Arthur Johnston
Arthur James Johnston was born on January 10, 1898, in New York City, and passed away on May 1, 1954, in Corona del Mar, California. He was an American composer, conductor, pianist, and arranger known for his work in traditional pop music. Johnston began his career playing piano in movie houses and joined Fred Fisher's music publishing company at 16. He later became Irving Berlin's personal arranger and directed early Music Box Revues. His first hit song was "Mandy Make Up Your Mind," co-written for the show Dixie to Broadway.
In 1929, Johnston moved to Hollywood, where he orchestrated and arranged music for films such as Puttin' On the Ritz and Charlie Chaplin's City Lights. He collaborated with lyricists like Sam Coslow and Johnny Burke, producing notable songs like "Just One More Chance," "Cocktails for Two," and "Pennies From Heaven," the latter earning him an Academy Award nomination in 1936. Johnston also worked closely with Bing Crosby on several films and wrote music for the Jessie Matthews film Sailing Along during a visit to Britain in 1938.
During World War II, Johnston served in the US Army and later returned to Hollywood to write for movies, including Song of the South. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, leaving behind a legacy of classic songs such as "Moon Song (That Wasn't Meant For Me)," "My Old Flame," and "The Moon Got in My Eyes."
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