Louis Alter
An older Lou Alter.
Date & Place:
Not specified or unknown.
Advertisement
Advertisement
3
Louis Alter 1902 - 1980
Louis Edwin Alter of New York, New York County, NY was born on June 18, 1902 at Massachusetts in Haverhill, Massachusetts, Massachusetts U.S.A., and died at age 78 years old on November 5, 1980 at New York City in New York, NY, Manhattan County, New York USA.
Louis Edwin Alter
Louis Alter, "Lou Alter" to friends.
New York, New York County, NY 10021
June 18, 1902
Massachusetts in Haverhill, Massachusetts, Massachusetts, U.S.A.
November 5, 1980
New York City in New York, NY, Manhattan County, New York, USA
Male
Looking for another Louis Alter?
ADVERTISEMENT
BY ANCESTRY.COM
Louis Edwin Alter's History: 1902 - 1980
Uncover new discoveries and connections today by sharing about people & moments from yesterday.- Discover how AncientFaces works.
-
Films and Broadway In 1929, Alter moved to Hollywood, where he wrote songs for films, beginning with The Hollywood Review of 1929, and he continued to provide piano accompaniment for various singers, including Beatrice Lillie and Helen Morgan. His contributions to Broadway musicals included songs in Sweet and Low (1930) and Ballyhoo (1931). His first song hit was "Hugs and Kisses" in 1926. In 1928, Alter composed the music and wrote the lyrics of Paris (1928 musical). Other top tunes by Alter include "My Kinda Love," "You Turned the Tables on Me," "Nina Never Knew," "Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans" (for the 1947 film New Orleans), "Blue Shadows" and "Rainbow on the River." He wrote "A Melody from the Sky" and "Twilight on the Trail" for The Trail of the Lonesome Pine (1936). His collaborators included Oscar Hammerstein II, Charlotte Kent, Raymond Klages, Sidney D. Mitchell, and Jo Trent. World War II and later years As a piano soloist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, he performed at the Hollywood Bowl. In 1942, "Manhattan Serenade" once again became a hit after Harold Adamson added lyrics. Alter also composed large-scale pieces for piano and orchestra, including American Serenade and Metropolitan Nocturne. In later years, Alter lived in New York and maintained a summer residence on Fire Island. Awards Twice nominated for Academy Awards ("Dolores," "A Melody from the Sky"), he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1975. Death He died on November 5, 1980 at age 78, of pneumonia at Saint Clare's Hospital in Manhattan, New York City. Hurricane Katrina After Hurricane Katrina, his song "Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans" took on a different kind of meaning in 2005–06 and experienced a revival due to its use in various post-Katrina documentary films and TV shows. It was used for strong emotional effect in Spike Lee's four-hour When the Levees Broke (2006) and an equally moving dramatic sketch by Billy Crystal on HBO's Comic Relief 2006.
-
06/181902June 18, 1902BirthdateMassachusetts in Haverhill, Massachusetts, Massachusetts U.S.A.BirthplaceADVERTISEMENT BY ANCESTRY.COMView birth records
-
Louis Edwin Alter + Buried with his family in a Jewish Cemetery. Photo added by Taphophile Picture of Added by Amanda S. Stevenson Picture of Added by Amanda S. Stevenson Louis Edwin Alter Birth 18 Jun 1902 Haverhill, Essex County, Massachusetts, USA Death 3 Nov 1980 (aged 78) Burial Children of Israel Cemetery Haverhill, Essex County, Massachusetts, USA Show Map Memorial ID 225093307 · View Source Memorial Photos 3 Flowers 1 Father: Simon Alter Mother: Bessie Reinelman Family Members Parents Simon Alter 1858–1920 Rebecca Reinelman Alter 1870–1935 Spouse Marla Shelton McKellop Gitterman 1912–2001 (m. 1945) You are remembered and loved. Thanks for being the younger brother of my grandpa Maurice Alter Left by JONATHAN ALTER on 23 Apr 2023
-
Louis Edward Alter - Jewish New England Conservatory of Music Louis Edward Alter Also Known As: "Lou" Birthdate: June 18, 1902 Birthplace: Haverhill, Essex County, Massachusetts, United States Death: November 05, 1980 (78) New York, New York, United States Immediate Family: Son of Yeshaye "Simon" Alter and Rebecca Alter Husband of Jean Alter; Blanche Alter and Madeleine Talcott Alter Father of Private and Private Brother of Robert Alter; Bessie Douglas; Maurice Bernard Alter; Abraham H Alter and Sadie Dorothy Stearns
-
In 1941, Alter signed on with the United States Air Force, performing for troops and also coordinating shows and other entertainment at various West Coast air bases.
