Oscar Levant
#142,147 Most Popular
About
Pianist, composer, and intellectual who became known for his witty appearances on The Jack Paar Show and other TV fare.
Before Fame
He studied with famed piano pedagogue Zygmunt Stojowski after moving to New York in 1922 following his father's death. He also studied with Arnold Schoenberg and became close friends with George Gershwin.
Trivia
He scored over 20 movies from 1929 until 1948 and wrote several pop songs that hit the charts, of which 1934's Blame It on My Youth became his most famous.
Family Life
He married Barbara Wooddell on January 5, 1932, but the marriage barely lasted a year. He later married June Gale on December 1, 1939.
Associated With
He regularly appeared on NBC radio's Kraft Music Hall starring Al Jolson.
