Ray Anthony

Ray Anthony, a leading swing-era trumpeter, capitalized on his tenure with the Glenn Miller Orchestra throughout the 1940s to launch a dual career as a bandleader and Hollywood actor during the following decade. Possessing a robust, warm timbre and a fluid, swinging approach, he earned favorable notice alongside trumpet legend Harry James while sustaining extensive success through live performances and studio recordings. Numerous Anthony releases after his Miller period leaned toward commercial appeal and yielded several popular successes for the trumpeter, among them “The Bunny Hop,” “Harbor Lights,” and “Peter Gunn.”

Born Raymond Antonini in Bentleyville, Pennsylvania, in 1922, Anthony spent his formative years in Cleveland, Ohio, within a sizable musical household. His bandleader father introduced him to the trumpet at age five; rapid progress soon led him into the family’s Antonini Orchestra. During his teenage years he fronted his own ensemble and made his professional entrance with the Al Donahue Orchestra. That exposure attracted trombonist and bandleader Glenn Miller, who engaged him as first-chair trumpeter. Between 1940 and 1941 Anthony toured and recorded with Miller, appearing with the group in the musical film Sun Valley Serenade. He also performed for several months in Jimmy Dorsey’s big band before enlisting in the Navy for World War II service. Stationed in the Pacific, he directed a military ensemble throughout his enlistment.

Following his 1946 discharge, Anthony assembled the Ray Anthony Orchestra and embarked on nationwide tours. Early in the 1950s he joined Capitol Records, achieving prompt commercial recognition with tracks such as “The Hokey Pokey” and his signature hit “The Bunny Hop,” which ignited a national dance craze. Additional successes followed, including a 1952 rendition of Glenn Miller’s “At Last” on the album I Remember Glenn Miller and a widely embraced 1953 interpretation of the Dragnet television theme. Throughout the decade he maintained an active touring schedule while issuing numerous favorably received Capitol albums. His rising profile also opened doors to television and film work, including a stint as musical director for the program Top Tunes and a brief run hosting his own variety series. Acting roles emerged as well, beginning with appearances as himself before expanding to portrayals such as Jimmy Dorsey in The Five Pennies and co-starring with his then-wife, actress and renowned sex symbol Mamie Van Doren, in the 1958 film High School Confidential and the 1959 release Girls Town.

Although his acting opportunities diminished in the 1960s, Anthony retained his standing as a sought-after trumpeter, performing regularly on the Las Vegas circuit and producing a succession of mood-music collections such as Dream Dancing Medley. He also assembled the pop-oriented Ray Anthony & His Bookend Revue, presenting himself between two female vocalists. During these years he issued several albums of pop and rock material, among them The Twist, Swim, Swim, C’mon Let’s Swim, and the country-and-western set Worried Mind. He stayed busy through the 1970s with live engagements and further recordings, including Direction ’71: My Sweet Lord, which contained an instrumental version of the George Harrison composition.

In the 1980s Anthony championed the big-band revival, sharing stages with fellow swing figures Buddy Rich, Les Brown, and Harry James. He additionally established an organization that supplied big-band arrangements to school music programs. Thereafter he continued performing and recording on his Aero Space Records imprint, releasing Dream Dancing, Vol. 6: The Sinatra Songbook in 2004 and Dream Dancing, Vol. 7: The Harry James Songbook in 2005. A longtime associate of the late Hugh Hefner, Anthony performed annually on New Year’s Eve at the Playboy Mansion and appeared on the E! reality series The Girls Next Door.