-
Artist Biography b. 18 June 1902, Haverhill, Massachusetts, USA, d. 5 November 1980, New York, USA. A composer, pianist and arranger, Alter studied at the New England Conservatory of Music. In his early teens, he played piano in silent-movie houses, and in the 20s served as accompanist for the flamboyant entertainer Nora Bayes, as well as Beatrice Lillie and Helen Morgan, among others. Later in the decade, he contributed songs to several Broadway musicals and revues, including A La Carte (1927), Earl Carroll Vanities Of 1928, Americana Of 1928 (‘My Kinda Love’, lyric: Jo Trent), Sweet And Low (1930, ‘Overnight’, lyric: Billy Rose -Charlotte Kent), Ballyhoo (1931) and Hold Your Horses (1933). With the advent of talking pictures, Alter moved to Hollywood and wrote some scores and occasional numbers for movies such as Lord Byron Of Broadway (1929, ‘Nothin’ But The Blues’, lyric: Joe Goodwin), Hollywood Revue Of 1929 (‘Gotta Feelin’ For You’, Jo Trent), Take A Chance, (1933, ‘Come Up And See Me Sometime’, Arthur Swanstrom), Dizzy Dames (1935, ‘I Was Taken By Storm’, Edward Heyman), The Old Homestead (1935, ‘Moonlight In Heaven’, Jack Scholl), Sing, Baby, Sing (1936, ‘You Turned The Tables On Me’, Sidney D. Mitchell), Rainbow On The River (1936, ‘Rainbow On The River’, ‘You Only Live Once’, ‘A Thousand Dreams Of Love’, Paul Francis Webster), The Trail Of The Lonesome Pine (1936, ‘A Melody From The Sky’ [Oscar nomination], ‘Twilight On The Trail’, Mitchell), Make A Wish (1937, ‘Music In My Heart’, ‘My Campfire Dreams’, ‘Make A Wish’, Webster-Oscar Straus; ‘Old Man Rip’, Webster-Alter) and Vogues Of 1938 (‘Turn On The Red Heat (Burn The Blues Away)’, Webster; ‘King Of Jam’, Alter). During World War II Alter served as an Entertainments Officer for US Air Force bases, returning to compose the music for film songs such as ‘Dolores’ (Frank Loesser, Oscar nomination, Las Vegas Nights, 1941), ‘Love Me As I Am’ (Caught In The Draft, 1941), ‘If I Had A Wishing Ring’ (Breakfast In Hollywood, 1946) and ‘The Blues Are Brewin’’ and ‘Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans?’ (Eddie De Lange, New Orleans, 1947). One of his last movie projects was Living In A Big Way (1947), in which Gene Kelly, accompanied by small dog, did a charming dance to Alter and Heyman’s ‘Fido And Me’. Among Alter’s other compositions were ‘Au Revoir But Not Goodbye’ (Raymond Klages), ‘I’ve Got Sand In My Shoes’ (1934), ‘Manhattan Serenade’ (1928, Harold Adamson, and revived by Harry James, Tommy Dorsey and Jimmy Dorsey in 1942), ‘Circus’ (Bob Russell), and ‘Nina Never Knew’ (1952, Milton Drake), an attractive ballad that received an excellent reading from Vic Damone. Alter also wrote several instrumental pieces, including ‘Manhattan Masquerade’, ‘Manhattan Moonlight’, ‘American Serenade’ and ‘Side Street In Gotham’.
-
Throughout his career, Alter collaborated with several lyricists including Joe Goodwin, Jo Trent, Sidney Mitchell, Edward Heyman, Frank Loesser, Paul Francis Webster, Eddie Delange, Harold Adamson, Ray Klages, Bob Russell, Milton Drake, Oscar Hammerstein II, Lew Brown, and Stanley Adams. Highlights from Alter’s popular catalog include “The Sky Fell Down”, “Blue Shadows”, “My Kinda Love”, “Overnight”, “I’m One of God’s Children”, “I Was Taken by Storm”, “I’ve Got Sand in My Shoes”, “Rainbow on the River”,”, “Twilight on the Trail”, “A Melody from the Sky”, “You Turned the Tables on Me”, “Dolores”, “Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans?”, “Circus”, “Nina Never Knew” and “My Ecstasy”. Alter also wrote several instrumentals and full orchestral works including “Manhattan Moonlight”, “Manhattan Masquerade”, “Metropolitan Nocturne”, “Side Street in Gotham”, “American Serenade” and “Jewels from Cartier”.
