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Sammy Fain

{{Short description|American composer (1902–1989)}}

{{redirect|Samuel Feinberg|the Russian composer and pianist|Samuil Feinberg}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Sammy Fain

| image = Sammy Fain.jpg

| caption =

| image_size =

| background = non_performing_personnel

| birth_name = Samuel E. Feinberg

| alias =

| birth_date = {{birth date|1902|06|17}}

| birth_place = New York City, New York, United States

| death_date = {{death date and age|1989|12|06|1902|06|17}}

| death_place = Los Angeles, California, United States

| instrument = Piano

| genre = Popular music

| occupation = Composer
Vocalist
Musician

| years_active =

| label =

| past_member_of = Irving Kahal, Lew Brown, Artie Dunn

| website =

}}

Sammy Fain (born Samuel E. Feinberg; June 17, 1902 – December 6, 1989) was an American composer of popular music.{{cite book|title=The Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music|editor=Colin Larkin|editor-link=Colin Larkin (writer)|publisher=Virgin Books|date=1997|edition=Concise|isbn=1-85227-745-9|page=448}} In the 1920s and early 1930s, he contributed numerous songs that form part of The Great American Songbook, and to Broadway theatre. Fain was also a popular musician and vocalist.

Biography

Sammy Fain was born in New York City, the son of a cantor. In 1923, Fain appeared in the short sound film, "Sammy Fain and Artie Dunn" directed by Lee De Forest filmed in DeForest's Phonofilm sound-on-film process. In 1925, Fain left the Fain-Dunn act to devote himself to music. Fain was a self-taught pianist who played by ear. He began working as a staff pianist and composer for music publisher Jack Mills. In 1932, he appeared in the short film The Crooning Composer.{{citation needed|date=June 2023}}

Later, Fain worked extensively in collaboration with Irving Kahal. Together they wrote classics such as "Let a Smile Be Your Umbrella" and "You Brought a New Kind of Love to Me," (co-written with Pierre Norman) and "I'll Be Seeing You." Another lyricist who collaborated with Fain was Lew Brown, with whom he wrote "That Old Feeling". His Broadway credits also include Everybody's Welcome, Right This Way, Hellzapoppin', Flahooley, Ankles Aweigh, Christine and Something More.

Film works

Fain also composed music for more than 30 films in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song ten times, winning twice, with "Secret Love" from Calamity Jane{{Cite web|url=https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1954|title=The 26th Academy Awards | 1954|website=Oscars.org |date=4 October 2014 |access-date=26 August 2021}} in 1954 and with "Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing"{{Cite web|url=https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1956|title=The 28th Academy Awards | 1956|website=Oscars.org|date=19 February 2015 |access-date=26 August 2021}} from the movie of the same title in 1956. He co-wrote both songs with Paul Francis Webster, another long-time collaborator. Fain wrote the second theme to the TV series Wagon Train in 1958, which was called "(Roll Along) Wagon Train". He also contributed to the song scores for the Walt Disney animated films Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, and The Rescuers (the latter, soon to be his last effort, also earned him another Oscar nomination).{{Cite web|url=https://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/disneys-the-rescuers-on-records/|title=Disney's "The Rescuers" on Records ||website=Cartoonresearch.com|access-date=26 August 2021}}{{Cite web|url=https://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/happy-anniversary-to-walt-disneys-alice-in-wonderland/|title=Happy Anniversary to Walt Disney's "Alice in Wonderland!" ||website=Cartoonresearch.com|access-date=26 August 2021}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1978|title=The 50th Academy Awards | 1978|website=Oscars.org |date=5 October 2014 |access-date=26 August 2021}}

In 1963, he collaborated with Harold Adamson, in writing songs for the film The Incredible Mr. Limpet, which came out in 1964, and such songs as "I Wish I Were a Fish", "Be Careful How You Wish" and "Deep Rapture" enhanced his fame.{{citation needed|date=June 2023}}

Recognition

In 1972, he was inducted into The Songwriters Hall of Fame.{{Cite web|url=https://www.songhall.org/profile/Sammy_Fain|title=Sammy Fain | Songwriters Hall of Fame|website=Songhall.org|access-date=26 August 2021}}

Death

Fain died from a heart attack in Los Angeles, California, and is interred at Cedar Park Cemetery, in Emerson, New Jersey.

Work on Broadway

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

{{AcademyAwardBestOriginalSong 1951–1960}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fain, Sammy}}

Category:1902 births

Category:1989 deaths

Category:20th-century American composers

Category:20th-century American male musicians

Category:American musical theatre composers

Category:American male musical theatre composers

Category:Best Original Song Academy Award–winning songwriters

Category:Broadway composers and lyricists

Category:Burials at Cedar Park Cemetery (Emerson, New Jersey)

Category:Jewish American songwriters

Category:Musicians from New York City

Category:Songwriters from New York (state)

Category:Walt Disney Animation Studios people