Burton Lane

Burton Lane was an American composer and lyricist, born Morris Hyman Bernstein on February 2, 1912, in New York City. He began his career in the 1930s as a pianist and arranger for various bands, including the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra.

In 1937, Lane had his first Broadway success with the musical "On a Clear Day You Can See Forever," which he co-wrote with lyricist Alan Jay Lerner. The show was later adapted into a film starring Barbra Streisand. Lane and Lerner went on to collaborate on several other successful shows, including "Royal Wedding" and "Paint Your Wagon."
One of Lane's most famous compositions is the song "Old Devil Moon" from the 1947 musical "Finian's Rainbow," which he co-wrote with E.Y. Harburg. The show was a critical and commercial success, and the song has since become a jazz standard, recorded by numerous artists including Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald.
Lane also had success in Hollywood, writing songs for films such as "Babes on Broadway" and "Meet Me in St. Louis," which included the classic song "The Trolley Song." He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song for "How About You?" from the 1941 film "Babes on Broadway."
In addition to his work in musical theater and film, Lane also wrote songs for television, including the theme song for the popular sitcom "That Girl."
Lane passed away on January 5, 1997, in New York City at the age of 84. His legacy lives on through his numerous contributions to the American musical theater canon, including his classic songs and collaborations with some of the greatest lyricists of all time.