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Kenneth Lorin Darby was an American composer, vocal arranger, lyricist, and conductor. His film scores were recognized by the awarding of three Academy Awards and one Grammy Award. He provided vocals for the Munchkinland mayor in The Wizard of Oz (1939), who was portrayed in the film by Charlie Becker. Darby is also notable as the author of The Brownstone House of Nero Wolfe (1983), a biography of the home of Rex Stout's fictional detective.
Birth Name
Kenneth Lorin Darby
Born
Thursday, 13 May 1909
Died
Friday, 24 January 1992
Actor Filmography
| Title | Character | Year |
|---|
| The Brave Engineer | Singer / Himself | 1950 |
| Fun and Fancy Free | The Bull | 1947 |
| Margie | Off-Screen Singer | 1946 |
| Make Mine Music | The King's Men / Choral Director (Ken Darby Chorus) | 1946 |
| Sing a Jingle | Singer | 1944 |
| You're a Lucky Fellow, Mr. Smith | Singer | 1943 |
| The Kansan | Member - The King's Men | 1943 |
| Follow the Band | Singer | 1943 |
| Hi, Buddy | Quartet Singer | 1943 |
| For Me and My Gal | Member - The King's Men | 1942 |
Actor Filmography
| Title | Character | Year |
|---|
| The Brave Engineer | Singer / Himself | 1950 |
| Fun and Fancy Free | The Bull | 1947 |
| Margie | Off-Screen Singer | 1946 |
| Make Mine Music | The King's Men / Choral Director (Ken Darby Chorus) | 1946 |
| Sing a Jingle | Singer | 1944 |
| You're a Lucky Fellow, Mr. Smith | Singer | 1943 |
| The Kansan | Member - The King's Men | 1943 |
| Follow the Band | Singer | 1943 |
| Hi, Buddy | Quartet Singer | 1943 |
| For Me and My Gal | Member - The King's Men | 1942 |
| Juke Box Jenny | King's Men Member | 1942 |
| Call Out the Marines | Member - The King's Men | 1942 |
| Two-Faced Woman | Member - The King's Men | 1941 |
| Man from Montana | King's Men Member | 1941 |
| The Round Up | Musician / Cowhand | 1941 |
| Stagecoach War | Singing Outlaw - Member, The King's Men / Outlaw | 1940 |
| The Showdown | Rider / Rider (member, The King's Men) | 1940 |
| Knights of the Range | Singing Cowhand | 1940 |
| Law of the Pampas | Member - The King's Men / The King's Men Member | 1939 |
| The Wizard of Oz | Munchkinland Mayor | 1939 |
| Renegade Trail | Rider (Member - The King's Men) / Rider | 1939 |
| Broadway Serenade | Singers - 'High Flyin' Number | 1939 |
| Honolulu | Groucho 1 | 1939 |
| Alexander's Ragtime Band | Army Quartet Member | 1938 |
| Thanks a Million | King's Men Singer | 1935 |
| We're Not Dressing | King's Men Member | 1934 |
| Going Hollywood | Member - The King's Men | 1933 |
| We're in the Money | Deep Voice | 1933 |
| Young and Healthy | King Singing and Laughing | 1933 |
| Bosko in Person | Bass Singer | 1933 |
| One Step Ahead of My Shadow | Emperor | 1933 |
| The Queen Was in the Parlor | King | 1932 |
| Pagan Moon | Singing Octopus | 1932 |
| Red-Headed Baby | Spider / Santa Claus | 1931 |
| Hittin' the Trail for Hallelujah Land | Uncle Tom | 1931 |
| Lady, Play Your Mandolin! | Hippo | 1931 |
| Let's Go Native | Quartet Singer | 1930 |
| Only the Brave | Singer | 1930 |
| Year | Type | Category | Won |
|---|
| 1968 | Oscar | Best Music, Scoring of Music, Adaptation or Treatment | Won |
| 1964 | Oscar | Best Music, Score - Substantially Original | Nominated |
| 1962 | Oscar | Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture | Nominated |
| 1960 | Oscar | Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture | Won |
| 1959 | Oscar | Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture | Nominated |
| 1957 | Oscar | Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture | Won |
