Jay Livingston: The Maestro Behind Hollywood's Unforgettable Melodies

American composer and songwriter, best known for his prolific partnership with Ray Evans, creating iconic songs for film, television, and popular music, including the Oscar-winning 'Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)'.Born Jacob Harold Levison in McDonald, Pennsylvania, Livingston studied music at the University of Pennsylvania. He formed a legendary songwriting partnership with Ray Evans in the 1940s. Together, they wrote numerous hit songs for Paramount Pictures, winning three Academy Awards for Best Original Song ('Buttons and Bows', 'Mona Lisa', 'Que Sera, Sera') and receiving multiple nominations. Their work became synonymous with Hollywood's Golden Age and early television themes.
  • Livingston and his partner Ray Evans changed their surnames early in their careers; Livingston was born Levison, and Evans was born Bernstein. This change was reportedly influenced by the common practice of anglicizing Jewish names in the entertainment industry at the time (sources: biographies and industry memoirs).
  • Their most famous song, 'Que Sera, Sera', written for Alfred Hitchcock's film 'The Man Who Knew Too Much' (1956), was initially dismissed by Doris Day, who thought it childish. It became her signature song and a massive international hit, winning the Oscar.
  • Livingston and Evans also created iconic television theme songs, including 'Bonanza' and 'Mister Ed'.