Role

:

Composer  

Country

:

United States of America

Birth

:

December 27, 1906 in Pittsburgh, PA

Death

:

August 14, 1972 in Beverly Hills, CA

Period

:

Contemporary

 

 

Modern

Genre

:

Concerto

 

 

Keyboard

 

Oscar Levant was an American classical music artist, composer, and actor who was born on December 27, 1906, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He was the youngest of four children born to Russian-Jewish immigrants. Levant's father was a successful businessman, and his mother was a talented pianist who gave him his first piano lessons. Levant showed an early aptitude for music and began performing in public at the age of seven. He studied piano with some of the best teachers in the country, including Isidor Philipp and Olga Samaroff. By the time he was a teenager, Levant was already a well-known concert pianist, performing with major orchestras across the United States. In addition to his musical talents, Levant was also a gifted writer and humorist. He began writing for newspapers and magazines in the 1920s, and his witty and irreverent style quickly made him a popular figure in the literary world. He also began appearing in films, making his debut in the 1929 movie "Dance of Life." Throughout the 1930s and 1940s, Levant continued to perform as a concert pianist and appeared in a number of films, including "Rhapsody in Blue" (1945), in which he played the role of George Gershwin. He also wrote several books, including his memoir "Memoirs of an Amnesiac" (1965), which became a bestseller. Levant's musical career reached new heights in the 1950s, when he became a regular guest on television shows such as "The Jack Paar Show" and "The Tonight Show." He also recorded a number of albums, including "Oscar Levant Plays Gershwin" (1952), which became a bestseller. Despite his success, Levant struggled with mental illness throughout his life. He was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in the 1940s and was hospitalized several times for treatment. He also struggled with addiction to prescription drugs, which he used to manage his symptoms. Levant's health problems did not prevent him from continuing to perform and write, however. He remained active in the entertainment industry until his death on August 14, 1972, in Beverly Hills, California. Throughout his career, Levant received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to music and literature. In 1958, he was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He also received the George Gershwin Memorial Award in 1960 and the Laurel Award for Screenwriting Achievement in 1962. Levant's legacy as a musician, writer, and actor continues to be celebrated today. His recordings and films are still widely available, and his writing is still read and admired by fans around the world. Despite his struggles with mental illness, Levant's talent and wit continue to inspire and entertain audiences today.

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