- Born
- Died
- Birth nameWilliam Randolph Cole
- Cozy Cole was born on October 17, 1909 in East Orange, New Jersey, USA. He was an actor, known for Rules Don't Apply (2016), The Glenn Miller Story (1954) and Who Shot Pat? (1989). He was married to Lee Parker. He died on January 29, 1981 in Columbus, Ohio, USA.
- SpouseLee Parker
- Along with Gene Krupa, he ran a drum tuition academy in New York during the early and mid-1950's. He duetted with Krupa in the motion picture The Glenn Miller Story (1954).
- Started on drums as a child, becoming professional in 1928. After playing in the orchestra of Wilbur Sweatman, he organised his first own band and, by 1930, recorded with Jelly Roll Morton. During the 1930's and 40's, he alternated leading small groups with playing for, among others, Cab Calloway, Benny Carter, Benny Goodman and the Louis Armstrong All-Stars.
- As member of an All-Star Orchestra led by Jack Teagarden and Earl Hines, he toured Europe in 1957 and the following year had a million selling singles hit with "Topsy". During the early 1960's, the Cozy Cole Combo performed at the Metropole in New York and a quintet led by Cole toured Africa between 1962 and 1963.
- Studied at the Juilliard School of Music.
- Was the first black musician engaged as a member of a network musical staff, when he was hired by CBS in 1943 to work alongside Raymond Scott.
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