Biography
Wise entered the world on 27 May 1915 in New York City and departed on 18 January 1966 in the same metropolis. Throughout his career he supplied material, most often in tandem with other writers, for motion pictures of the 1940s such as I’m Just Curious (1944), Snap Happy (1945) and On An Island With You (1948); the last of these introduced the number “Nightingale,” created alongside Xavier Cugat and George Rosner. In 1948 he joined Buddy Kaye and Sidney Lippman in composing “A?You’re Adorable,” which Perry Como committed to disc. Songs by Wise later appeared in several late-1950s and early-1960s films, among them King Creole (1958, “Crawfish”), Wild In The Country (1961, “I Slipped, I Stumbled, I Fell” and “In My Way”), Follow That Dream (1962, title song composed with Ben Wiesman), Kid Galahad (1962, “This Is Living,” “Riding The Rainbow” and “I Got Lucky”) and both Fun In Acapulco and Kissin’ Cousins (1963). For the last-named picture Wise partnered with Randy Starr on the opening-credits number “Kissin’ Cousins,” a track that reached the Top 20 in Elvis Presley’s rendition; a differently titled closing-credits song was supplied by other hands. Presley starred in many of these productions, and Wise contributed additional music to three further Presley vehicles of the mid-1960s: Roustabout (1964), Paradise - Hawaiian Style (1966) and Spinout (1966, released in the UK as California Holiday). Together with Weisman, Kay Twomey and Bert Kaempfert he fashioned the English lyrics for “Wooden Heart,” performed by Presley in G.I. Blues (1960). Presley also recorded several other Wise compositions, including “Fame And Fortune,” “Summer Kisses, Winter Tears” and “Almost Always True,” the last derived from a melody originally written by Joseph Saucier.
Wise joined Sidney Keith Russell and Milton Leeds in preparing an English adaptation of “Misirlou,” Nicholas Roubanis’s 1941 transcription of a Greek folk melody; a 1927 recording by Michalis Patrinos has prompted occasional co-composer credit for that performer. The song gained wide currency, appearing in versions by numerous artists especially during the surf-music era and receiving prominent use at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. The Beatles placed on record “Lend Me Your Comb,” which Wise wrote with Weisman and Twomey. Years after Wise’s death, “Pocketful Of Rainbows” featured in the soundtrack of Jerry Maguire (1996), while Dick Dale And His Del-Tones’ reading of “Misirlou” accompanied Pulp Fiction (1994).
Wise joined Sidney Keith Russell and Milton Leeds in preparing an English adaptation of “Misirlou,” Nicholas Roubanis’s 1941 transcription of a Greek folk melody; a 1927 recording by Michalis Patrinos has prompted occasional co-composer credit for that performer. The song gained wide currency, appearing in versions by numerous artists especially during the surf-music era and receiving prominent use at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. The Beatles placed on record “Lend Me Your Comb,” which Wise wrote with Weisman and Twomey. Years after Wise’s death, “Pocketful Of Rainbows” featured in the soundtrack of Jerry Maguire (1996), while Dick Dale And His Del-Tones’ reading of “Misirlou” accompanied Pulp Fiction (1994).