Forgotten crooner Lanny Ross was born Lancelot Patrick Ross in Seattle, Washington. He graduated from Taft School in 1924, where he captained the track team and led the Glee Club and Yale University in 1928, where he was one of the nations foremost intercollegiate track performers, as well as soloist with the famous Yale Glee Club, and he was a member of Zeta Psi and Skull and Bones. Additionally, in 1931 he earned a law degree from Columbia Law School., earning the wherewithal by making radio appearances. He also studied classical vocal technique at the Juilliard School of Music. Lanny Ross made his theatrical bow at the age of 2. By the time he was 5, he had already put in a hitch with a professional Shakespearean company (Ben Greets) and was something of a veteran. During his primary education in a Canadian convent and various Seattle and New York schools, young Ross confined his appearances to choir work, including term as head monitor at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, NY. His career began in radio in 1928 and included a five year run with Annette Hanshaw on the Maxwell House Show Boat program. His recording career began in 1929. He did so well on the radio that he gave up the legal profession and set forth on a singing career. Ross went on to success in vaudeville, night clubs and films. He served in the U.S. Army in World War II, achieving the rank of Major. During the war, he was called upon to sing the Oscar-nominated ballad, We Musnt Say Goodbye, for the 1943 motion picture, Stage Door Canteen. The film also received an Oscar nomination for best musical score that year. HIs radio programs have included Troubadour of the Moon, Maxwell House Showboat, Packard Mardi Gras, Lucky Strike Hit Parade and his own Lanny Ross Program, sponsored by Franco-American over the CBS Network. Ross introduced the standard popular song Stay as Sweet as You Are (w. Mack Gordon m. Harry Revel) in the 1934 film College Rhythm and became Ross most successful record. He starred in two Paramount films, Melody in Spring and College Rhythm and also in The Lady Objects for Columbia. In 1941 he drew critical acclaim for his acting in stock productions of Petticoat Fever,Pursuit of Happiness and Green Grow the Lilacs. He co-wrote the song Listen to My Heart with Al J. Neiburg and Abner Silver. It was performed in the 1939 short film Tempo of Tomorrow by Patricia Gilmore singing with the Richard Himber Orchestra. Ross died in New York City in 1988.
Posted on: Fri, 21 Mar 2014 18:43:47 +0000
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