George Greeley

George Greeley (born Georgio Guariglia; July 23, 1917 – May 26, 2007) was an Italian-American pianist, conductor, composer, arranger, recording artist and record producer who is known for his extensive work across the spectrum of the entertainment industry. Starting as an arranger and pianist with several notable big bands in the 1940s, he segued into the Hollywood radio scene, working on several nationally broadcast variety programs. After conducting an Army Air Force Band during World War II, he was hired by Columbia Pictures as a staff pianist and orchestrator. He worked as pianist on several hundred motion pictures, worked with many famous composers orchestrating their soundtrack compositions, and created original compositions of his own in several dozen movies. It was Greeley's hands that performed the piano parts that Tyrone Power mimed in The Eddy Duchin Story. Concurrent with his work at Columbia Pictures, George Greeley also worked at Capitol Records as music director, pianist, and conductor for many artists such as Gordon MacRae, Jane Powell, Jo Stafford, Frankie Laine, and Doris Day. He was hired in the late 1950s by the newly established Warner Brothers Records. George Greeley arranged, orchestrated and performed as primary artist for a series of hit recordings entitled "Popular Piano Concertos." As music tastes changed in the late 1960s, Greeley had already moved into television, composing themes and music for popular TV series like My Favorite Martian, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, Nanny and the Professor, and Small Wonder. He performed as featured piano soloist and as guest conductor in concert appearances around the world. He died from emphysema at age 89 in Los Angeles, California.

Early life and education Greeley was born Giorgio Guariglia in Westerly, Rhode Island on 23 July 1917, soon after his family emigrated from Italy. Most of the family's members were musically gifted and could play many instruments. His father, James, had three music schools and a traveling orchestra. Georgio was taught to read music at an early age and was playing piano and mandolin when he was five. He often played four-handed piano pieces with his father, and they gave father-son recitals. He studied music at Columbia University, where he met and formed a long-time friendship with composer/arranger/bandleader Paul Weston, with whom Greeley worked in later years at Capitol Records and Columbia Records. Greeley won a scholarship to the Juilliard School in New York, where he studied piano and composition, graduating in 1939. He also studied music at the University of Southern California, and studied composition privately with Ernst Toch.

Early career with the big bands George Greeley entered the music business after meeting Sy Oliver, Duke Ellington's arranger. Oliver taught him the art of arranging for big bands, and Greeley began his career arranging music for several popular figures such as Tommy Dorsey, Glen Gray, Abe Lyman, Leo Reisman, and Kay Kyser. He joined the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra as pianist on the same day that Frank Sinatra became the band's new vocalist in January 1940. After about a year with Dorsey, Greeley defected to Abe Lyman because "the money was better, and Abe had me writing three arrangements a week. I'd studied composition and orchestration at Juilliard, and wanted to practice what I'd learned." Greeley then spent time during World War II conducting a U.S. Air Force band at the Santa Ana, California Army Air Base. He also became involved in the Hollywood radio scene, working as arranger on several nationally broadcast variety programs. Several films of which Greeley was especially proud included working as pianist on the Leonard Bernstein score for the 1954 drama On the Waterfront; and coaching Tyrone Power for The Eddy Duchin Story. In addition to performing the soundtrack songs when Eddy Duchin played (uncredited), it was Greeley's hands that performed the piano parts which Power mimed during filming.

Recording artist and conductor Concurrent with his work at Columbia Pictures, Greeley worked for Capitol Records, where he was a music director, arranger, and conductor for various artists including Gordon MacRae, Dean Martin, Ella Logan, Tony Martin, Dorothy Warenskjold, Jane Powell, Jane Froman, and Keely Smith. At the behest of his friend Paul Weston, Greeley also played piano (and harpsichord) on recording sessions for acts including Frankie Laine, Jo Stafford, Hoagy Carmichael, Sarah Vaughan, Eartha Kitt, and Doris Day. Many of those recordings have been now re-mastered and re-issued as CDs.

George Greeley was among the earliest artists signed to the Warner Bros. Records label when it was founded in the late 1950s, and he was instrumental in providing that company with the same elegant instrumental pop sounds that Billy Vaughn brought to Dot Records and Percy Faith brought to Columbia Records.

