Biography

Conductor, composer and songwriter, a music student of Frederick Converse and holder of an honorary Mus. D. from Dartmouth College and a Prix de Rome from The American Academy in Rome. He was associate conductor (with Arturo Toscanini) of the New York Philharmonic in 1934, and conducted symphony orchestras throughout the world. In 1940, he founded the Janssen Symphony in Los Angeles, which he conducted. He also conducted the Baltimore Symphony between 1937 and 1939, the Utah Symphony between 1946-1947, the Portland Symphony between 1947 and 1949, the San Diego Philharmonic between 1952 and 1954, the Symphony of the Air Orchestra in 1956, the Toronto Symphony in 1956 and 1957, and the Belgrade Philharmonic and Vienna State Opera Orchestra between 1959 and 1961. He was a Fellow of the American Academy in Rome, and a Knight First Class of the Order White Rose in Finland. He also made many records. Joining ASCAP in 1922, his popular-song compositions include "Wisdom Tooth", "Without the One You Love", "At the Fireplace", and "Falling Leaves".
- IMDb mini biography by: Hup234!

When his first wife, Ann Harding, divorced him, she accused him in court of giving her an ulcer.

He had one daughter with his first wife, Grace Kaye. He had three children with his second wife, Werner Janssen Jr., Alice Krelle, and Jennifer Janssen. He had four grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

Composer Janssen's birth name was Hans-Werner Janssen.