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IMDbPro

Ray Evans(1915-2007)

  • Music Department
  • Composer
  • Actor
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Academy Award-winning songwriter ("Buttons and Bows" [1948], "Mona Lisa" [1950], "Que Sera Sera" [1956]), composer, author, musician and publisher, educated at the Wharton School and the University of Pennsylvania. He began his career in the college dance orchestra, then played in local night clubs and cruise ships. He wrote special material for Olsen and Johnson, then went to Hollywood and was signed to a contract with Paramount in 1945-46, and then became a freelancer. His Broadway stage scores include "Oh Captain!" and "Let It Ride". He has written special material for television and night club acts, including those of Betty Hutton, Cyd Charisse and Mitzi Gaynor. With his partner, Jay Livingston (who also was his chief musical collaborator), he owned a music-publishing firm. Other musical collaborators included Henry Mancini, Max Steiner and Victor Young.

Joining ASCAP in 1945, his popular-song compositions include "Silver Bells", "G'bye Now", "Stuff Like That There", "A Square in the Social Circle", "My Love Loves Me", "A Thousand Violins", "I'll Always Love You", "Misto Cristofo Columbo", "Love Him", "The Ruby and the Pearl", "Haven't Got a Worry", "Never Let Me Go", "As I Love You", "Let Me Be Loved", "You're So Right for Me", "Surprise", "The Morning Music of Montmartre", "Marshmallow Moon", "My Beloved", "Angel Town", "All the Time", "Almost in Your Arms", "Dreamsville", "Warm and Willing", "Just an Honest Mistake", "His Own Little Island", "Love, Let Me Know" and "On My Way".
BornFebruary 4, 1915
DiedFebruary 15, 2007(92)
BornFebruary 4, 1915
DiedFebruary 15, 2007(92)
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Add photos, demo reels
  • Won 3 Oscars
    • 7 wins & 6 nominations total

Known for

Doris Day and James Stewart in The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)
The Man Who Knew Too Much
7.4
  • Soundtrack("Whatever Will Be, Will Be" (Que Sera, Sera), "We'll Love Again")
  • 1956
Gene Hackman in The Conversation (1974)
The Conversation
7.8
  • Soundtrack("To Each His Own" (1946))
  • 1974
Charlize Theron, Ben Affleck, and Gary Sinise in Reindeer Games (2000)
Reindeer Games
5.8
  • Soundtrack("Silver Bells")
  • 2000
Alan Ladd and Wanda Hendrix in Captain Carey, U.S.A. (1949)
Captain Carey, U.S.A.
6.2
  • Soundtrack("Mona Lisa")
  • 1949

Credits

Edit
IMDbPro

Music Department

  • Catalina Zavala Richard in Béa (2018)
    Béa
    • composer: theme music
    • Short
    • 2018
  • Helter Skelter (2004)
    Helter Skelter
    • composer: song "Whatever Will Be, Will Be"
    • TV Movie
    • 2004
  • Matt Carmody, Jared Daperis, Daniel Hugh Kelly, and Drew Powell in Ponderosa (2001)
    Ponderosa
    • composer: theme music
    • TV Series
    • 2001
  • Bonanza: Under Attack (1995)
    Bonanza: Under Attack
    • composer: original theme
    • TV Movie
    • 1995
  • Bonanza: The Return (1993)
    Bonanza: The Return
    • composer: theme "Bonanza"
    • TV Movie
    • 1993
  • Bonanza: The Next Generation (1988)
    Bonanza: The Next Generation
    • composer: original theme "Bonanza"
    • TV Movie
    • 1988
  • Bob Hope Buys NBC? (1985)
    Bob Hope Buys NBC?
    • composer: theme music
    • TV Special
    • 1985
  • The Doris Day Show (1968)
    The Doris Day Show
    • composer: theme music
    • composer: theme song "Que Sera, Sera"
    • TV Series
    • 1968–1973
  • Bonanza (1959)
    Bonanza
    • composer: theme music
    • TV Series
    • 1959–1973
  • Bob Denver and Herb Edelman in The Good Guys (1968)
    The Good Guys
    • composer: theme music
    • lyrics: theme song
    • TV Series
    • 1968–1970
  • Vacation Playhouse (1963)
    Vacation Playhouse
    • lyricist: "A Day in the Life of Frank"
    • TV Series
    • 1966
  • Tammy (1965)
    Tammy
    • composer: theme music
    • TV Series
    • 1965–1966
  • Allan Lane, Alan Young, and Mister Ed in Mister Ed (1961)
    Mister Ed
    • composer: theme music
    • TV Series
    • 1961–1965
  • Karen (1964)
    Karen
    • special songs
    • TV Series
    • 1965
  • Beetle Bailey (1963)
    Beetle Bailey
    • theme music composer (uncredited)
    • TV Series
    • 1963

Composer

  • Twisted Sister: Silver Bells (2006)
    Twisted Sister: Silver Bells
    • Composer
    • Music Video
    • 2006
  • The Secret of Old Glory Mine
    • Composer
    • TV Movie
    • 1976
  • Norman Corwin Presents (1971)
    Norman Corwin Presents
    • Composer
    • TV Series
    • 1972
  • Auf Sieg? Auf Platz? - Auf Liebe!
    • Composer
    • TV Movie
    • 1967
  • Beetle Bailey (1963)
    Beetle Bailey
    • Composer
    • TV Series
    • 1963
  • Krazy Kat (1962)
    Krazy Kat
    • Composer
    • TV Series
    • 1963
  • Schlager-Raketen (1960)
    Schlager-Raketen
    • Composer
    • 1960

Actor

  • Norman Corwin Presents (1971)
    Norman Corwin Presents
    • TV Series
    • 1972
  • William Holden, Nancy Olson, and Gloria Swanson in Sunset Blvd. (1950)
    Sunset Blvd.
    • Ray Evans
    • 1950

Personal details

Edit
  • Alternative name
    • Evans
  • Height
    • 5′ 10″ (1.78 m)
  • Born
    • February 4, 1915
    • Salamanca, New York, USA
  • Died
    • February 15, 2007
    • Los Angeles, California, USA(heart attack)
  • Spouse
    • Wyn Ritchie EvansApril 19, 1947 - April 11, 2003 (her death)
  • Publicity listings
    • 1 Article

Did you know

Edit
  • Trivia
    In their Television Archives interview, Ray Evans and Jay Livingston said when Desi Arnaz asked them to write a theme song for a Western television show, he told them he could not pay them much for a weekly salary, because the show was only going to last one year. The men made a deal with Desi to keep the rights to the song. When Bonanza became an unexpected smash-hit, owning the rights to the song, the men made millions.
  • Quotes
    [from an interview for the Los Angeles Times, 1985] I'm nuts about sports, play baseball and tennis every weekend. Jay [Livingston] couldn't care less. He's restrained and quiet. I'm more outward-going. Jay is a marvelous musician. I have a tin ear. But our tastes are similar, and we both like good music and song.

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