orig. Hyman Arluck
born Feb. 15, 1905, Buffalo, N.Y., U.S.
died April 23, 1986, New York, N.Y.
U.S. songwriter.
After working as a performer and arranger, in 1929 he began a collaboration with lyricist Ted Koehler (1894–1973) with the song "Get Happy"; until the mid-1930s they wrote many songs that were featured in shows at Harlem's Cotton Club . Arlen's scores for Broadway musicals include Bloomer Girl (1944) and St. Louis Woman (1946). For Hollywood films Arlen wrote the songs "It's Only a Paper Moon," "Let's Fall in Love," and "That Old Black Magic." His most famous song is perhaps "Over the Rainbow" (lyrics by E.Y. Harburg ) from The Wizard of Oz (1939).