, ''Bonanza'' is NBC's longest-running western, the second-longest-running western series on ...

'', '' Leave It to Beaver'', and ''

Highway Patrol A highway patrol, or state patrol is either a police unit created primarily for the purpose of overseeing and enforcing traffic safety compliance on roads and highways, or a detail within an existing local or regional police agency that is prima ...

'', some under the pseudonym Ray Llewellyn. Rose's work as a composer for television programs earned him four

Emmys The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...

. In addition, he was musical director for ''

The Red Skelton Show ''The Red Skelton Show'' is an American television comedy/variety show that aired from 1951 to 1971. In the decade prior to hosting the show, Richard "Red" Skelton had a successful career as a radio and motion pictures star. Although his televi ...

'' during its 21-year run on the

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...

and

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...

networks. He was a member of

Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity of America (colloquially known as Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Phi Mu Alpha, or simply Sinfonia) () is an American collegiate social fraternity for men with a special interest in music. The fraternity is open to men "w ...

, the national fraternity for men in music.

Career

Rose was born in

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

, England, to Jewish parents, and raised in

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolitan areas include, Peoria and Rock ...

, United States. The family name was originally Rosenberg. Rose's career in music began when he worked with

Ted Fio Rito Theodore Salvatore Fiorito (December 20, 1900 – July 22, 1971),DeLong, Thomas A. (1996). ''Radio Stars: An Illustrated Biographical Dictionary of 953 Performers, 1920 through 1960''. McFarland & Company, Inc. . P. 95. known professionally a ...

's band when he was sixteen. Rose also worked as a standby pianist for

NBC Radio The National Broadcasting Company's NBC Radio Network (known as the NBC Red Network prior to 1942) was an American commercial radio network which was in operation from 1926 through 2004. Along with the NBC Blue Network it was one of the first tw ...

. It was here, in the early 1930s, that he first gained a reputation, while arranging for the

Frank Trumbauer Orie Frank Trumbauer (May 30, 1901 – June 11, 1956) was an American jazz saxophonist of the 1920s and 1930s. His main instrument was the C-melody saxophone, a now-uncommon instrument between an alto and tenor saxophone in size and pitch. He a ...

orchestra and later leading a house band at station WGN. He composed several early swing originals such as "Break It Down" with

Frankie Trumbauer Orie Frank Trumbauer (May 30, 1901 – June 11, 1956) was an American jazz saxophonist of the 1920s and 1930s. His main instrument was the C-melody saxophone, a now-uncommon instrument between an alto and tenor saxophone in size and pitch. He a ...

, "Transcontinental," "Plantation Moods," and a piece recorded under three different titles: "I've Got It", "Itchola", and "Jigsaw Rhythm," his original version with the WGN band including

Louis Prima Louis Leo Prima (December 7, 1910 – August 24, 1978) was an American singer, songwriter, bandleader, and trumpeter. While rooted in New Orleans jazz, swing music, and jump blues, Prima touched on various genres throughout his career: he forme ...

Radio

Rose was asked to work in Hollywood, where he formed his orchestra, doing a twice-weekly radio show for

Mutual Broadcasting System The Mutual Broadcasting System (commonly referred to simply as Mutual; sometimes referred to as MBS, Mutual Radio or the Mutual Radio Network) was an American commercial radio network in operation from 1934 to 1999. In the golden age of U.S. ra ...

called ''California Melodies'', writing all the broadcast arrangements. He worked his way up to becoming music director of the Mutual network. Rose's first try at composing was his hit song "Holiday for Strings". During World War II, Rose entered the Army, first meeting

Red Skelton Richard Red Skelton (July 18, 1913September 17, 1997) was an American entertainer best known for his national radio and television shows between 1937 and 1971, especially as host of the television program ''The Red Skelton Show''. He has stars ...

while both were enlisted. Skelton asked Rose to become the conductor for his '' Raleigh Cigarette Program''. Rose joined the cast in 1948 and worked with Skelton on his television show for over 20 years. In 1942, Rose and his orchestra provided the music for ''Tune Up, America!'' on Mutual. The program provided "recognition of the efforts of women engaged in war work."

Recording

In 1955, Rose was commissioned by MGM Studios to compose the score for their forthcoming science fiction project '' Forbidden Planet''. The music was completed and recorded and (based on the surviving track) it combined conventional instrumentation with some electronic elements. Rose was discharged from the project at the end of 1955 after the producers heard the electronic music of Louis and Bebe Barron and hired them to provide the final all-electronic soundtrack. A 7" single of Rose's unused theme from the film (backed by Bronislaw Kaper's theme for the MGM film '' The Swan'', 1956) was released during 1956 on

MGM Records MGM Records was a record label founded by the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film studio in 1946 for the purpose of releasing soundtrack recordings (later LP albums) of their musical films. It transitioned into a pop music label that continued into the ...

on which it was credited as being "inspired" by the film. Rose reportedly later destroyed all the original session recordings of his ''Forbidden Planet'' music. In 1957, his rendition of

Larry Clinton Larry Clinton (August 17, 1909 – May 2, 1985) was an American musician, best known as a trumpeter who became a prominent American bandleader and arranger. Biography Clinton was born in Brooklyn, New York, United States. He became a ver ...

