Addams Family songwriter Vic Mizzy dies http://www.cbc.ca/arts/music/story/2009/10/20/obit-mizzy-vic-themes.html
Vic Mizzy, the songwriter best known for composing the imminently hummable themes for 1960s' TV comedies The Addams Family and Green Acres, has died at the age of 93. Mizzy died at his home in Bel Air on Saturday, according to his manager, Jonathan Wolfson. The Brooklyn, N.Y.-born Mizzy began learning music as a child and, in his teens, teamed up with his friend Irving Taylor to write songs and sketches for variety shows. The duo soon joined the vaudeville community. During their stint in the U.S. Navy during the Second World War, they continued to write hit songs, including Three Little Sisters and Take It Easy. Their music would eventually be recorded by the likes of Dean Martin, Perry Como and Billie Holiday. It wasn't until the 1960s, however, that Mizzy scored his biggest hit with the theme to the silly and macabre comedy The Addams Family. Because the budget didn't allow him to hire singers, Mizzy sang the tune himself and overdubbed it several times to give the impression of other vocalists. He also directed the cast in the finger-snapping introductory title sequence and, in a rare move for the time, insisted on retaining ownership of the tune. Because of this, every time the catchy song was played — at sporting events, for instance — he received royalties. "I sat down; I went 'buh-buh-buh-bump [snap-snap], buh-buh-buh-bump," he recalled on the CBS show Sunday Morning in 2008. "That's why I'm living in Bel-Air: Two finger snaps and you live in Bel-Air," he quipped. After the debut of The Addams Family, Mizzy was called upon to compose a theme for the rural comedy Green Acres — another tune that also became an iconic sitcom theme. In addition to the music he composed for TV over the years, Mizzy also created music for films. Mizzy is survived by a brother, his daughter and two grandchildren. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ TV or Not TV .... The Smartest (TV) People! You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "TV or Not TV" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/tvornottv?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
