29 Facts About Meredith Willson

Robert Reiniger Meredith Willson was an American flutist, composer, conductor, musical arranger, bandleader, playwright, and writer.

Meredith Willson is perhaps best known for writing the book, music, and lyrics for the 1957 hit Broadway musical The Music Man and "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas".

Meredith Willson was twice nominated for Academy Awards for film scores.

Meredith Willson had a brother two years his senior, John Cedrick, and a sister 12 years his senior, children's writer Dixie Willson.

Meredith Willson attended Frank Damrosch's Institute of Musical Art in New York City.

Meredith Willson married his high-school sweetheart, Elizabeth "Peggy" Wilson, on August 29,1920; they were married for 26 years.

Meredith Willson became a flute and piccolo virtuoso accomplished enough to become a member of John Philip Sousa's band and later the New York Philharmonic Orchestra under Arturo Toscanini.

Meredith Willson then moved to San Francisco, California, as the concert director for radio station KFRC, and then as a musical director for the NBC radio network in Hollywood.

Meredith Willson worked with all three as the bandleader, and a regular character, on the Burns and Allen radio program.

Meredith Willson played a shy man always trying to get advice on women.

Meredith Willson's character was ditzy as well, basically a male version of Allen's.

Meredith Willson's Music was a summer replacement for Fibber McGee and Molly.

Meredith Willson became part of one of the show's very few running gags, beginning replies to Bankhead's comments or questions with "well, sir, Miss Bankhead".

Meredith Willson worked on Jack Benny's radio program, and hosted his own program in 1949.

In 1950, Meredith Willson served as musical director for The California Story, California's centennial production at the Hollywood Bowl.

Meredith Willson called it "an Iowan's attempt to pay tribute to his home state".

Meredith Willson's third Broadway musical was an adaptation of the film Miracle on 34th Street, called Here's Love.

In tribute to the Idyllwild School of Music and the Arts, Meredith Willson composed In Idyllwild for orchestra, choir, vocal solo and Alphorn.

In 1958, Meredith Willson appeared on the televised panel game show I've Got a Secret.

In 1964, Meredith Willson produced three original summer variety specials for CBS under the title Texaco Star Parade.

Meredith Willson wrote a number of well-known songs, such as "You and I", a No 1 hit for Glenn Miller in 1941 on the Billboard charts.

Meredith Willson wrote the University of Iowa's fight song, "Iowa Fight Song", as well as Iowa State University's "For I for S Forever".

In 1974, Meredith Willson offered another marching song, "Whip Inflation Now", to the Ford Administration.

Meredith Willson wrote three memoirs: And There I Stood With My Piccolo, Eggs I Have Laid, and But He Doesn't Know the Territory.

Meredith Willson was divorced by his first wife, Elizabeth, as reported in a news dispatch of March 5,1947.

Meredith Willson often gave guests autographed copies of his album Meredith Willson Sings Songs from The Music Man.

Meredith Willson was a member of the National Honorary Band Fraternity, Kappa Kappa Psi.

Meredith Willson died of heart failure in 1984 at the age of 82.

Meredith Willson is buried at the Elmwood-St Joseph Municipal Cemetery in Mason City.