September 29 - Charles Wolcott

On this day, in 1906, composer Charles Wolcott was born in Flint, Michigan. By 1927, Charles was part of the growing Big Band scene, arranging music for and playing piano with folks like Benny Goodman, Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey and Paul Whiteman. He also worked with radio stars like Rudy Vallee, George Burns and Gracie Allen.

In 1937, Charles started working at the Walt Disney Studio writing scores for the shorts department. He soon moved up to feature films. His credits include Bambi, Pinocchio, Saludos Amigos, The Three Caballeros, Song of the South, Make Mine Music and Fun and Fancy Free. By 1944, Charles had become General Music Director for Disney and had a hit single, his orchestra's recording of the Brazilian choro song "Tico Tico no Fuba."

In 1950, Charles left Disney to become an Associate General Music Director for MGM. At his new studio, Charles gets credit for bringing rock and roll to the big screen. While scoring the 1955's The Blackboard Jungle, he convinced the producers to use "Rock Around the Clock" in the film. The sky didn't fall and, as they say, rock was then here to stay. By 1958, Charles had become General Music Director for MGM. In 1960, he would release another hit single, "Ruby Duby Du," and leave the world of music behind.

Charles was a practitioner of the Baha'i Faith. In 1953, he had been elected to the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States. In 1960, Charles was made secretary of that body and resigned his position at MGM. Just one year later, he was elected to the International Baha'i Council and moved to Haifa, Israel. When the Council turned into the Universal House of Justice (think of it kind of like the Baha'i Supreme Court) in 1963, Charles became one of the first nine members. He would hold that position until his death in 1987.