Dorothy Dandridge rehearsing with composer, arranger and vocal coach extraordinaire Phil Moore in March 1951. Mr. Moore also coached, arranged and/or wrote songs for Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra, Lena Horne, Judy Garland, Pearl Bailey, Ava Gardner, Diahann Carroll, Johnny Mathis and The Supremes. Photo by Ed Clark/Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images.
life:
Our week with Marilyn continues on …
LIFE.com remembers the young Marilyn with a selection of Eyerman’s early photos: pictures of her studying with bandleader Phil Moore (singing); dance instructor, and the ex-husband of the great Cyd Charisse, Nico Charisse (ballet); and a one-time European stage star, Natasha Lytess, who would serve as Monroe’s acting coach until the mid-1950s.
See the photos here on LIFE.com.
Dear @life - Phil Moore was not a “bandleader” at all. He was a composer, arranger and vocal coach to other icons before & after Monroe including Lena Horne, Frank Sinatra, Dorothy Dandridge, Judy Garland, Pearl Bailey, Ava Gardner and so many more. Photo: J.R. Eyerman - Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images
Composer, arranger and vocal coach Phil Moore giving singing lessons to a 22-year-old Marilyn Monroe at the legendary West Hollywood nightclub, the Mocambo, in 1949. Ms. Monroe was quoted in Ebony magazine in 1960 as saying, “I will always be grateful to Phil Moore for his patience… he gave me confidence in my own vocal ability and made me realize that people would be willing to listen to me as well as look at me.” Photo: J.R. Eyerman - Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images.
Lena Horne with composer, arranger and vocal coach Phil Moore in July 1949. Moore worked as an arranger for MGM and arranged music for the 1938 film The Duke Is Tops. Moore also helped Horne and Dorothy Dandridge develop their nightclub performances and coached, arranged and/or wrote songs for Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland,Pearl Bailey, Ava Gardner, Diahann Carroll, Johnny Mathis and The Supremes. He died in 1987.
Lena Horne with composer, arranger and vocal coach Phil Moore in July 1949. Moore worked as an arranger for MGM and arranged music for the 1938 film The Duke Is Tops. Moore also helped Horne and Dorothy Dandridge develop their nightclub performances and coached, arranged and/or wrote songs for Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, Pearl Bailey, Ava Gardner, Diahann Carroll, Johnny Mathis and The Supremes. He died in 1987.
