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Pete Rugolo

Sicilian-born US based jazz composer and arranger. Born December 25, 1915 in San Piero Patti, Sicily, Italy. Died October 16, 2011 in Sherman Oaks, California. Born in Sicily, emigrated to the U.S. with his family in 1920 (when he was 5). Best known for his music for many U.S. TV programs in the 1960s & 1970s. He was one of the most prolific arrangers for Stan Kenton's 1945-1949 orchestras. He soon started turning out pop arrangements, landing a position as music director of Capitol Records in 1949, where he became even more prolific with his arrangements. Some of the artists he did arrangements for include [a299948], [a57628], [a145288], [a330342], Harry Belafonte (in his brief pop period), and others. His work in TV began in earnest in the late 1950's and kept going until the mid-1980's, and included music for films as well as for the series Leave It to Beaver, M*A*S*H, Alias Smith and Jones, Fantasy Island, Run for Your Life, and numerous others. While he was at Capitol, and between 1953-1961, Rugolo recorded more than 10 LPs and EPs (as well as many 45's) with the singer June Christy, (whom he had worked with earlier with Kenton and 45's).