- Born
- Died
- Birth nameBenjamin Anselvitz
- Nicknames
- The Old Maestro
- Bernard Anzelevitz
- Height5′ 10″ (1.78 m)
- A composer ("Sweet Georgia Brown"), author, violinist and conductor, he was educated at the NY College of Music, City College of New York, and the Columbia School of Mines. Beginning his vaudeville act while selling violins in a New York department store, he organized his own orchestra in 1922, playing a long engagement at the Hotel Roosevelt in New York, then toured Europe. He toured with Maurice Chevalier, and was featured on radio for twenty years. Joining ASCAP in 1934, his musical collaborators were Kenneth Casey, Al Goering, Walter Hirsch, and Maceo Pinkard. Song compositions include "Who's Your Little Whoosis?", "I Can't Believe It's True", "Holding My Honey's Hand", "A Bowl of Chop Suey and Yooey", "After The Dance Was Over", "Was Last Night The Last Night?", "Ain't That Marvelous (My Baby Loves Me)", and "Strange Interlude".
- IMDb mini biography by: Hup234!
- SpousesDorothy Patricia Wesley(November 8, 1935 - October 20, 1943) (his death)Rose Bernie(? - September 19, 1935) (divorced, 1 child)
- Awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Radio at 6280 Hollywood Blvd.
- Although several biographies claim he was born in Bayonne, NJ, he was actually born on Attorney Street on the Lower East Side of New York. His father was a blacksmith and Ben was one of 11 children.
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content
