Van Heusen, Jimmy

orig. Edward Chester Babcock

born Jan. 26, 1913, Syracuse, N.Y., U.S.

died Feb. 7, 1990, Rancho Mirage, Calif.

U.S. songwriter.

He began working in radio in his teens. In the early 1930s he worked in Tin Pan Alley and later collaborated on songs such as "Darn That Dream" and "Polka Dots and Moonbeams." With Johnny Burke he wrote the songs for 23 Bing Crosby films. In 1954 he began collaborating with Sammy Cahn. He composed 76 songs for his friend Frank Sinatra, including "The Tender Trap" and "Come Fly with Me," and won Academy Awards for "Swinging on a Star," "All the Way," "High Hopes," and "Call Me Irresponsible."

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▪ American songwriter

byname of  Edward Chester Babcock  

born Jan. 26, 1913, Syracuse, N.Y., U.S.

died Feb. 7, 1990, Rancho Mirage, Calif.

      U.S. songwriter who composed for films, stage musicals, and recordings that most often featured singers Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra.

      Van Heusen worked as a staff pianist at music publishing companies in New York City before collaborating with lyricist Eddie de Lange to write songs, including the popular “Darn That Dream,” for a Broadway show Swingin' the Dream. The next year “Polka Dots and Moonbeams,” “All This and Heaven Too,” “Shake Down the Stars,” and “Imagination” helped to establish him as one of the most successful and prolific composers; indeed, in one season he released 60 songs. With his lyricist partner (1940–53) Johnny Burke he wrote the songs for 23 Crosby films; in 1954 he began collaborating with lyricist Sammy Cahn.

      Altogether he was credited with composing 76 songs for his friend Sinatra (Sinatra, Frank), including “The Tender Trap” and “Come Fly with Me.” Van Heusen won Oscars for composing “Swinging on a Star” (1944), “All the Way” (1957), “High Hopes” (1959), and “Call Me Irresponsible” (1963), and an Emmy for “Love and Marriage” (1956).

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