's "Calypso Melody" became Rose's second million-selling record and was awarded a

gold disc Music recording certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped, sold, or streamed a certain number of units. The threshold quantity varies by type (such as album, single, music video) and by nation or territory (see ...

. "

", released in 1962, was composed by Rose in 1958 for a television special saluting

burlesque A burlesque is a literary, dramatic or musical work intended to cause laughter by caricaturing the manner or spirit of serious works, or by ludicrous treatment of their subjects.

. The song featured especially prominent trombone lines, giving the tune its lascivious signature, evoking the feel of music used to accompany burlesque striptease artists. Four years after the song was recorded, MGM Records wanted to rush-release Rose's recording of "Ebb Tide" as a 45-rpm single but needed a B-side. An office boy perused Rose's tapes searching for one, and "

" was chosen. It became a surprise hit, receiving much radio play. "Holiday for Strings" became well known as the theme for Red Skelton's programs. A parody version, retitled "Holiday for States", was recorded as a vocal by

Allan Sherman Allan may refer to: People * Allan (name), a given name and surname, including list of people and characters with this name * Allan (footballer, born 1984) (Allan Barreto da Silva), Brazilian football striker * Allan (footballer, born 1989) (Al ...

, with the straight melody but with ersatz

lyrics Lyrics are words that make up a song, usually consisting of verses and choruses. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist. The words to an extended musical composition such as an opera are, however, usually known as a " libretto" and their writer, ...

consisting of the names of American states.

Personal life

David Rose and one of his miniature trains 1959

Rose was married on October 8, 1938, to actress

Martha Raye Martha Raye (born Margy Reed; August 27, 1916 – October 19, 1994), nicknamed The Big Mouth, was an American comic actress and singer who performed in movies, and later on television. She also acted in plays, including Broadway. She was honored ...

. The couple divorced on May 19, 1941. Rose married for a second time, on July 28, 1941, to actress and singer

Judy Garland Judy Garland (born Frances Ethel Gumm; June 10, 1922June 22, 1969) was an American actress and singer. While critically acclaimed for many different roles throughout her career, she is widely known for playing the part of Dorothy Gale in '' The ...

. They had no children, though Garland, according to biographer Gerald Clarke, underwent at least one abortion during the marriage, at the insistence of her mother, her husband, and her motion picture studio,

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by amazon (company), Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded o ...

. Garland and Rose divorced in 1944. He had two daughters with his third wife, Betty Bartholomew (m. 1948 until his death in 1990). His granddaughter is singer-songwriter

Samantha James Samantha James is an American dance pop singer from Los Angeles, known for her style of blending downtempo to uptempo dance music, with soulful vocal styles. She released her debut album, ''Rise (Samantha James album), Rise'', in 2007 through Om ...

. Rose was a

live steam Live steam is steam under pressure, obtained by heating water in a boiler. The steam is used to operate stationary or moving equipment. A live steam machine or device is one powered by steam, but the term is usually reserved for those that ar ...

hobbyist, with his own

backyard railroad __NOTOC__ A backyard railroad is a privately owned, outdoor railroad, most often in miniature, but large enough for one or several persons to ride on. The rail gauge can be anything from to or more. Smaller backyard or outdoor railroads that c ...

Death

Rose died of a heart attack in

Burbank, California Burbank is a city in the southeastern end of the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Located northwest of downtown Los Angeles, Burbank has a population of 107,337. The city was named after David Burbank, who ...

, at the age of 80. He was buried in

Mount Sinai Memorial Park Cemetery Mount Sinai Memorial Park Cemetery is the largest Jewish cemetery organization in California. History Mount Sinai Memorial Parks and Mortuaries, owned by Sinai Temple of Los Angeles, refers to two Jewish cemeteries in the Los Angeles metropol ...

in Hollywood Hills, California.

Music

Films

*''

Bright Road ''Bright Road'' is a 1953 low-budget film adapted from the Christopher Award-winning short story "See How They Run" by Mary Elizabeth Vroman. Directed by Gerald Mayer and featuring a nearly all-black cast, the film stars Dorothy Dandridge as an ...

'' (1953) *''

Confidentially Connie ''Confidentially Connie'' is a 1953 American romantic comedy film directed by Edward Buzzell. It stars Van Johnson as a dedicated but poorly paid college professor, Janet Leigh as his pregnant wife, and Louis Calhern as Johnson's father, whose sch ...

'' (1953) *'' Hombre'' (1967) *'' Never Too Late'' (1965) *''

Operation Petticoat ''Operation Petticoat'' is a 1959 American World War II submarine comedy film in Eastmancolor from Universal-International, produced by Robert Arthur, directed by Blake Edwards, that stars Cary Grant and Tony Curtis. The film tells in fla ...

'' (1959) *''

Please Don't Eat the Daisies ''Please Don't Eat the Daisies'' (New York: Doubleday, 1957) is a best-selling collection of humorous essays by American humorist and playwright Jean Kerr about suburban living and raising four boys. The essays do not have a plot or through-sto ...

