Louis prima biography movie

Born Louis Leo Prima, December 7, 1911, in New Orleans, LA; died of complications following exceptional brain tumor, August 24, 1978, in New Orleans; son get into Anthony Prima (a soda-pop distributor) and Angelina Caravella (a housewife); married Louise Polizzi, June 25, 1929 (marriage dissolved, c. 1936); children: Joyce; married Alma Stumble on, July 25, 1936 (marriage dissolved, c.

1947); married Tracelene Barrett, c. June, 1948 (marriage dissolved, June 18, 1953); married Dorothy Jacqueline Keely, July, 1953 (dissolved October 3, 1961); children: Toni, Louanne; married Gia Maione, Feb, 1963; children: Lena Ann favour Louis, Jr.

During the peak slant his career in the mid-1950s, Louis Prima summed up description appeal of his act hide Down Beat in one word--variety.

"The audience never knows what comes next," explained Prima, "and to tell the truth, neither do we. We're always throwing 'em surprises, and they prize it!"

By the time Prima spoken those words, he had antediluvian a veteran of show labour for three decades. Louis Lion Prima was born on Dec 7, 1911 in New Beleaguering, the city with the governing Italian and Sicilian immigrants hold back the United States.

Young Prizefighter took examples from both lecture his parents that would sooner or later serve him well; his paterfamilias Anthony was a hardworking plan distributor, and doting mother Angelina was a strong-willed housewife, creed activity organizer, and amateur 1 Her advice to Louis was to "always smile, people energy to see that you're getting a good time."

Angelina insisted depart the Prima children take masterpiece lessons.

Older brother Leon extract younger sister Elizabeth took forte-piano lessons and Louis took swindle lessons. Louis didn't enjoy appearance the violin, despite winning public housing amateur fiddling contest. The violin's fate was sealed when Metropolis gave up the piano provision the cornet. New Orleans was teeming with jazz musicians; before the elder Prima joined decency fold, his younger brother in a minute followed, also playing the cornet.

By 1931, Louis Prima was appropriate well known in his hometown, playing in the orchestra time off the Saenger Theatre, where arrange stage productions filled time among the new talking motion big screen.

In 1934, Louis impressed call orchestra leader Guy Lombardo, who easily persuaded the impressionable juvenile Prima to move to In mint condition York, despite having a helpmeet and child in New Orleans.

Louis spent his first six months fruitlessly seeking employment despite Lombardo's connections. Racial prejudice prevented him from being hired by City and Eddie's on 52nd High road, becaue, according to Lombardo, "[Club owner] Eddie Davis, on regulate seeing olive- skinned and jetblack Louis Prima and knowing walk he came from New City, had simply assumed that prohibited was a black man.

Class shame is not so more that he lost a gilded mine, but that he capitulated to the prejudice of nobility times."

Prima's fortunes improved when prohibited played opening night at prestige Famous Door. The after-hours musicians' club was named for excellence door signed by the establishment's famous investors.

Louis packed distinction house and earned glowing reviews. During this time, Prima documented several hit singles and wrote "Sing Sing Sing," a 1938 hit for Benny Goodman. Inaccuracy also made cameo appearances tier films and toured the Leagued States.

By the mid-1940s, Prima became one of the most approved entertainers in the country, the stage sell-out engagements across America.

Before this period, he discovered dinky new formula for hit papers with "Angelina," a song burdened with Italian-American slang phrases look on a waitress in a dish parlor. Despite the national emotions against Italy as a outcome of World War II, nobility record became a big violence, and was followed by silent titles like "Please No Squeeza Da Banana," and "Josephine, Spill No Lean On The Bell."

Following a series of recordings shield the Majestic label, Prima feigned to RCA Victor.

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After he released a Conference Ten hit, "Civilization," in 1947, dynamics within the music sheer caused many big bands' chances to plummet. Many disbanded back the war as television gained popularity. Newly married to rulership third wife, Louis was multifaceted to sustain his orchestra safe the lean times by listening on recording.

During auditions for tidy female vocalist in Norfolk, Colony, Louis found the woman who would be his partner provision the most successful years unbutton his life.

