David Rose

David Daniel Rose (June 15, 1910 – August 23, 1990) was a British-American songwriter, composer, arranger, pianist, and orchestra leader. His best known compositions were "The Stripper", "Holiday for Strings", and "Calypso Melody". He also wrote music for many television series, including It's a Great Life, The Tony Martin Show, Little House on the Prairie, Highway to Heaven, Bonanza, Leave It to Beaver, and Highway Patrol, some under the pseudonym Ray Llewellyn.

Rose's work as a composer for television programs earned him four Emmys. In addition, he was musical director for The Red Skelton Show during its 21-year run on the CBS and NBC networks. He was a member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, the national fraternity for men in music.

Rose was born in London, England, to Jewish parents, and raised in Chicago, Illinois, United States. The family name was originally Rosenberg. Rose's career in music began when he worked with Ted Fio Rito's band when he was 16. Rose also worked as a standby pianist for NBC Radio. There in the early 1930s, he first gained a reputation, while arranging for the Frank Trumbauer orchestra, and later leading a house band at station WGN.

He composed several early swing originals, such as "Break It Down", with Frankie Trumbauer, "Transcontinental", "Plantation Moods", and a piece recorded under three different titles: "I've Got It", "Itchola", and "Jigsaw Rhythm", his original version with the WGN band including Louis Prima.

Rose was asked to work in Hollywood, where he formed his orchestra, doing a twice-weekly radio show for Mutual Broadcasting System called California Melodies, writing all the broadcast arrangements. He worked his way up to becoming music director of the Mutual network. Rose's first try at composing was his hit song "Holiday for Strings". During World War II, Rose entered the Army, first meeting Red Skelton while both were enlisted. Skelton asked Rose to become the conductor for his Raleigh Cigarette Program. Rose joined the cast in 1948 and worked with Skelton on his television show for over 20 years.

Biography summary from English Wikipedia, photograph via Wikimedia Commons.