At 11, he was a movie theatre pianist. Studied under Albert Sendrey, and at the David Mannes Music School. He started two groups, the Versatile Sextette and The Commanders Orchestra. He appeared in vaudeville, and in US and European night club entertaining, and in the Broadway musical "Paris". Later he was a musical supervisor for MGM. He composed "The Song Angels Sing", "Boo-Hoo-Hoo" and "The Loveliest Night of the Year".