Freddie Rich, born in Poland, was a US pianist and band leader who lead dance bands then jazz bands in the 1920s, radio bands in the 1930s, and movie studio bands in the 1940s-50s.  Freddie Rich was co-writer of the song ‘I’m Just Wild About Animal Crackers’. He’s your Phantom Dancer feature artist this week.

The Phantom Dancer is your weekly non-stop mix of swing and jazz from live 1920s-60s radio and TV every week.

LISTEN to this week’s Phantom Dancer mix (online after 2pm AEST, Tuesday 12 December) and weeks of Phantom Dancer mixes online at, at https://2ser.com/phantom-dancer/

FRED

Among the musicians in Freddie Rich’s 1920s bands were the Dorsey Brothers, Joe Venuti, Bunny Berrigan and Benny Goodman

He studied at the Damrosch Conservatory of Music and led an orchestra at the Hotel Astor from the earley 1920s..

His theme songs were “I’m Always Chasing Rainbows” and “So Beats My Heart for You.”

Hee toured Europe from 1925-28 and enjoyed a long band residency at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City.

In the late 1920s he started leading a studio band.

He recorded for Okeh, Columbia, Paramount, Camden, and Vocalion, often under the names Fred Richards, the Astorites, and the Hotel Astor Band. He recorded piano rolls.

Rich also lead network radio bands and made radio transcriptions including ‘Friendly Five Footnotes’ for Jarman Shoes under the name of ‘Friendly Fred’.

In the late 1930s, he became musical director for radio stations.

RICH

In 1942, he moved to a staff position with United Artists Studios in Hollywood, where he remained for most of his career.

He was nominated for two Academy Awards:

• 1943 – Nominated for Academy Award for Original Music Score (Scoring of a Musical Picture) for Stage Door Canteen
• 1944 – Nominated for Academy Award for Original Music Score (Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture) for Jack London

12 December PLAY LIST