| Bobby Troup |
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| CATEGORIES ABOUT BOBBY TROUP | |
| 1918 births | |
| 1999 deaths | |
| american actors | |
| american jazz pianists | |
| american singer-songwriters | |
| pennsylvania musicians | |
| people from harrisburg, pennsylvania | |
| u.s. route 66 | |
Bobby Troup also spelled ''' Bobby Troupe''' ( October 18 1918 - February 7 1999 ) was an American Actor , Jazz Pianist and Songwriter . He is best known for writing the popular standard " (Get Your Kicks On) Route 66 ", and for his role as Dr. Joe Early in the 1970s US TV Series '' Emergency! ''. LIFE AND MUSIC Bobby Troup was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania . He graduated from the Wharton School at the University Of Pennsylvania . Bobby Troup was a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon (ΣΑΕ) fraternity and the Mask And Wig Club. His earliest musical success came with the song "Daddy" which was a regional hit in 1941. He served as a Captain in the US Marines during World War II . He was the first white officer to be given command of an all black unit in Jackson, North Carolina, where the men were living in tents, with filthy latrine conditions.(This was in the bad old days where, in Jackson, a black was expected to cross the street or literally stand in the gutter while a white walked by.) Troup took a different attitude, and with the help of the men, created Quonset huts, new latrines, a nightclub, a basketball court and team, a boxing ring, a jazz band, an orchestra, and persuaded a colleague to come and install a miniature golf course. It wasn't long before the other (white) units (suddenly wanted to come and hang out in that part of camp. Bobby Troup's first marriage was to Cynthia Troup. Troup's light and humorous musical style was similar to that of the Nat King Cole Trio. In the 1940s Cole had a hit with Troup's best known song "(Get Your Kicks On) Route 66" which became a hit for Cole and then a popular standard. In the 1960s, it was one of the earliest recordings by the British rock group The Rolling Stones . Troup produced Torch Singer Julie London 's million selling hit record " Cry Me A River " in 1955 and they married five years later, following London's divorce from actor Jack Webb , then directing and starring in the now-classic ''Dragnet'' TV show. Troup's own recordings in the 1950s and 60s were not commercially successful. Nonetheless, he made some excellent recordings for Liberty Records and Capitol Records , many with musicians that included the best of the West Coast school of jazz. TELEVISION AND MOVIES In the mid-1950s, Troup was one of three regular panelists (along with Mel Blanc and Johnny Mercer ) in the Game Show '' Musical Chairs '', a Bill Leyden -hosted quiz program that aired locally on Los Angeles television for two years before NBC broadcast it in the summer of 1955. On the program, the viewing audience was encouraged to submit questions about music in an effort to stump the panel. The Troup Group provided much of the music in the game show.
''Emergency!'' was created by Webb, who had recently starred in a revival of ''Dragnet'' and was producing NBC's popular '' Adam-12 ''. London and Troup had remained on cordial terms with Webb, who had used Troup (and his daughter Ronny) in episodes of ''Adam-12'' as well as the revived ''Dragnet.'' In the role of Dr. Joe Early, Troup projected a relaxed amiability that brought humor to the show and contrasted with the intensity of actor Robert Fuller in the role of Dr. Kelly Brackett. Troup also wrote the title song (sung by Little Richard ) in the classic 1950s Rock And Roll Movie '' The Girl Can't Help It ''. An instrumental rendition of his song "The Meaning of the Blues" appeared on the landmark Miles Davis album, '' Miles Ahead ''. Troup's Hipster interpretation of the Fairy Tale "The Three Bears" is often erroneously credited to "anonymous" and re-titled "Three Bears Rap", "Three Bears with a beat" etc. This song was first recorded by the Page Cavanaugh Trio and later by Western Swing bandleader Leon McAuliffe . SELECTED SONGS
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