Composer. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, she made her Broadway debut as the co-composer of the music and lyrics for the ‘Straw Hat Review’ in 1939. Doubling as the audition pianist she met Danny Kaye, who also made his debut in the same show. The pair married in 1940. Fine took a direct role in managing her husband's career, and taking advantage of Kaye’s particular vocal talents, she was responsible for the creation of his signature material including, ‘Anatole of Paris’ and the tongue twisting ‘Tchaikovsky’. Fine wrote the music for many of her husband’s films, including ‘The Inspector General’ in 1949, ‘Knock on Wood’ in 1954, and ‘The Court Jester’ in 1956. Her work earned her two Academy Award nominations. Fine received honorary doctorates from Long Island University and Brooklyn College and taught a course on musical comedy at the University of Southern California and at Yale University for which she received a Peabody Award. In 1975 she won an Emmy for her work in the special ‘Danny Kaye: Look in at the Met’. She was widowed in 1987 and died of emphysema four years later.
Composer. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, she made her Broadway debut as the co-composer of the music and lyrics for the ‘Straw Hat Review’ in 1939. Doubling as the audition pianist she met Danny Kaye, who also made his debut in the same show. The pair married in 1940. Fine took a direct role in managing her husband's career, and taking advantage of Kaye’s particular vocal talents, she was responsible for the creation of his signature material including, ‘Anatole of Paris’ and the tongue twisting ‘Tchaikovsky’. Fine wrote the music for many of her husband’s films, including ‘The Inspector General’ in 1949, ‘Knock on Wood’ in 1954, and ‘The Court Jester’ in 1956. Her work earned her two Academy Award nominations. Fine received honorary doctorates from Long Island University and Brooklyn College and taught a course on musical comedy at the University of Southern California and at Yale University for which she received a Peabody Award. In 1975 she won an Emmy for her work in the special ‘Danny Kaye: Look in at the Met’. She was widowed in 1987 and died of emphysema four years later.
Bio by: Iola
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