Pianist, songwriter ("China Boy", "Blue Dawn"), composer, author and conductor, educated at Philadelphia Music Academy. He was a pianist and arranger for the Paul Whiteman orchestra, and a military bandmaster during World War I. Later, he was the music director for Paramount Pictures and United Artists Studios, and composed for films, often on an uncredited basis. Joining ASCAP in 1930, his chief musical collaborators included Ned Washington, Dick Winfree, Harry Tobias, Rubey Cowan, Foster Carling, and Al Dubin. His other song compositions include "Lonesome", "Little Doll", "The Man With the Big Sombrero", "Teton Mountain Stomp", "Star of Hope", "I Loved You Too Little", "I Love You, Believe Me I Love You", "Hippy Happy Henny", and "Monna Vanna".