Ralph Rainger ( Reichenthal; October 7, 1901 – October 23, 1942) was an American composer of popular music principally for films.
Biography Born Ralph Reichenthal in New York City, United States, Rainger initially embarked on a legal career, having obtained his law degree at Brown University in 1926.Brown Alumni Monthly 31:6 (January 1931) He had, however, studied piano from a young age and attended the Institute of Musical Art in New York. Public performances include radio broadcasts from New York and WOR (New Jersey) as early as 1922.“Radio: News and Programs.” The Corning (NY) Evening Leader, 4 May 1922. These were as soloist, accompanist to singers, and as duo-pianist with Adam Carroll or "Edgar Fairchild" (the name Milton Suskind used for commercial work).“Round the Radio Circuit.” New York Telegram and Evening Mail, 2 July 1924.
He also prepared piano rolls between 1922 and 1928 for Ampico, Standard, and DeLuxe. Some of these used the "Reichenthal" surname, others the "Rainger" name he was gradually adopting commercially.
Other early musical activities include arranging for bandleader Ray Miller. His own band leading included a 1923 engagement—Ralph Reichenthal Orchestra—at the Asbury Park (NJ) Claredon-Brunswick Hotel.“Summer Resorts” (advertising) New York Times, 29 July 1923.Chisholm, Elise. “Biography for Two Pianos.” Brooklyn Daily Eagle, 2 May 1937.
Rainger's first credit on Broadway, 1926's "Queen High", was as duo-pianist in the pit with Fairchild, following the show's break-in in Philadelphia.“What Playgoers Have in Store.” Philadelphia Inquirer, 27 June 1926. He later played for 1928's "Angela" and "Cross my Heart".
His first hit "Moanin' Low", with lyrics by Howard Dietz, was written for Clifton Webb's co-star Libby Holman in the 1929 revue The Little Show. Webb, tracing the song's origin, noted that Rainger was Webb's accompanist in vaudeville when Webb was invited to appear in the new show, and that Webb had asked Rainger for a contribution.Webb, Clifton. “The Story of ‘Moanin’ Low’.” New York Evening Post, 25 May 1929.
With the advent of motion picture sound and the film musical, Rainger and other songwriters found work in Hollywood. He teamed up with lyricist Leo Robin to produce a string of successful film songs, including "I'll Take An Option On You", from the Broadway hit show Tattle Tales (1933).
In the years that followed, Rainger wrote or collaborated on such hit songs as "I Wished on the Moon", "Love in Bloom" (comedian Jack Benny's theme song), "Faithful Forever", "Easy Living", "June in January", "Blue Hawaii", and with Leo Robin on the 1938 Oscar-winning song "Thanks for the Memory", sung by Bob Hope in the film The Big Broadcast of 1938.
Songwriting for Hollywood's mass audience had its challenges, as lyricist Leo Robin noted: On the stage after all, you can aim at a particular audience. You can please just New York, or just a small portion of New York. In pictures you have to please the whole country, and most of the world besides. The songs must have universal appeal, get down to something that every human being feels and can understand. That isn't so hard really, once you get the trick of simplicity.“Picture Plays and Players: The Song-Writing Team of Rainger and Robin Talk of ‘The Big Broadcast'." New York Sun, 25 May 1936.
Rainger paid one year's tuition fees to the Austrian composer Arnold Schoenberg in advance, so that Schoenberg could pay for the transportation of his belongings to Los Angeles from Paris in 1933.
Rainger died in a plane crash near Palm Springs, California, in 1942. He was a passenger aboard American Airlines Flight 28, a DC-3 airliner that was involved in a mid-air collision with a U.S. Army Air Corps bomber. Rainger, then age 41, was survived by his wife, Elizabeth ("Betty"), an eight-year-old son, and two daughters, aged five and one. In the initial 1942 press coverage of the crash, the collision was not acknowledged; Betty Rainger later sued American Airlines and won a substantial judgement late in 1943.“Widow of Plane Victim Granted $77,637 Award.” Ellicottville (NY) Post, 24 November 1943.
Film credits Film credits include:For a complete film score list, see: Songwriters Hall of Fame; Ralph Rainger film scores 1930 - Tom Sawyer 1930 - The Virtuous Sin 1932 - The Big Broadcast 1932 - A Farewell to Arms 1932 - This Is the Night 1933 - A Bedtime Story 1933 - From Hell to Heaven 1933 - She Done Him Wrong 1933 - International House 1933 - Three-Cornered Moon 1934 - Kiss and Make-Up 1934 - Come on Marines 1934 - Bolero 1934 - All of Me 1934 - Little Miss Marker 1934 - Search for Beauty 1934 - Six of a Kind 1935 - The Devil Is a Woman 1935 - The Big Broadcast of 1936 1935 - Ruggles of Red Gap 1936 - The Big Broadcast of 1937 1936 - Rhythm on the Range 1936 - Rose of the Rancho 1936 - Poppy 1936 - Palm Springs 1936 - Three Cheers for Love 1937 - King of Gamblers 1937 - The Big Broadcast of 1938, including the Academy Award-winning song "Thanks for the Memory" 1937 - Blossoms on Broadway 1937 - Hills of Old Wyoming 1937 - Ebb Tide 1937 - Swing High, Swing Low 1937 - Waikiki Wedding 1937 - Souls at Sea 1938 - Her Jungle Love 1938 - Artists and Models Abroad 1938 - Romance in the Dark 1938 - The Texans 1939 - Gulliver's Travels, including the Academy Award nominated song "Faithful Forever" 1939 - $1000 a Touchdown 1941 - Cadet Girl 1941 - A Yank in the R.A.F. 1941 - Tall, Dark and Handsome 1941 - Rise and Shine 1941 - New York Town 1942 - Footlight Serenade 1942 - True to the Army 1942 - My Gal Sal
See also :Category:Songs with music by Ralph Rainger Uncle Sam Gets Around, 1941 song
References
External links
Ralph Rainger recordings at the Discography of American Historical Recordings.