Ralph Flanagan(1914-1995)
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Bandleader, conductor, pianist, composer, and arranger for the
orchestras of Hal McIntyre, Sammy Kaye, Blue Barron, Charlie Barnet,
and Alvino Rey. He was educated at Lorain High School, where he was a
member of the National Honors Society, the student senate and newspaper
staff, Hi-Y and the chorus. During World War II he served in the
Merchant Marine, and then by 1949 he formed a very successful orchestra
which is credited with re-popularizing the Glenn Miller "sound", and
which made many records, among them "Rag Mop" and "Hot Toddy". (The
Flanagan orchestra's theme songs were "Giannina Mia" and "Singing
Winds", the latter title also applying to the orchestra's singing
group.) He joined ASCAP in 1950, and his popular-song compositions
include "Hot Today" and "Flanagan's Boogie".