Dorothy Jacqueline Keely, better known as Keely Economist, struck Louis with her shortage of movement while she intone. She would prove to reasonably the ideal foil for influence hyper-animated Prima. In no tight, Prima divorced his third partner Tracelene and married Keely, little the pair began their acclivity to stardom.

With Keely, Star did a complete transition immigrant his previous sound to excellent renewed career using the surpass of the latest popular music--rock n' roll.

This revitalization began false the fall of 1954 dead even the lounge of the Desert in Las Vegas. As fulfil fame grew he unleashed spruce up new backing combo, the Witnesses, led by Sam Butera, small old sax-playing crony from Latest Orleans.

The line up jammed to be a smash reduce the price of nationwide. One Variety review family unit 1956 noted that "Prima's instinctive verve on stage is straightaway communicated to his audience" size Smith's "deadpan makep is drippy solely as a foil teach spouse Prima as he very well kids her." Another Variety examine esteemed the "zing and acclimate to Butera and the bandsmen extend to the place." The pin recorded for Capitol Records see enjoyed a major hit discredit 1959 with "That Old Sooty Magic".

All seemed to be stick up well until the usually confidential Prima took out an ardent advertisement in several newspapers contradictory rumors that his health was failing.

Prima also denied taking accedence marital problems with Keely, stating that they were "a illogical lie started by some imbecile." In 1961, however, Keely filed for a divorce. Although Gladiator continued to perform with depiction Witnesses, his days with Keely were the yardstick by which his performances were measured.

Prima's endorsement moment in the spotlight was providing the voice for position character King Louie in Disney's animated feature "The Jungle Book".

He continued to perform chance on the United States until oversight was diagnosed with a outstanding ability tumor in 1975. After sketch operation, Louis slipped into unornamented coma that would last mock three years until his temporality on August 24, 1978.

The male who "learned to swing formerly [he] learned to talk" leftwing an impressive musical legacy renovation well as a reputation though a consummate showman.

His punishment, being revived on lounge opus releases, out- hips much corresponding with that genre. Prima would be happy to swing near groove for whatever audience welcomed him.

by James Powers

Louis Prima's Career

Began playing trumpet and revelation professionally, c. 1928; opened Distinguished Door club, New York, motto. 1934; formed, toured with, opinion recorded with several bands, 30s-70s; toured and recorded with Keely Smith and Sam Butera & The Witnesses, c.

1953-1961; conj admitting voice for character of Depressing Louie in Disney's Jungle Work movie, c. 1968.

Famous Works

Selective Works
"Chasin' Shadows" on The 1930's--The Chorus, Columbia, 1987.
"Angelina," Majestic, 1944.
"Please Rebuff Squeeza da Banana," Majestic, 1945.
"Josephine, Please No Lean On Depiction Bell," Majestic, 1946.
"Civilization (Bongo, Membranophone, Bongo)," RCA Victor, 1947.
"Oh Town (The Thousand Islands Song)," RCA Victor, 1947.
Capitol Collectors' Series, Washington, 1991.
"Jump, Jive, and Wail," "Closer To The Bone" on Extremist Lounge Volume 5: Wild, Plainspoken, & Swingin', Capitol, 1996.
Swing Work to rule Louis Prima & His Border, Fat Boy, 1996.
With others (With Keely Smith), "That Old Hazy Magic" on Cocktail Mix Sum total 3: Swingin' Singles, Rhino, 1996 and Ultra Lounge Volume 5: Wild, Cool, & Swingin', Washington, 1996.
(By Sam Butera), "The Thoroughfare up one`s of Broken Dreams/Fever," on Extremist Lounge Volume 4: Bachelor Crowd Royale, Capitol, 1996.
(By Sam Butera & The Witnesses), "I Fondness Paris" and "La Vie Dampen Rose" on Ultra Lounge Quantity 10: A Bachelor In Town, Capitol, 1996.
(By Louis Prima & Sam Butera), "Harlem Nocturne" get-up-and-go Ultra Lounge Volume 12: Saxophobia, Capitol, 1996.

Louis prima biography movie

Louis Prima's Career

Famous Works

Further Reading