Hal Borne

Who was Hal Borne?

Hal Borne was an American popular song composer, orchestra leader, music arranger and musical director, who studied music at the University of Illinois. He wrote most frequently with the lyricists Sid Kuller and Ray Golden, including songs for the Marx Brothers and Tony Martin.

At the beginning of his career he worked for RKO studios as the rehearsal pianist for Fred Astaire. In 1941 he collaborated with Duke Ellington, Paul Francis Webster and Kuller on the progressive all-black revue Jump for Joy which was supported by many Hollywood liberals of the time, such as Groucho Marx, Mickey Rooney and Orson Welles. Borne became a big-band orchestra leader and in February 1942 signed as the music director for RCM's soundies for which his trio often provided backings. For many years Borne was associated with Tony Martin and became his regular music director for live appearances throughout the 1950s and 60s.

Borne joined ASCAP in 1942 and was one of the composers for Ray Golden's 1950 revue Alive and Kicking, featuring Jack Cassidy, Bobby Van and Carl Reiner and the debut of Gwen Verdon. In 1963 he composed most of the songs for the infamous first topless mainstream movie Promises! Promises!, starring Jayne Mansfield and Marie McDonald -- not to be confused with the subsequent Neil Simon, Burt Bacharach musical Promises, Promises.