Details About Tommy Dorsey: Age, Nationality, Salary, Parents

Known for movies

Short Info

Died	November 26, 1956, Greenwich, Connecticut, United States
Spouse	Patricia Dane
Fact	He and his brother Jimmy Dorsey formed The Dorsey Brothers Orchestra in 1930. Tommy, the more temperamental one, is usually blamed for igniting the long-standing feud that broke them up in 1935. Apparently an argument erupted over the tempo of one of their songs, which led to Tommy's exit. They appeared together for one film in 1947, but did not reunite until 1953, when they reformed an orchestra. The final years of their lives were spent co-hosting a musical variety show, which introduced Elvis Presley to TV for the first time (he sang "Heartbreak Hotel").

Tommy Dorsey was born on November 19, 1905 in Mahanoy Plane, Pennsylvania. His parents were Thomas Francis Dorsey, Sr. and Theresa Langton Dorsey. He had four siblings: Edward, George, Joseph and Helen. Tommy Dorsey’s father was a coal miner and his mother was a music teacher. Dorsey’s interest in music began when he was a child and he took piano lessons from his mother. He started playing the trombone when he was eleven years old.

Dorsey’s musical career began when he played in the Scranton Sirens, a dance band, in 1923. He moved to New York City in 1927 and played with the New York Symphony Orchestra. In 1929, Dorsey began playing with the New York Philharmonic. He also played with the Paul Whiteman Orchestra and the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra. In 1935, Dorsey and his brother, Jimmy, formed the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra. The orchestra became one of the most popular bands of the 1930s and 1940s.

They played at the Cotton Club and at Carnegie Hall. The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra had many hit records, including “I’m Getting Sentimental Over You” and “Marie. ” Tommy Dorsey’s net worth was $50 million at the time of his death. He died of a heart attack on November 26, 1956 in Greenwich, Connecticut.

General Info

Full Name	Tommy Dorsey
Died	November 26, 1956, Greenwich, Connecticut, United States
Profession	Actor, Composer, Bandleader, Trumpeter, Trombonist, Song of India, I'll Never Smile Again, I'm Gettin' Sentimental Over You
Nationality	American

Family

Spouse	Patricia Dane
Children	Patricia Dorsey, Steve Dorsey, Catherine Susan Dorsey, Song of India, I'll Never Smile Again, I'm Gettin' Sentimental Over You
Parents	Thomas Francis Dorsey, Sr., Theresa Dorsey, Song of India, I'll Never Smile Again, I'm Gettin' Sentimental Over You
Siblings	Jimmy Dorsey

Accomplishments

Awards	Grammy Hall of Fame
Music Groups	The Dorsey Brothers, The California Ramblers, Original Memphis Five, Song of India, I'll Never Smile Again, I'm Gettin' Sentimental Over You
Movies	A Song Is Born, The Fabulous Dorseys, Presenting Lily Mars, Upbeat in Music, Du Barry Was a Lady, Las Vegas Nights
TV Shows	Stage Show

Social profile links

IMDB	http://imdb.com/name/nm0234186

Quotes

#	Quote
1	I wish you wouldn't make the strings such an important part of your arrangements because frankly they're only a tax dodge! - to Nelson Riddle

