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| | | | |  | | | Eliot Daniel with Desi Arnaz. | | | | | |
Eliot Daniel composed the I Love Lucy theme song -- one of the most recognizable pieces of music on the planet -- as a favor to his old Coast Guard buddy Jess Oppenheimer. And Eliot asked his own favor in return: "You'll have to keep my name out of it," he told Jess. "My exclusive contract with Fox doesn't run out until next year." As a result, Daniel's monumental contribution goes uncredited, even today, in the first season and some second season episodes. The composer-arranger-pianist had known Oppenheimer since 1940, when they were both on the staff of The Rudy Vallee Program .Recognizing talent, Vallee had hired Daniel away from rival bandleader Freddy Martin. After Pearl Harbor, when Vallee became bandmaster of the Eleventh Naval District Coast Guard Band in 1942, Eliot and Jess followed him into the Guard. After the war Eliot worked at Disney Studios, on such classic films as Song of the South, Make Mine Music, Fun and Fancy Free, Melody Time, and So Dear to My Heart, for which he wrote the Oscar-nominated song, "Lavender Blue (DillyDilly)." He then left Disney for Fox, where his work included the 1951 film Golden Girl, for which he wrote the lyrics to the Oscar-nominated song, "Never." Eliot's film credits included serving as vocal director for Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. His other TV work included the theme song for the comedy series December Bride.
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