Jack Little (songwriter)
Jack Little (born John Leonard; May 30, 1899 – April 9, 1956), (another source gives his birth date as May 28, 1902)<ref name=rs>DeLong, Thomas A. (1996). Radio Stars: An Illustrated Biographical Dictionary of 953 Performers, 1920 through 1960. McFarland & Company, Inc. Template:ISBN. p. 167</ref> sometimes credited as Little Jack Little, was a British-born American composer, singer, pianist, actor, and songwriter whose songs were featured in several movies. He is not to be confused with the burlesque comedian also known as "Little" Jack Little, who stood Template:Convert tall.
Early years
Little was born in the Silvertown section of London,<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> but moved to the United States when he was nine years old, growing up in Waterloo, Iowa.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> He was educated in pre-med classes at the University of Iowa,<ref name="spt">Template:Cite news</ref> where he played in and organized the university band.
Career
Early in his career, Little worked at radio stations, including WSAI<ref>Template:Cite news Template:Open access</ref> and WLW,<ref name=rs/> both in Cincinnati, Ohio. He had a 15-minute daily program (originating from WLW) on NBC radio in the early 1930s.<ref name=sh/>
Little toured the country with an orchestra, appearing in hotels, night clubs, and on the radio. In one such touring appearance on radio, at WOC in Davenport, Iowa, Little "made a new endurance record for himself ... when he remained on the air three hours and sixteen minutes ... [and] sang fifty-one songs in answer to thousands of requests."<ref>Template:Cite news Template:Open access</ref> He collaborated musically with Tommie Malie, Dick Finch, John Siras, and Joe Young.
In 1928 he joined ASCAP. From 1933 to 1937, he recorded prolifically, starting on Bluebird, Columbia, and finally ARC, playing in a light society dance band style. He often worked with musical director Mitchell Ayres. His compositions include "Jealous, I Promise You", "A Shanty in Old Shanty Town" and "You're a Heavenly Thing". Details of his chart success per Joel Whitburn are given below.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Chart successes
| Year | Song | Peak chart position |
|---|---|---|
| 1934 | "You Oughta Be in Pictures" | check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }} |
| "Old Roses" | check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }} | |
| "Stay As Sweet As You Are" | check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }} | |
| "June in January" | check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }} | |
| 1935 | "Little Boy Blue" | check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }} |
| "Lullaby of Broadway" | check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }} | |
| "I'm Goin' Shopping with You" | check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }} | |
| "I'm in the Mood for Love" | check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }} | |
| "I Wished on the Moon" | check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }} | |
| "On Treasure Island" | check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }} | |
| "No Other One" | check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }} | |
| "Where Am I? (Am I in Heaven?)" | check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }} | |
| 1936 | "I'm Shooting High" | check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }} |
| 1937 | "It's Swell of You" | check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }} |
Recognition
Little has a star at 6618 Hollywood Boulevard in the radio section of the Hollywood Walk of Fame. It was dedicated on February 8, 1960.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Personal life
He was married to Thea Hellman, who died in 1940; they had two children.
Death
Little died in his sleep on April 9, 1956, at his home in Hollywood, Florida, after suffering from hepatitis for some time.<ref name="sh">Template:Cite news</ref>
References
External links
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- Pages with broken file links
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- 1899 births
- 1956 deaths
- 1956 suicides
- People from Silvertown
- 20th-century American male composers
- Songwriters from Iowa
- British emigrants to the United States
- Writers from Waterloo, Iowa
- Suicides in Florida
- University of Iowa alumni
- 20th-century American singers
- 20th-century American composers
- 20th-century American male singers
- American male songwriters
- Radio personalities from Iowa
- Actors from the London Borough of Newham
- 20th-century American songwriters