In a few recent threads, the name Van Alexander has come up. I know him mostly through his work on some of William Castle's films, but I imagined he must have died. But he's still with us at the age of 98. Could this be the mystery composer on the MMM thread of a few weeks back? But I digress...
There are some interviews out there on YouTube, done a few years back by the American Society of Music Arrangers and Composers - see www.asmac.org - but I haven't had the chance to see all the stuff yet, nor investigate all the articles. However, what's really interesting is that he seems to have shared a sort of common background with his brother Jerry Fielding (the surname in common is really Feldman). Both were highly sought after as arrangers, both well respected in the world of swing in the '50s... there are many differences of course, but the similarities are there.
So that makes it all the more interesting when I realize that it's a relationship which I've never seen openly discussed...
Apologies if this is a sensitive area. I don't mean to be tasteless or tactless but I'm really interested. Does anyone know why both brothers changed their names? Was there any kind of falling out which would stop Van Alexander mentioning Jerry Fielding in interviews (at least in the few I've seen or read)?
They were really Brothers!? I remember reading Van Alexander's Name numerous times in the end credits of TV sitcoms like "I Dream of Jeannie" or "Bewitched". It was delightful scoring! I also remember seeing a picture of him in the FSM magazine.
...Van Alexander talks about his parents in NYC. Fielding was from Pittsburgh and wiki (never trustworthy, but still) gives different names for his parents.
"Don't believe everything you read on the Internet" —Abraham Lincoln
Sorry, I had to "bump" this old thread, because my new wireless system, which I'm still developing, is having teething troubles. Sorry again, but it wouldn't "recognize" the out-dated copy-and paste system.
So, R.I.P. Van Alexander. This is the thread I mentioned on the other thread.
