Lee Pockriss
{{short description|American songwriter}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Lee Pockriss
| birth_name = Lee Julian Pockriss
| birth_place = Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
| birth_date = {{Birth date |1924|1|20|mf=y}}
| death_place = Bridgewater, Connecticut, U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|2011|11|14|1924|1|20}}
| occupation = Songwriter
| associated_acts = Paul Vance, Hal Hacady, Ann Croswell
}}
Lee Julian Pockriss (January 20, 1924 – November 14, 2011)[https://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/17/arts/music/lee-pockriss-composer-and-songwriter-is-dead-at-87.html Lee Pockriss, Songwriter Behind ‘Itsy Bitsy’ Bikini, Dies at 87] in New York Times. November 17, 2011. was an American songwriter who wrote popular songs and scores for films and Broadway shows, mainly during the 1960s and 1970s.
Early life and career
Born in Brooklyn and graduating from Erasmus Hall High School, Pockriss's education at Brooklyn College was interrupted by World War II, where he served as a cryptographer for the US Army Air Force. Upon his return he studied English and music at Brooklyn College, and later attended graduate school in musicology at New York University.
Songwriting success
With Paul Vance he co-wrote Perry Como's Grammy-nominated "Catch a Falling Star", recorded in 1957; Brian Hyland's "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polkadot Bikini", recorded in 1960; and The Cuff Links' "Tracy", recorded in 1969.
Lee and Paul
In 1959, Pockriss and Vance released a single for Columbia records as "Lee and Paul", a novelty tune called "The Chick".
Other songs
With Hal Hackady he co-wrote Billy Thornhill's "The Key", recorded in 1968 on Wand Records.{{cite web |url=http://www.musicstack.com/item/141262969 |title=Problem Encountered |publisher=Musicstack.com |accessdate=2013-04-01 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141009012455/http://www.musicstack.com/item/141262969 |archivedate=2014-10-09 }} Again with Hal Hackady, he co-wrote the ballad "Kites"', first recorded by The Rooftop Singers, though a subsequent recording by Simon Dupree and the Big Sound charted at number 8 in Britain.
He also wrote Anita Bryant's "My Little Corner of the World", recorded in 1960, Shelley Fabares' "Johnny Angel", recorded in 1962, and Clint Holmes' "Playground in My Mind", recorded in 1972.
Broadway and film
With lyricist Anne Croswell he wrote the songs for the Broadway musical Tovarich starring Vivien Leigh, which received a Grammy nomination for Original Cast Album. Pockriss and Croswell also collaborated on the frequently produced Ernest in Love (based on The Importance of Being Earnest) and Bodo. Pockriss also wrote the music for the musicals Wonderful Olly, Dolley Madison, and Divorce Of Course, another collaboration with Hal Hackady.
Pockriss wrote seven original songs for MGM's full-length animated film The Phantom Tollbooth, scored the film The Subject Was Roses and wrote the title songs for One, Two, Three and the 1966 Western Stagecoach.
In 1969, Pockriss wrote the unproduced musical "Gatsby" based on F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel. with lyrics by Carolyn Leigh and book by Hugh Wheeler.The New York Times. A Musical Version of ‘Gatsby,’ Four Decades Late by Rachel Lee Harris, September 29, 2011. UnsungMusicalsCo. Inc. presented its world premiere in concert form as part of the New York Musical Theatre Festival in September 2011.The Bob Rogers Show, Radio 2CH, 09:21AEST, 18 November 2011.[http://www.nymf.org/module-ShowManager-display-sid-1784.html GATSBY: THE SONGS IN CONCERT] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111117154748/http://www.nymf.org/module-ShowManager-display-sid-1784.html |date=2011-11-17 }} New York Musical Theatre Festival. Retrieved 18 November 2011.
Sesame Street
In the 1980s, Pockriss wrote several songs for the children's educational series Sesame Street, including "I'm Between" (sung by Tony), "My Polliwog Ways" (sung by Kermit the Frog), "Transylvania Love Call" (Count von Count), and "My Rock" (Bert).
Death
Pockriss died aged 87, on November 14, 2011, at his home in Bridgewater, Connecticut, United States, following a long illness.{{cite news|title=Itsy Bitsy Bikini songwriter Lee Pockriss dies|date=18 November 2011 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-15789926|publisher=BBC News|accessdate=November 18, 2011}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p191168|pure_url=yes}} Allmusic] biography of Lee Pockriss
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20070327042907/http://www.mrltheatre.u-net.com/lee_pockriss.htm Michael Rose Limited] list of Pockriss songs
- {{IMDb name|0687900}}
- {{discogs artist|Lee Pockriss}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pockriss, Lee}}
Category:United States Army Air Forces personnel of World War II
Category:American cryptographers
Category:Musicians from Brooklyn
Category:American musical theatre composers
Category:American male musical theatre composers
Category:Jewish American songwriters
Category:Songwriters from New York (state)
Category:New York University alumni
Category:Erasmus Hall High School alumni
Category:Mathematicians from New York (state)