About

History:

Leigh Adrian Harline (March 26, 1907 – December 10, 1969) was a film composer and songwriter. He was known for his “musical sophistication that was uniquely ‘Harlineesque’ by weaving rich tapestries of mood-setting underscores and penning memorable melodies for animated shorts and features.”

Leigh Harline was born March 26, 1907, in Salt Lake City, Utah, the youngest of 13 children, to soldier Charles Härlin and his wife Johanna Matilda. His parents came from the village of Härfsta in Simtuna parish, Sweden. In the U.S. they changed their surname to Harline. Harline graduated from the University of Utah and studied piano and organ with Mormon Tabernacle Choir conductor J. Spencer Cornwall.

In 1928, Harline moved to California working at radio stations in San Francisco and Los Angeles as a composer, conductor, arranger, instrumentalist, singer and announcer. In 1931, he provided music for the first transcontinental radio broadcast to originate from the West Coast. He was then hired by Walt Disney where he scored more than 50 tunes, including for the Silly Symphonies cartoon series in the 1930s. Harline, Frank Churchill, Paul Smith and Larry Morey then scored Disney’s first animated feature-length cartoon Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 1937. Snow White contained several classic songs, including “I’m Wishing”, “Whistle While You Work”, “Heigh-Ho” and “Some Day My Prince Will Come.”

He next scored Pinocchio for Disney in 1940. The film won his Academy Award for Best Original Music Score and the song “When You Wish Upon a Star” won the Academy Award for Best Original Song. Harline left Disney in 1941 to compose for other studios. His credits include Road to Utopia (1945), Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House (1948), The Desert Rats (1953), The Enemy Below (1957), Ten North Frederick (1958), Warlock (1959), The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm (1962), and 7 Faces of Dr. Lao (1964). (Wikipedia 3-31-2016)

1940 Census:
4818 Bonvue Avenue (Value $20,000): 1) Leigh A. Harline, head of household; white married male 33 years of age; born in Utah; a music composer; earned over $5,000. 2) Katherine Harline, wife; 33 year old white married female; born in Ohio; not working. 3) Karen Harline, daughter; white 9 year old female; born in California; in school. 4) Gretchen Harline, daughter; white female 7 years of age; born in California; in school. 5) Howard Weiser, servant; white married male 36 years of age; born in Wisconsin; foreman of sheet metal construction; $1,000. 6) Florence Weiser, servant; white married female 27 years of age; born in Massachusetts; maid in a private home; earns $600.