Van Heusen, James

Van Heusen, James (b. Edward Chester Babcock) (1913–90) composer; born in Syracuse, N.Y. In the 1930s his first popular songs were performed and recorded. He joined lyricist Johnny Burke in 1940 and began writing scores for many Bing Crosby films with such hit songs as "It's Always You" (1941) and "Swinging on a Star" (1944). With lyricist Sammy Cahn he wrote many popular songs of the 1950s for film and television, including "High Hopes" (1959), and wrote the musical, Skyscraper (1965). He retired in the 1970s.