Hoagy Carmichael
The Official Website
Hoagy Carmichael Biographical Timeline
On November 22, Hoagland Howard Carmichael was born in Bloomington, Indiana, as the first child of Howard Clyde and Lida Mary (Robison) Carmichael.
Hoagland attends Indiana University and forms his own small jazz band, eventually named "Carmichael's Collegiates", which makes him a campus celebrity.
1899:
1920:
Hoagy meets 19-year-old cornetist Leon "Bix" Biederbecke, who becomes a cherished friend, as well as enormous musical inspiration for many years.
1922:
On October 31, Hoagy records "Stardust" with his band for the first time.
1927:
1929:
Hoagy begins his lifelong friendship with jazz great Louis Armstrong.
1944:
"Hong Kong Blues" and "How Little We Know" are featured in the Warner Brothers film "To Have and Have Not" starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. This also marks Hoagy's official feature film debut as piano player "Cricket".
1946:
The "Hoagy Carmichael Show" goes on air at 5:30pm Pacific Standard Time, on Sunday, October 26, 1946.
1951:
"In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening" performed by Bing Crosby in Paramount's "Here Comes the Groom" wins Hoagy an Oscar.
1959:
Hoagy takes a straight dramatic role as Jonesy the hired ranch hand on the Western series "Laramie"
1981:
Just after Christmas, on December 27th, Hoagy passes away at the Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage after suffering a heart attack.
"Never play anything that ain't right. You may never make any money,
but you'll never get hostile with yourself."
- Hoagy Carmichael's mentor Reggie Duval
"And then it happened--that queer sensation that this melody was bigger than me. Maybe I hadn't written it at all. The recollection of how, when and where it all happened became vague as the lingering strains hung in the rafters of the studio. I wanted to shout back at it, 'maybe I didn't write you, but I found you.'"
- Hoagy Carmichael, on "Stardust"
1937:
"Topper" starring Cary Grant and Constance Bennett is released and marks Hoagy's feature film debut as an actor and composer.
1978:
Hoagy Carmichael, Fred Rogers, and Hoagy Bix Carmichael on the first episode of Rogers' Old Friends ... New Friends