Raymond Bernard Evans


 Raymond Bernard Evans (February 4, 1915 – February 15, 2007)

He was a partner in a composing and songwriting duo with Jay Livingston, known for the songs they composed for films. Evans wrote the lyrics and Livingston the music for the songs. Evans met Jay Livingston while a student at the University of Pennsylvania. Together they played in the University's college dance orchestra, "The Continentals." During school vacations the orchestra was engaged to play on several international cruises. After graduation the duo continued their partnership, seeking a career as a song-writing team in New York and later Hollywood. Their first big break came after auditioning for comedians Ole Olsen and Chic Johnson in 1939. Their song "G'Bye Now" made it into Olsen and Johnson's Broadway revue Hellzapoppin'. Livingston and Evans won three Academy Awards, in 1948 for the song "Buttons and Bows", written for the movie The Paleface; in 1950 for the song "Mona Lisa", written for the movie Captain Carey, U.S.A.; and in 1956 for the song "Que Sera Sera", featured in The Man Who Knew Too Much and sung by Doris Day. Another popular song that he and Livingston wrote for a film was the song "Tammy", written for the 1957 movie Tammy and the Bachelor. The song was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Song. Livingston and Evans also wrote popular TV themes for shows including Bonanza and Mr. Ed. Their Christmas song "Silver Bells" intended for the 1951 Bob Hope film The Lemon Drop Kid, has become a Christmas standard. Evans appeared as himself with Livingston in Sunset Blvd. (1950) in the New Year's Eve party scene.

In 1958, the songwriting team was nominated for a Tony Award for the musical Oh, Captain! Evans also collaborated separately with Michael Feinstein, Henry Mancini, Max Steiner, and Victor Young. He was married for nearly 56 years to actress, writer, and playwright Wyn Ritchie Evans. Evans died on February 15, 2007 at age 92. He is interred at Westwood Memorial Park, which is also the final resting place of Livingston.

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