Facts

#	Fact
1	A trombonist and bandleader, he appeared with his own orchestra in a few films of the 40's but is best remembered for his band's recordings - like "Marie" (sung by Jack Leonard) and "On the Sunny Side of the Street.".
2	His mother died on June 22, 1968, at the age of 93.
3	His brother, Jimmy, had an affair with Tommy's second wife, Patricia, before Patricia and Tommy met. Later, at one of Tommy's birthday parties, Jimmy shoved the cake in Patricia's face, leading to a fight between the two brothers.
4	His daughter, Pat, got married in February 1943 to Lester Hooker, who was to become a basketball coach at William and Mary and University of Richmond. They had three children and were married until his death in 1999. Dorsey was not happy about the marriage, as Pat was only seventeen.
5	His first wife obtained a divorce on the grounds of adultery.
6	He had an affair with Tallulah Bankhead during his first marriage.
7	His first wife was always called Toots.
8	His daughter, Patricia Marie Dorsey, was born on April 11, 1925. She was called Patsy or Pat. She now goes by Pat Dorsey Hooker.
9	His son, Thomas Francis "Skipper" Dorsey III, born September 9, 1930.
10	Edythe Wright was his mistress from 1935 until at least 1941. She joined his band in 1935, but left in 1939 after his wife found out and insisted she leave the band.
11	His two youngest children, Susan and Steve, did not attend his funeral because their mother felt that they were too young.
12	He had a son, Steve, with his third wife, Jane.
13	Frank Sinatra refused to be a part of his memorial show, saying, "I didn't like him. It would be inappropriate for me to appear on a memorial show." Buddy Rich refused to appear because Sinatra wouldn't appear.
14	His daughter, Catherine Susan "Susie," was born in November, 1949.
15	His father, Thomas Francis Dorsey, died in July 12, 1942.
16	He was the uncle of Julie Lou Dorsey.
17	He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Reocrding at 6675 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California.
18	The Dorsey brothers' father, Thomas Dorsey, Sr., was a cornet-playing coal miner who also led the Shenandoah town band and gave music lessons on the side. He was his sons' first teacher. Their mother, Tess Dorsey, would outlive both her sons by several years.
19	Buried at Kensico Cemetary, Valhalla, New York. His grave marker in a granite slab with the raised outline of a trombone in the middle.
20	Inducted into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame in 1981.
21	Inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1989.
22	Pictured with brother Jimmy Dorsey on one of a set of four 29¢ US commemorative postage stamps in the Legends of American Music series, issued 11 September 1996, celebrating big band leaders. Other band leaders honored in this issue are Count Basie, Glenn Miller, and Benny Goodman.
23	The first variety show on which Elvis Presley appeared was Stage Show (1954), a summer replacement for The Jackie Gleason Show (1952), hosted by Dorsey and his brother Jimmy Dorsey. Jackie Gleason, the show's producer, later apologized for putting on "a porno act" and Ed Sullivan said he would never have anything like that on his show. Sullivan later changed his mind after Elvis made another appearance on a rival TV show.
24	He and his brother Jimmy Dorsey formed The Dorsey Brothers Orchestra in 1930. Tommy, the more temperamental one, is usually blamed for igniting the long-standing feud that broke them up in 1935. Apparently an argument erupted over the tempo of one of their songs, which led to Tommy's exit. They appeared together for one film in 1947, but did not reunite until 1953, when they reformed an orchestra. The final years of their lives were spent co-hosting a musical variety show, which introduced Elvis Presley to TV for the first time (he sang "Heartbreak Hotel").
25	Choked to death in his sleep after a heavy meal.
26	Brother of bandleader Jimmy Dorsey.

