Jerry Livingston

Jerry Livingston, born Jerry Levinson on March 25, 1909, in Denver, Colorado, was an American songwriter, Broadway composer, and dance orchestra pianist. The son of Sam and Dora (Lazarus) Levinson, he studied music at the University of Arizona, where he composed his first score for a college musical. He later relocated to New York City in the 1930s, where he worked as a pianist for dance orchestras before establishing himself as a professional songwriter. He died on July 1, 1987, at his home on North Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, California, of a heart condition, at the age of 78.

Livingston's songwriting output spanned several decades and encompassed a wide range of popular titles. Among the songs he contributed to are "It's the Talk of the Town," "Under a Blanket of Blue," "Blue and Sentimental," "Mairzy Doats," "Close to You," "Wake the Town and Tell the People," "The Twelfth of Never," and "Young Emotions." During World War II, he served in the Army's Special Services division.

His work in film and television extended from the 1940s through the 1960s. For the 1950 Disney film Cinderella, he co-wrote "Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo" with Mack David and Al Hoffman, a song that earned the trio their first Academy Award nomination in 1951. Livingston and David received two additional Oscar nominations together: one in 1960 for "The Hanging Tree" from the 1959 film of the same name, and another in 1966 for "The Ballad of Cat Ballou" from the 1965 film Cat Ballou. His other film and animation contributions include co-writing the theme song to Casper the Friendly Ghost, "The Unbirthday Song" for Alice in Wonderland, and "Trick or Treat for Halloween" for Trick or Treat, all with David and Al Hoffman. He also wrote "This Is It" for The Bugs Bunny Show. His television credits include the series Bronco (1958), 77 Sunset Strip (1958), Hawaiian Eye (1959), Bourbon Street Beat (1959), and Surfside 6 (1960).

On Broadway, Livingston composed the scores for two productions, both created in collaboration with Mack David: the musical revue Bright Lights of 1944 and the musical Molly. These credits represent his contributions to the stage alongside his extensive work in Tin Pan Alley, film, and television.

Livingston was survived by his wife, Ruth, née Schwartz, a former singer, and a son, Dennis. He was predeceased by his son Gary.