Born: October 18, 1918 | Died: February 7, 1999 Primary Instrument: Piano
For versatile Bobby Troup -- musician, composer, jazz authority, recording artist, actor, Emmy Award winner -- there's hardly a “first” left in show business to claim and conquer. His demanding role in “Emergency!”, Jack Webb's hour-long Universal Television series, marks Troup's debut in action-drama.
As a musician, Bobby Troup probably is best known as the composer of such hit songs as “Daddy”. “Baby, Baby All the Time”, “Route 66” and “Girl Talk”.
Or as the Emmy Award-winning host and narrator of ABC-TV's “Stars of Jazz”.
Or as a supper club star whose intimate styling has drawn capacity audiences of jazz enthusiasts to niteries in Las Vegas, New York City, San Francisco, Lake Tahoe and Hollywood's Sunset Strip.
Music is a Troup tradition that dates back to the turn of the century when Bobby's grandfather established the J.H. Troup Music House, musical instruments firm in Harrisburg, PA.
When he was six, Bobby moved with his parents to Lancaster, PA., where his father opened a branch of the family company.
As a youngster, Bobby Troup was exposed to piano, violin, saxophone, trumpet and clarinet lessons -- but he preferred the tuba. At 12, with his tuba, bass violin and bass horn, he became the youngest member of Lancaster Musicians' Union.
Later, attending The Hill School, one of the East's best preparatory schools, Bobby became enchanted with Count Bassie -- and the piano.
In his senior year at the University of Pennsylvania, Bobby wrote his first professionally accepted song for a famed Mask and Wig freshman show. The song was “Daddy”. It paid off then -- and it's still paying dividends.
After receiving his degree in economics, Bobby enlisted in the Marine Corps. While waiting to be called up, he worked as a writer for Tommy Dorsey. What was intended as a war tune emerged as “Baby, Baby All The Time”.
After World War II, with two family music companies waiting for him, Bobby decided to make a career of creating music. He drove to California in 1946 and wrote a song about it. Within a month, Nat “King” Cole had recorded “Route 66”, which was to become a million-plus seller. Bobby Troup had arrived.
His acting career has spanned scores of television shows and feature motion pictures, including the portrayal of his old boss, Tommy Dorsey, in “The Gene Krupe Story”.
Bobby's co-star in “Emergency!” is also a musician -- a singing star he encouraged to make her first professional appearance, her first album and he first hit single, “Cry Me A River”. He name is Julie London, and she's Bobby's wife.
