John Mercer

Photo of John Mercer

Biography

Writer of the words (and sometimes the music) of "That Old Black Magic", "My Shining Hour", "On the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe", "Accentuate the Positive", "Something's Gotta Give" and "Jeepers Creepers", among many other song standards of the American pop repertoire. A splendid craftsman of lyrics at once cheerful, slyly witty and romantic, Mercer contributed the score for the Broadway musical "Top Banana" and collaborated with some of …
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Job Title

Actor, Music, Other

Born

November 18, 1909

Career Milestones

1971

Received last Oscar nomination, for the song "Life Is What You Make It", from the film, "Kotch"

1938

Received first of 19 Oscar nominations, for the song "Jeepers Creepers" from the film, "Going Places"

Awards

1988

Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song - Motion Picture in Bull Durham

1971

Academy Award for Music (Song--Original For the Picture) in Kotch

1970

Academy Award for Music (Original Song Score) in Darling Lili

1970

Academy Award for Music (Song--Original For the Picture) in Darling Lili

1965

Academy Award for Music (Song) in The Great Race

1963

Academy Award for Music (Song) in Charade

1962

Academy Award for Music (Song) in Days of Wine and Roses

1961

Academy Award for Music (Song) in Breakfast At Tiffany's

1960

Academy Award for Music (Song) in The Facts of Life

1955

Academy Award for Music (Song) in Daddy Long Legs

1951

Academy Award for Music (Song) in Here Comes the Groom

1946

Academy Award for Music (Song) in The Harvey Girls

1945

Academy Award for Music (Song) in Here Come the Waves

1943

Academy Award for Music (Song) in Star Spangled Rhythm

1943

Academy Award for Music (Song) in The Sky's the Limit

1942

Academy Award for Music (Song) in You Were Never Lovelier

1941

Academy Award for Music (Song) in Blues in the Night

1940

Academy Award for Music (Song) in Second Chorus

1940

Academy Award for Music (Song) in You'll Find Out

1938

Academy Award for Music (Song) in Going Places