Ralph Rainger

He was one of the era's great composers and songwriters. Ralph Rainger penned numerous popular standards, often working in collaboration with lyricist Leo Robin. These include solid commercial hits like "Moanin Low", "Love in Bloom" (used by Jack Benny to introduce his TV and radio shows), "Love is Just Around the Corner", "Easy Living", "If I Should Lose You", "Blue Hawaii", the 1938 Oscar-winning Bob Hope theme song "Thanks for the Memory" and "June in January". Rainger initially acceded to the demands of his parents to prepare for a 'sensible career'. He graduated from Brown University Law School in the late 1920's, but work in the legal profession was never to his taste. After two years working for a Newark law firm (1924-26) for $50 a week, he quit. It didn't take him long to secure employment as a vaudeville pianist and arranger. For a while, he played in the orchestra of Paul Whiteman. He had his first commercial success as a composer with "Moanin Low", which became a nationwide hit as sung and later recorded by American torch singer Libby Holman (with lyrics by Howard Dietz) for the 1929 revue "The Little Show". Paired with Leo Robin, he was then hired as staff composer by Paramount, though the team later moved on to 20th Century Fox. Rainger worked in Hollywood until his tragic and untimely death in a mid-air collision in October 1942.