Greeley's theme for My Favorite Martian (1963–66) is notable as one of the first uses of an electronic instrument in a television theme and prominently features an electro-theremin, played by Paul Tanner, co-creator of the instrument, who was at the time the lead trombonist for the ABC Orchestra. The electro-theremin was also regularly used as a sound effect when Walston's character Uncle Martin raised his antennae or used his powers of levitation. Greeley participated in six television variety shows when touring in Australia. In the States, among his televised concert appearances, Greeley was guest pianist on Chicago's WGN-TV series titled "Great Music From Chicago." In 1962 Greeley appeared as piano soloist with Robert Trendler conducting a program of American music. Then, appearing on the same series as piano soloist with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in 1964, he performed Aram Khachaturian's "Sabre Dance," Ferde Grofe's "On the Trail" from his Grand Canyon Suite, and other works. In 1975 Greeley performed as guest pianist with the Boston Pops Orchestra, playing George Gershwin's Concerto in F under Arthur Fiedler's baton. George Greeley also performed as guest pianist with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. At the time of Greeley's death, Jon Burlingame. who was a USC professor teaching a class on the history of film scoring, stated that Greeley was an "extraordinary pianist". 1951 – Painting the Clouds with Sunshine – Dennis Morgan, Lucille Norman – Chorus and Orchestra Conducted by George Greeley – Capitol L-291 (10-inch LP), also FBF-291 (4x45rpm box set) 1952 – With a Song in My Heart (Soundtrack) – Jane Froman – Chorus and Orchestra Conducted by George Greeley – Capitol L-309 (10-inch LP) [Also DDN-309, 4-record 78 rpm box set; KDF-309 4-record 45 rpm singles box set; and FBF-309 2-EP box set] This album was the Best-selling album of 1952, and spent 25 weeks at the top of the Billboard chart. [Reissued as L-309 in 1955 as 12-inch LP with 12 songs; reissued in 1968 with 10 songs as M-11891. Re-issued in 1996 as CD with 20 Jane Froman songs; re-ssued in 2000 as split-release CD with Jane Froman songs from her Pal Joey soundtrack album.] 1952 – Roberta – Gordon MacRae, Lucille Norman, Anne Triola – Chorus and Orchestra Conducted by George Greeley – Capitol L-334 (10-inch LP); DDN-334 (4 × 78 rpm); & Capitol FBF-334 (2-EP box set) 1952 – The Merry Widow – Gordon MacRae, Lucille Norman – Chorus and Orchestra Conducted by George Greeley – Capitol L-335 (10-inch LP) & Capitol FBF-335 (2-EP box set) 1952 – The Desert Song – Gordon MacRae, Lucille Norman, Bob Sands – Chorus and Orchestra Conducted by George Greeley – Capitol L-351 (10-inch LP) & Capitol FBF-351 (2-EP box set);(The Desert Song charted # 10 for one week) Issued in UK as Capitol (EMI) LC-6606. Issued in Australia as F-351 (2-EP box set) 1953 – The Desert Song / Roberta – Gordon MacRae, Lucille Norman – Chorus and Orchestra Conducted by George Greeley – Capitol P-384 (LP) 1953 – Three Sailors and a Girl (Soundtrack) – Gordon MacRae, Jane Powell – George Greeley Conductor and Arranger – Capitol L-485 (10-inch LP) & FBF-485 (2-EP box set) Released on CD in 2006. 1954 – Naughty Marietta – Gordon MacRae, Marguerite Piazza – Chorus and Orchestra Conducted by George Greeley – Capitol L-468 (LP) & Capitol FBF-468 (2-EP box set) Released in Australia as Capitol CLC-030 (LP). 1954 – Songs by Grieg and Dvorak – Dorothy Warenskjold – George Greeley Conducting the Concert Arts Orchestra – Capitol P-8247 (12-inch LP, Stereo). 1954 – Ella Logan Sings Favorites from Finian's Rainbow – Accompanied by George Greeley – Capitol H-561; Capitol/EMI (Australia) L-561 (10-inch LP) [One source says recorded in 1954, released in 1955]. 1955 – The Student Prince / The Merry Widow – Gordon MacRae – Chorus and Orchestra conducted by George Greeley – Capitol T-437 (LP) 1955 – Naughty Marietta / The Red Mill – Gordon MacRae – Chorus and Orchestra conducted by George Greeley – Capitol T-551 (LP) (Carmen Dragon conducted The Red Mill) 1955 – Love Songs Italiane – Tony Romano – George Greeley Conductor – Capitol H-478 (10-inch LP) & Capitol EAP-478 (2-EP box set) [Also issued in UK as LC-6688 & Capitol/EMI (Australia) H-478 (both 10-inch LPs); reissued in 2013 as CD (Various releases section)] 1950 – "Sometime" / "No Other Love" (Chopin adaptation) – Jo Stafford – Paul Weston and His Orchestra – George Greeley, Piano – Capitol-1053Note 1 1952 – "It's Magic" – Doris Day – George Greeley Piano – Columbia Catalogue 38188 (#2 US) + 1 million in salesNote 2 1952 – "High Noon" – Frankie Laine – George Greeley, Harpsichord – # 5 US, # 7 UKNote 3 1952 – "Flapperette" – Paul Weston Conductor – George Greeley, Piano – Columbia Records 1952 – "O, Come Away" / "Love in My Heart" – George Greeley, Piano – Capitol KDF-335 [Instrumentals of songs from "The Merry Widow"] 1952 – "You Belong to Me" – Jo Stafford – Paul Weston Conductor – George Greeley, Piano – Columbia Catalogue 39811 (# 1 US, # 1 UK)Note 4 1953 – "I Believe" – Frankie Laine – George Greeley, Harpsichord – 18 weeks on UK Singles ChartNote 5 1954 – Songs of Dvorak and Grieg – Dorothy Warenskjold, Soprano – George Greeley Conducting the Concert Arts Orchestra – Capitol Classics FAP-8250 (EP) [Composers names were reversed on EP] 1955 – "Memories Are Made of This" – Dean Martin – George Greeley, Piano – (EP) (#1 US)Note 6 1956 – The Eddy Duchin Story (Soundtrack) – Orchestra Conducted by Harry Geller – George Greeley and Harry Sukman, pianists – CAP-716 (EP); also Capitol/EMI (Australia) EAP 1-716 (EP) 1962 – "On the Trail Again" Frankie Laine – George Greeley, Harpsichord – CapitolNote 7 1964 – "Sentimental Journey – Doris Day – George Greeley, Piano – Capitol CL-2360 (Mono) & CS-9160 (Stereo) [Recorded 9-11-64]Note 8 Note 9