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Tommie Connor
Thomas Patrick Connor (16 November 1904 – 28 November 1993) was a British lyricist and songwriter,[1] credited with several hit songs over his long career.[2] He wrote several of the most popular non-religious Christmas songs, including "The Little Boy that Santa Claus Forgot", "I'm Sending a Letter to Santa Claus", and "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus", as well as the lyrics for such popular songs as "Lili Marlene" and "The Biggest Aspidistra in the World". Life and careerHe was born and raised in Bloomsbury, London, England,[1] to parents of Irish descent. In his teens, he worked as a call boy in London theatres, and started writing his own words to well-known tunes. The composer Herbert Stothart was impressed, and suggested that he become a songwriter after gaining more experience of the world.[3] Connor then worked for two years as a steward aboard the RMS Empress of France, before returning to England with the intention of earning his living as a songwriter. After several years of trying to sell his songs in Denmark Street,[3] his first published song was "My Home Town" in 1932, which was recorded by child star Little Mary Hagan.[1] Two years later, his song "Jump on the Wagon" was described as a "number one radio hit". By 1935, he started working with composer Edward Lisbona of Ambrose's orchestra, and they wrote "It's My Mother's Birthday Today", which was a hit for Arthur Tracy, who was known as "The Street Singer".[3] Connor continued to write successfully over the next twenty years, mostly in Britain but occasionally spending time in the United States, mainly Los Angeles and New York. His most successful songs included "When The Guardsman Started Crooning On Parade" (1935), "The Little Boy that Santa Claus Forgot" (1937), "The Biggest Aspidistra in the World" (1938), "I'm Sending a Letter to Santa" (1939), "Who's Taking You Home Tonight?" (1940), "Be Like the Kettle and Sing" (1943), "Lili Marlene" (for which he wrote the English words, 1944), "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" (1952), and "Never Do a Tango with an Eskimo" (1956).[3] "I'm Sending a Letter to Santa Claus" was published with words and music by Lanny Rogers and Spencer Williams, Rogers being a pseudonym for Connor.[4] He also wrote for films and shows, and for singers such as Gracie Fields, Vera Lynn and Maurice Chevalier.[2] As well as Lisbona and Williams, his co-writers included Horatio Nicholls, Jimmy Kennedy, Robert Stoltz, and Michael Carr.[3] In the 1966 Spaghetti Western The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, Connor provided lyrics to "The Story of a Soldier".[5] Connor had five children, born to his wife Catherine Connor (née McCarthy). He died in November 1993 in Farnborough, Kent, England.[1] CatalogueSongs with Connor given writing credits, as well as recording artists include:
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