Biography
Born as Zoe Parenteau on 26 June 1914 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, and passing away on 12 July 1990 in Westport, Connecticut, USA, the performer later known as Joan Whitney first studied at Finch College in New York City before entering the entertainment industry. She took her professional name and reached Broadway in 1934 with The Great Waltz, later joining the dance ensemble of Calling All Stars alongside Judy Canova, Ella Logan and Martha Raye. Uncredited vocal work with orchestras such as Leo Reisman’s also appeared on disc during this period.
Songwriting began after her marriage to Alex Kramer, born 30 May 1903 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and deceased 10 February 1998 in Westport, Connecticut, USA, whom she had met while taking singing lessons from him. Their initial hit, the 1941 composition “High On A Windy Hill,” gained success through Jimmy Dorsey. Subsequent numbers included the 1944 Mack David collaboration “It’s Love, Love, Love,” heard in the films Stars On Parade and Song Of Nevada that same year and cut by Guy Lombardo; “Candy,” likewise written with David and introduced by Jo Stafford; and the 1947 track “Curiosity,” created with additional input from Sam Ward.
Further credits encompassed “So You’re The One,” recorded by Eddy Duchin; the Hy Zaret partnership “It All Comes Back To Me Now,” featured in the 1944 picture Abroad With Two Yanks and waxed by Howard Dulaney with Gene Krupa’s band; and another Zaret effort, “My Sister And I,” which became a favorite for Dorsey. Whitney and Kramer also supplied “Love Somebody,” a 1948 release performed by Doris Day, and “Money Is The Root Of All Evil,” delivered on screen by Anne Jeffreys in the 1947 film Riffraff.
Their most enduring pieces proved to be “Far Away Places,” taken up by Bing Crosby and Perry Como, and “Ain’t Nobody Here But Us Chickens,” popularized by Louis Jordan and later interpolated into the 1992 Broadway production Five Guys Named Moe; “Candy” itself resurfaced in the 1999 musical Swing!. Whitney took minor screen parts in Two Tickets To Broadway and My Favorite Spy, both from 1951, followed by Son Of Sinbad in 1955 and Jet Pilot in 1957. Recognition arrived in 1982 when she and Kramer were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Songwriting began after her marriage to Alex Kramer, born 30 May 1903 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and deceased 10 February 1998 in Westport, Connecticut, USA, whom she had met while taking singing lessons from him. Their initial hit, the 1941 composition “High On A Windy Hill,” gained success through Jimmy Dorsey. Subsequent numbers included the 1944 Mack David collaboration “It’s Love, Love, Love,” heard in the films Stars On Parade and Song Of Nevada that same year and cut by Guy Lombardo; “Candy,” likewise written with David and introduced by Jo Stafford; and the 1947 track “Curiosity,” created with additional input from Sam Ward.
Further credits encompassed “So You’re The One,” recorded by Eddy Duchin; the Hy Zaret partnership “It All Comes Back To Me Now,” featured in the 1944 picture Abroad With Two Yanks and waxed by Howard Dulaney with Gene Krupa’s band; and another Zaret effort, “My Sister And I,” which became a favorite for Dorsey. Whitney and Kramer also supplied “Love Somebody,” a 1948 release performed by Doris Day, and “Money Is The Root Of All Evil,” delivered on screen by Anne Jeffreys in the 1947 film Riffraff.
Their most enduring pieces proved to be “Far Away Places,” taken up by Bing Crosby and Perry Como, and “Ain’t Nobody Here But Us Chickens,” popularized by Louis Jordan and later interpolated into the 1992 Broadway production Five Guys Named Moe; “Candy” itself resurfaced in the 1999 musical Swing!. Whitney took minor screen parts in Two Tickets To Broadway and My Favorite Spy, both from 1951, followed by Son Of Sinbad in 1955 and Jet Pilot in 1957. Recognition arrived in 1982 when she and Kramer were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.