-
11/51980November 5, 1980Death dateNew York City in New York, NY, Manhattan County, New York USAPneumoniaCause of deathDeath locationADVERTISEMENT BY ANCESTRY.COMView death records
-
Louis Alter Born June 18, 1902 Haverhill, Massachusetts Died November 5, 1980 (aged 78) Saint Clare's Hospital New York City Cause of death Pneumonia Louis Alter (June 18, 1902 – November 5, 1980) was an American pianist, songwriter and composer. Alter was 13 when he began playing piano in theaters showing silent films. He studied at the New England Conservatory of Music under the tutelage of Stuart Mason. Alter played in vaudeville houses as the accompanist for headliners Irène Bordoni and Nora Bayes. He appeared with Bayes from 1924 until her death in 1928, touring the United States and abroad.[1] Since he had previously written some songs for Broadway shows, Alter decided to concentrate on songwriting after Bayes' death. His first hit was "Manhattan Serenade" (1929), originally an instrumental that later became the theme music of the Easy Aces radio program. There are numerous recordings of "Manhattan Serenade," and it was featured prominently in Nancy Groce's book, New York: Songs of the City (Watson-Guptill, 1999). Alter recalled: I was a great fan of Whiteman when I first came down here from Boston. He was the first big name I actually followed around and met. I was having a love affair with New York when Whiteman commissioned me to write a tone poem. I walked around this city for six months absorbing the sights and sounds. And then suddenly it came to me. Once I plunged into it I finished it in two hours.[2] Films and Broadway In 1929, Alter moved to Hollywood, where he wrote songs for films, beginning with The Hollywood Review of 1929, and he continued to provide piano accompaniment for various singers, including Beatrice Lillie and Helen Morgan. His contributions to Broadway musicals included songs in Sweet and Low (1930) and Ballyhoo (1931). His first song hit was "Hugs and Kisses" in 1926. In 1928, Alter composed the music and wrote the lyrics of Paris (1928 musical). Other top tunes by Alter include "My Kinda Love," "You Turned the Tables on Me," "Nina Never Knew," "Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans" (for the 1947 film New Orleans), "Blue Shadows" and "Rainbow on the River." He wrote "A Melody from the Sky" and "Twilight on the Trail" for The Trail of the Lonesome Pine (1936). His collaborators included Oscar Hammerstein II, Charlotte Kent, Raymond Klages, Sidney D. Mitchell, and Jo Trent. World War II and later years In 1941, Alter signed on with the United States Air Force, performing for troops and also coordinating shows and other entertainment at various West Coast air bases. As a piano soloist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, he performed at the Hollywood Bowl. In 1942, "Manhattan Serenade" once again became a hit after Harold Adamson added lyrics. Alter also composed large-scale pieces for piano and orchestra, including American Serenade and Metropolitan Nocturne. In later years. Louis Alter lived in New York on Park Avenue, and maintained a summer residence on Fire Island. Awards Twice nominated for Academy Awards ("Dolores," "A Melody from the Sky"), he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1975. Death He died on November 5, 1980 at age 78, of pneumonia at Saint Clare's Hospital in Manhattan, New York City. Hurricane Katrina After Hurricane Katrina, his song "Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans" took on a different kind of meaning in 2005–06 and experienced a revival due to its use in various post-Katrina documentary films and TV shows. It was used for strong emotional effect in Spike Lee's four-hour "When the Levees Broke" (2006) and an equally moving dramatic sketch by Billy Crystal on HBO's Comic Relief 2006. Orchestral compositions American Serenade Jewels from Cartier Suite Manhattan Masquerade Manhattan Moonlight Metropolitan Nocturne Side Street in Gotham Songs "Blue Shadows" "Circus" (1949). Alter wrote the song with lyrics by Bob Russell for a party for John Ringling North, head of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.[3] "Dolores" "Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans" "Give Trouble the Air" (1927) "Hugs and Kisses" (1926) "Manhattan Serenade" "A Melody from the Sky" "My Kinda Love" "Nina Never Knew" "Rainbow on the River" "You Turned the Tables on Me"
-
shareMemoriesbelow
Advertisement
Advertisement
13 Memories, Stories & Photos about Louis
Amanda S. Stevenson
15.9k+ favorites
06/09/2023
Louis Alter
The song was originally covered by Billie Holliday. After Katrina, it was covered by hundreds more.
