- Born
- Died
- Birth nameMorton Downey
- Nickname
- The Irish Nightingale
- Pianist, songwriter ("Wabash Moon"), composer, singer and businessman, educated in public schools and at Lyman Hall. He began his singing career in a Greenwich Village movie theatre, and was later a vocalist for the Paul Whiteman orchestra aboard the SS Leviathan. In 1927, he toured Europe and then opened his own night club, the Delmonico in New York, in 1930, which offered the chance to sing over radio. He was also a member of the board of directors of Coca-Cola and other corporations. Joining ASCAP in 1949, his chief musical collaborators included Dave Dreyer, Paul Cunningham, James Rule, and Dick Sanford. His other popular-song compositions include "California Skies", "All I Need is Someone Like You", "In the Valley of the Roses", "That's How I Spell Ireland", "Sweeten Up Your Smile", "There's Nothing New" and "Now You're in My Arms".
- IMDb mini biography by: Hup234!
- SpousesAnn Trainer(February 5, 1970 - October 25, 1985) (his death)Margaret Boyce Schulze(October 17, 1950 - May 21, 1964) (her death)Barbara Bennett(January 28, 1929 - June 4, 1941) (divorced, 5 children)
- Father of Morton Downey Jr.
- Often credited Frank Sinatra for saving his show business career in the early 1940s, and maintained a close relationship with each other in later years.
- Son of James Downey (fire chief of Wallingford, CT) and Elizabeth Cox.
- Biography in: "The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives". Volume One, 1981-1985, pages 242-243. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1998.
- He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Radio at 1680 Vine Street in Hollywood, California.
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