Pictures

Movies

Soundtrack

Title	Year	Status
Hail, Caesar!	2016	writer: "Song of India"
Boardwalk Empire	2012	TV Series 1 episode
Sparkle	2012/I	writer: "You Taught Me To Love Again"
Mildred Pierce	2011	TV Mini-Series performer - 1 episode
Mafia II	2010	Video Game performer: "THE DIPSY DOODLE"
Big River Man	2009	Documentary writer: "Take My Hand Precious Lord" - as Thomas Dorsey
Mad Men	2008	TV Series performer - 1 episode
Bitter & Twisted	2008	performer: "Song of India"
Crips and Bloods: Made in America	2008	Documentary performer: "Opus One" - as Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra
Cold Case	2006	TV Series 1 episode
Anytown, USA	2005	Documentary performer: "Marie"
The Human Stain	2003	performer: "Sleepy Lagoon" 1940
Hart's War	2002	performer: "Marie"
RKO 281	1999	TV Movie arranger: "Song of India"
Frank Lloyd Wright	1998	Documentary "Song of India"
President i ego zhenshchina	1996	music: "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You"
The Exorcist III	1990	performer: "Song of India"
Where the Heart Is	1990	performer: "A Song Of India"
Radio Days	1987	performer: "Opus One" 1943, "You and I" 1941, "I'm Gettin' Sentimental Over You" 1932
The Jewel in the Crown	1984	TV Mini-Series performer - 1 episode
WKRP in Cincinnati	1981	TV Series performer - 1 episode
Annie Hall	1977	performer: "Sleepy Lagoon" 1930
The Andy Griffith Show		TV Series lyrics - 1 episode, 1962 music - 1 episode, 1962
The George Gobel Show	1955	TV Series writer - 1 episode
Universal Name Band Musical 7301: Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra	1951	Short performer: "You Left Your Brown-Eyed Baby", "Opus No. 1", "Hucklebuck", "Boogie Woogie", "Diane"
A Song Is Born	1948	performer: "A Song Is Born" 1948
The Great Morgan	1946	performer: "I Fell in Love with the Leader of the Band"
Thrill of a Romance	1945	performer: "Please Don't Say No, Say Maybe", "I Should Care", "Song of India", "Opus One", "Battle of the Balcony Jive", "The Guy with the Slide Trombone Hungarian Rhapsody", "Ich Liebe Dich" - uncredited
Broadway Rhythm	1944	performer: "I Love Corny Music"
Girl Crazy	1943	performer: "Fascinating Rhythm" 1924 - uncredited
Du Barry Was a Lady	1943	"I'm Getting Sentimental Over You" 1932 / performer: "Friendship" 1939
Ship Ahoy	1942	"The Last Call for Love" 1942 / performer: "I'll Take Tallulah" 1942
Mirrors	1934	Short "China Boy", uncredited

Actor

Title	Year	Status	Character
Universal Name Band Musical 7301: Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra	1951	Short	Tommy Dorsey
Disc Jockey	1951		Tommy Dorsey
A Song Is Born	1948		Tommy Dorsey
The Fabulous Dorseys	1947		Tommy Dorsey
Thrill of a Romance	1945		Tommy Dorsey
Broadway Rhythm	1944		Tommy Dorsey
Girl Crazy	1943		Tommy Dorsey
Swing Fever	1943		Tommy Dorsey (uncredited)
I Dood It	1943		Tommy Dorsey (uncredited)
Du Barry Was a Lady	1943		Tommy Dorsey
Presenting Lily Mars	1943		Tommy Dorsey
Ship Ahoy	1942		Tommy Dorsey
Birth of the Blues	1941		Tommy Dorsey
Las Vegas Nights	1941		Tommy Dorsey

Self

Title	Year	Status	Character
Music on 2	1970	TV Series	Himself
Stage Show	1954-1956	TV Series	Himself - Co-Host / Himself
What's My Line?	1950-1955	TV Series	Himself - Mystery Guest
The Jackie Gleason Show	1953-1955	TV Series	Himself - Guest Host / Himself - Guest Co-Host / Himself / ...
This Is Your Life	1954	TV Series	Himself
The George Jessel Show	1954	TV Series	Himself
Upbeat in Music	1943	Documentary short	Band Leader
High Hat	1929	Short	Himself (uncredited)

Archive Footage

Title	Year	Status	Character
My Music: Starlight Ballroom	2015	TV Movie	Himself
Sinatra: All or Nothing at All	2015	TV Mini-Series documentary	Himself
Io sono Tony Scott, ovvero come l'Italia fece fuori il più grande clarinettista del jazz	2010	Documentary	Himself
My Music: The Big Band Years	2009	TV Movie	Himself
Biography	1998	TV Series documentary	Himself
This Is Elvis	1981		Himself (uncredited)
All You Need Is Love	1977	TV Series documentary	Himself
That's Entertainment, Part II	1976	Documentary	Clip from 'Girl Crazy' (uncredited)
Amigos del martes	1964	TV Series	Himself
The Ed Sullivan Show	1963	TV Series	Himself, Band Leader
The Great Morgan	1946		Tommy Dorsey (uncredited)