Date & Place:
Not specified or unknown.
Comments
Amanda S. Stevenson
15.9k+ favorites
07/24/2017
Louis Alter birthday tribute
A photo of a birthday tribute to Louis Alter, Composer.
Date & Place:
Not specified or unknown.
Comments
Amanda S. Stevenson
15.9k+ favorites
07/24/2017
Louis Alter Album
A photo of the album of Louis Alter, Composer.
Date & Place:
Not specified or unknown.
Comments
Amanda S. Stevenson
15.9k+ favorites
12/20/2019
Louis Alter
A photo of Eddie DeLange's partner, Louis Alter.
They wrote: Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans? In 1947. But it became a runaway hit in 2005!
They wrote: Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans? In 1947. But it became a runaway hit in 2005!
Date & Place:
Not specified or unknown.
Comments
Amanda S. Stevenson
15.9k+ favorites
12/20/2019
I am the first one on AncientFaces who gave the first tributes here to Lou Alter, Louis Armstrong and Billie Holiday. I guess I should give a tribute to lyricist Eddie De Lange too.
Comments
Loading...one moment please
Family, friend, or fan...
share memories, stories,
photos, or simply leave
a comment to show
you care.
Remember the past to connect today & preseve for tomorrow.
- See how biographies work.
Did you know?
In 1902, in the year that Louis Alter was born, the modern air conditioner was invented by Willis H. Carrier. The company that he worked for needed to find a way to control humidity and by solving this problem, Carrier created a system that could be used for cooling the rooms of a house. The Sun Belt thanks him!
Did you know?
In 1916, he was only 14 years old when the Battle of Verdun was fought from February through December. It was the largest and longest battle of World War I, lasting 303 days. The original estimates were 714,231 casualties - 377,231 French and 337,000 German, an average of 70,000 casualties a month. Current estimates are even larger. The Battle of the Somme was also fought from July through September of the same year. Original estimates were 485,000 British and French casualties and 630,000 German casualties.
ADVERTISEMENT
BY ANCESTRY.COM
Find records of Louis Alter
Advertisement
Advertisement
Louis Alter's Family Tree & Friends
Advertisement
Advertisement
Friendships
Was born on January 15, 1904, and died at age 45 years old on July 15, 1949. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Eddie DeLange.
Advertisement
Advertisement
3 Followers & Sources
Amanda S. Stevenson
For fifty years I have been a Document Examiner and that is how I earn my living.
For over 50 years I have also been a publicist for actors, singers, writers, composers, artists, comedians, and many progressive non-profit organizations.
I am a Librettist-Composer of a Broadway musical called, "Nellie Bly" and I am in the process of making small changes to it.
In addition, I have written over 100 songs that would be considered "popular music" in the genre of THE AMERICAN SONGBOOK.
My family consists of four branches. The Norwegians and The Italians and the Norwegian-Americans and the Italian Americans.
My family consists of four branches. The Norwegians and The Italians and the Norwegian-Americans and the Italian Americans.
Kathy Pinna
I'm a Founder of AncientFaces and support the community answering questions & helping members make connections to the past (thus my official title of Founder & Content and Community Support ). For me, it's been a labor of love for over 20 years. I truly believe with all of my heart that everyone should be remembered for generations to come.
I am 2nd generation San Jose and have seen a lot of changes in the area while growing up. We used to be known as the "Valley of Heart's Delight" (because the Valley was covered with orchards and there were many canneries to process the food grown here, which shipped all over the US) - now we have adopted the nickname "Capital of Silicon Valley" and Apple, Ebay, Adobe, Netflix, Facebook, and many more tech companies are within a few miles of my current home in San Jose (including AncientFaces). From a small town of 25,000, we have grown to 1 million plus. And when you add in all of the communities surrounding us (for instance, Saratoga, where I attended high school, living a block from our previous Mayor), we are truly one of the big cities in the US. I am so very proud of my hometown. For more information see Kathy - Founder & Content and Community Director
My family began AncientFaces because we believe that unique photos and stories that show who people are/were should be shared with the world.
My family began AncientFaces because we believe that unique photos and stories that show who people are/were should be shared with the world.
David Tovey
About me:I haven't shared any details about myself.
