Tommy Dorsey

About

Big bandleader during the Swing Era who earned the moniker "The Sentimental Gentleman of Swing." His brother was Jimmy Dorsey.

Before Fame

He had no problem with poaching musicians since the band he inherited was in shambles. He was also known to fire and rehire musicians based on his moods and was a volatile perfectionist.

Trivia

He hit the Billboard chart 286 times, with 17 No. 1 hits throughout the 1930s and 1940s, including "On Treasure Island," "The Music Goes 'Round and Around," "Once in a While," and "Marie," which was written by Irving Berlin.

Family Life

He married Mildred Kraft in 1922, then movie actress Pat Dane on April 8, 1943, and finally Copacabana nightclub dancer Jane Carl New on March 27, 1948.

Associated With

His roster was filled with many instrumentalists who would go on to greater fame, including Doc Severinsen, "The Tonight Show's" longtime bandleader during the Johnny Carson years.