Eliot Daniel was an American composer, songwriter, and lyricist, who worked primarily in motion pictures, which included several Disney pictures, like Make Mine Music, Fun and Fancy Free, Melody Time, and So Dear to My Heart, for which he was nominated an Academy Award for Best Original Song alongside Larry Morey for the song "Lavender Blue (Dilly, Dilly)". He also co-wrote "Free as the Breeze", a song deleted from Lady and the Tramp, with Ray Gilbert.
Daniel was born in Boston on January 7, 1908. His first known song was "What Would People Say", released by Decca Records in 1938. Over the next few decades he would become a notable songwriter and composer for both the film and television industry. For film, he composed for Two Tickets to Broadway, Belles on Their Toes, Wait Till the Sun Shines, Nellie, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Bloodhounds of Broadway, Yesterday and Today, The I Don't Care Girl, Man in the Attic, and Golden Girl, where he was nominated for his second Academy Award with the song "Never".
Other notable songs of his included "Here Comes Love Again", "The Queen of the Gypsies", "Just Let Me Love You", "Bye Low", "Sunday Morning", "Montparnasse", "You're In Love", "A Little Girl from Little Rock", and "Bluebirds Keep Singin' in the Rain".
Daniel's most notable credit, however, was him composing the theme music to the iconic sitcom I Love Lucy. He composed it on the condition that his name would not be associated with it as he felt unsure of the show's success let alone the television medium. After the show's success, he sought credit for the song and received royalties from syndicated reruns. Other shows he composed for included December Bride, Those Whiting Girls, Willy, Angel, and The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour.
Daniel died on December 6, 1997 in Placerville, California.
Filmography[]
| Year | Film | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1946 | Make Mine Music | Composer Songwriter: "Make Mine Music" "Casey (The Pride of Them All)" - uncredited |
| Song of the South | Composer: "That's What Uncle Remus Said" - uncredited | |
| 1947 | Fun and Fancy Free | Composer "Bongo" composer Songwriter: "I'm a Happy-Go-Lucky Fellow" "Too Good to Be True" "Say It with a Slap" - uncredited |
| 1948 | Melody Time | Musical Director Composer: "Once Upon a Wintertime" "Little Toot" Songwriter: "Pecos Bill" "Blue Shadows on the Trail" |
| So Dear to My Heart | Songwriter: "Lavender Blue (Dilly, Dilly)" "Stick-to-it-ivity" - uncredited |