ADVERTISEMENT
BY ANCESTRY.COM
Find records of Louis Alter
Advertisement
Advertisement
Other Biographies
Other Louis Alter Biographies
Alter, Louis (Born circa 1920)
Alter, Louis (Born circa 1902)
Alter, Louis (Born circa 1919)
Alter, Louis (Born circa 1923)
Alter, Louis (Born circa 1919)
Alter, Louis (Born circa 1956)
Alter, Louis (Nov 22, 1894 - Nov 1973)
Alter, Louis (May 1, 1911 - Jun 1983)
Alter, Louis (Aug 15, 1920 - Apr 1987)
Alter, Louis (Apr 19, 1919 - Jun 2, 2011)
Alter, Louis (Jan 27, 1902 - Oct 1971)
Alter, Louis (Sep 28, 1879 - Nov 1962)
Alter, Louis (Jul 18, 1898 - Jan 1978)
Alter, Louis (Nov 15, 1896 - Jun 1, 1963)
Alter, Louis (Dec 25, 1890 - Jan 1983)
Alter, Louis (Oct 10, 1902 - Nov 1971)
Alter, Louis (Dec 4, 1894 - Oct 1963)
Alter, Louis (Aug 27, 1919 - Dec 23, 1993)
Other Alter Family Biographies
Alter, Louis (Aug 27, 1919 - Dec 23, 1993)
Alter, Harry (Nov 10, 1917 - Nov 14, 2006)
Alter, Zillah (Sep 10, 1886 - Nov 1976)
Alter, Ida (Jul 4, 1893 - Aug 4, 1992)
Alter, Ruth (Jul 30, 1915 - Dec 15, 2006)
Alter, Levi (Dec 25, 1893 - Dec 1966)
Alter, Mary (Dec 30, 1908 - Jun 13, 2005)
Alter, Louis (Dec 4, 1894 - Oct 1963)
Alter, Morris (Died May 1960)
Alter, Chester (Mar 21, 1906 - Mar 6, 2006)
Alter, Marcia (Feb 2, 1922 - Oct 1, 1989)
Alter, Jacob (Nov 4, 1912 - Feb 1, 2000)
Alter, Frances (Aug 8, 1918 - Jun 1995)
Alter, Sylvia (Aug 22, 1917 - Jun 27, 1999)
Alter, Jason (Sep 3, 1931 - Aug 25, 2009)
Alter, Bessie (Apr 14, 1904 - Feb 1987)
Alter, Joseph (Jan 26, 1918 - Apr 17, 2004)
Alter, Melvin (Sep 2, 1926 - Aug 30, 2008)
Alter, Judith (Apr 20, 1933 - Jun 9, 2010)
Alter, Manuel (Apr 8, 1915 - Jan 6, 1993)
Advertisement
Advertisement
About the AncientFaces Community
AncientFaces
356k+ followers 399 favorites
05/07/2023
What AncientFaces Does
AncientFaces is a 100% free and family-friendly community where we share memories and connect with others to remember and discover more about the people from our past. By sharing our memories, family stories, and information we uncover while digging for our roots, we unlock meaningful connections with others today, and the possibilities of new discoveries tomorrow. See first hand the power of sharing and what you can discover about a sibling, spouse, grandparent, friend, coworker, or ancestor...
AncientFaces
356k+ followers 399 favorites
06/26/2023
Community Standards
Welcome to AncientFaces! A 100% free community where we remember people from our past. At AncientFaces, we believe in the power of remembering together. Through Collaborative Biographies we connect with others who know the person, and discover more together. As you participate in the AncientFaces community, we invite you to familiarize yourself with our Community Standards. These guidelines are in place to ensure that AncientFaces remains a safe and respectful place for everyone, worthy of preserving the memories of the people we remember.
AncientFaces
356k+ followers 399 favorites
05/03/2023
Success Stories - Making Connections
"Thank you for helping me find my family & friends again so many years after I lost them. I get the chance to remember them all this time later." Highlights of just a few of the many successes of sharing memories within the AncientFaces Community. From reuniting Lost & Found or 'orphan' photos with their families, seeing faces of relatives for the first time, to the many connections made with family & friends, and the profound discoveries about our loved ones and ancestors. Special moments like these are why it's important we share.
AncientFaces
356k+ followers 399 favorites
05/07/2023
Everyday Faces Of The 1800's
Ever wonder what people around you would have looked like in the 1800's? Neighbors, friends, coworkers, and family members - these photos show the faces and personalities you would have ran into during everyday life. We're all familiar with the popular photos of the famous and glamorous. Discover what everyday people looked like - some dressed, up some not - one hundred years ago.