'' (1960) *''

Public Pigeon No. 1 ''Public Pigeon No. 1'' is a 1957 comedy film directed by Norman Z. McLeod. It stars Red Skelton and Vivian Blaine. It is the theatrical feature-length remake of the ''Climax!'' television episode "Public Pigeon #1" that also starred Red Skelton ...

'' (1957) *''

Quick Before It Melts ''Quick, Before It Melts'' is a 1964 Panavision and Metrocolor comedy film directed by Delbert Mann, written by Dale Wasserman, starring Robert Morse, George Maharis, and Anjanette Comer and released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It was based on a no ...

'' (1964) *''

Sam's Son ''Sam's Son'' is a 1984 American semi-autobiographical coming-of-age drama film written and directed by Michael Landon loosely based on his early life and is also the only feature film made by him. The film stars Eli Wallach, Anne Jackson, Timoth ...

'' (1984) *''

The Birdmen ''The Birdmen'', also known as ''Escape of the Birdmen'' and ''Colditz: Escape of the Birdmen'', is a 1971 television film directed by Philip Leacock and starring Doug McClure and René Auberjonois. It was a fictionalized account based on a prop ...

'' (1971) *'' The Clown'' (1953) *''

The Princess and the Pirate ''The Princess and the Pirate'' is a 1944 American comedy film directed by David Butler and starring Bob Hope and Virginia Mayo. Based on a story by Sy Bartlett, the film is about a princess who travels incognito to elope with her true love inst ...

'' (1944) *''

The Underworld Story ''The Underworld Story'' is a 1950 American film noir crime film directed by Cy Endfield and starring Dan Duryea, Herbert Marshall, Gale Storm, Howard Da Silva and Michael O'Shea. Da Silva plays the loud-mouthed gangster Carl Durham, one of his ...

'' (1950) *''

This Rebel Breed ''This Rebel Breed'' is a 1960 American melodrama film directed by Richard L. Bare and William Rowland and starring Rita Moreno, Gerald Mohr, Eugene Martin, Dyan Cannon, and Richard Rust. The film is also known under the titles of ''Lola's Mist ...

'' (1960) *''

Young Man with Ideas ''Young Man with Ideas'' is a 1952 romantic comedy film directed by Mitchell Leisen and starring Ruth Roman and Glenn Ford. It was released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The screenplay concern a young small-town lawyer, who moves his family from Monta ...

'' (1952)

Television

*''

'' (1971 Emmy) *''

Dundee and the Culhane ''Dundee and the Culhane'' is an American Western drama series starring John Mills and Sean Garrison that aired on CBS from September 6 to December 13, 1967. Synopsis ''Dundee and the Culhane'' follows the exploits of two frontier lawyers who pro ...

'' *''

Father Murphy ''Father Murphy'' is an American western drama television series that aired on the NBC network from November 3, 1981, to September 18, 1983. Michael Landon created the series, was the executive producer, and directed the show in partnership wit ...

'' *''

'' (1979 and 1982 Emmys) *'' Men into Space'' *''

Mr. Adams and Eve ''Mr. Adams and Eve'' is an American situation comedy television series about a married couple who are both movie stars. It stars Howard Duff and Ida Lupino (who were actually married at the time) and aired on CBS from January 4, 1957, to July 8, ...

'' *''

Sea Hunt ''Sea Hunt'' is an American action adventure television series that aired in syndication from 1958 to 1961 and was popular for decades afterwards. The series originally aired for four seasons, with 155 episodes produced. It stars Lloyd Bridges a ...

'' *''

The High Chaparral ''The High Chaparral'' television series, which was broadcast on NBC from 1967 to 1971, is an American Western action adventure drama set in the 1870s. It stars Leif Erickson and Cameron Mitchell. The series was made by Xanadu Productions ...

'' *''

Broadway

*'' Winged Victory''

Singles

*"Calypso Melody" (US #42, 1957) *" Holiday For Strings" (US #2, 1944) *"Poinciana (Song of the Tree)" (US #11, 1944) *"Swinging Shepherd Blues" (US #50, 1958) *"

" (US #1, 1962)

Albums

* ''Like Blue'' (with

André Previn André George Previn (; born Andreas Ludwig Priwin; April 6, 1929 – February 28, 2019) was a German-American pianist, composer, and conductor. His career had three major genres: Hollywood films, jazz, and classical music. In each he achieved ...

) - MGM Records 1960

References

External links

* *
''Bonanza''
*
Official websiteVintage LA article about backyard railroad built by Rose
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rose, David 1910 births 1990 deaths 20th-century classical musicians 20th-century English musicians United States Army personnel of World War II American composers American film score composers 20th-century American Jews American music arrangers American male songwriters American television composers British emigrants to the United States Burials at Mount Sinai Memorial Park Cemetery Capitol Records artists English composers English film score composers English male film score composers English Jews English music arrangers English songwriters English television composers First Motion Picture Unit personnel BAFTA fellows Grammy Award winners Jewish classical musicians Jewish composers Jewish songwriters Judy Garland American male film score composers Male television composers MGM Records artists Musicians from London RCA Victor artists 20th-century American male musicians