Composer, conductor and arranger Lennie Hayton (13 February 1908 – 24 April 1971) was initially a pianist in leading jazz groups led by Frankie Trumbauer, Bix Beiderbecke, Red Nichols, Joe Venuti and others. He also played with the Paul Whiteman Orchestra.
He became musical director in MGM in 1940 and guided it through its prime years as forerunner of the movie musical. Up until his retirement from the post in 1953, he racked up four Oscar nominations, for “The Harvey Girls” in 1946, the Bob Hope comedy “The Pirate” in 1948, and two of the all-time classic musicals, “On the Town” in 1949 (for which he won the Academy Award) and “Singin’ in the Rain” in 1952.
Hayton notched up two more nominations – one in 1968 for the flop Julie Andrews musical “Star!” and his last the following year for the Barbra Streisand vehicle “Hello Dolly!”, which brought him his second Oscar.
Hayton also had the distinction of enjoying one of Hollywood’s longest lasting marriages, unique because it was also a bi-racial one, to Lena Horne. They were married in 1947, a union that lasted up until his death in 1971. Throughout the marriage, Hayton also acted as Horne’s music director.
His trademark was the wearing of a captain’s hat, which he always wore at a rakish angle.
Hayton briefly led his own band in 1928 before being hired by Paul Whiteman in September of 1928.
Hayton stayed busy during the 1930s recording with many of the top names in jazz, including Bix Biederbecke, Joe Venuti, Red Nichols, and Frankie Trumbauer.
When it broke up in 1941 Hayton settled in Hollywood, where he served as a musical director for MGM until 1953.
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