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Born Edward Chester Babcock, Jimmy Van Heusen used this stage name, based on the famous shirt company still around today Philips-Van Heusen, but his friends called him by his nickname “Chet.” He started writing music in high school and then studied at Cazenovia and Syracuse University, where he co-wrote songs with Harold Arlen. He eventually became a staff pianist for Tin Pan Alley publishers, where we composed “It’s the Dreamer in Me,” with lyrics by Jimmy Dorsey. He wrote over 60 songs in 1940 alone, when he teamed up with Johnny Burke, before the two moved to Hollywood where they wrote for musicals and film during the 40s and 50s. He even worked for Lockheed as a test pilot for a short time during WWII. He later teamed up with another lyricist, Sammy Cahn, who co-wrote hits like “Love and Marriage,” “To Love and Be Loved,” “Come Fly with Me,” and “Come Dance with Me” with many of their songs performed by Frank Sinatra. He composed for 5 Broadway musicals and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1971. He was nominated for a total of 14 Academy Awards for Best Song, winning 4 times, and an Emmy for Best Musical Contribution for “Love and Marriage.” He passed away in February 1990. |