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Vic Mizzy, 1916-2009
Composer and songwriter Vic Mizzy died at his home in Bel-Air, California, on October 17, 2009, at the age of 93, from heart failure.
A prolific writer for popular music, film and television, Mizzy created two of the most instantly recognizable television themes of the 1960s, The Addams Family and Green Acres. His film career was dominated by comedy and light fantasy, including a celebrated series of scores for Don Knotts, but his wonderfully eccentric musical personality could also be heard in horror films such as The Night Walker and The Spirit Is Willing.
Victor Mizzy was born in Brooklyn, New York, on January 9, 1916, the son of immigrant parents. He began playing accordion and piano as a child and, while attending New York University, formed a songwriting partnership with Irving Taylor. The pair wrote sketches and songs for variety shows and appeared on radio programs including Major Bowes’ Original Amateur Hour. Mizzy subsequently became a successful Tin Pan Alley songwriter, producing hits such as “Three Little Sisters,” “There’s a Faraway Look in Your Eye” and “Take It Easy.”
During World War II Mizzy served for four years in the United States Navy while continuing to write songs. He later collaborated with lyricist Mann Curtis on hits including “My Dreams Are Getting Better All the Time,” “Pretty Kitty Blue Eyes,” “The Whole World Is Singing My Song” and “The Jones Boy.” His songs were recorded by performers including Doris Day, Perry Como, Dean Martin and Billie Holiday, establishing him as a successful popular songwriter long before Hollywood became his principal occupation. Read more…
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