Pianist, Composer, Conductor, and Author. He was educated at the Temple School of Music, the French Conservatory (with Fouchet and Decroux), and at the Tadlewski Institute in Nice. He was a pianist in the Jim Europe orchestra, and then with the New York Syncopated Orchestra. He was a soloist in night clubs and theatres in New York, London and Paris, and authored the book "Syncopation". His talents found him in Hollywood, soon heard in film classics. In 1942's "Casablanca", it was Carpenter's piano heard in the notable tunes of the film. Actor/singer Dooley Wilson was cast as 'Sam', Humphrey Bogart's best piano-playing pal in the film. Though a fine singer and drummer, Wilson could not play piano. During the piano sequences with Dooley Wilson, it was Elliot Carpenter playing the piano just offscreen, while Dooley fingered the keyboard on camera. Carpenter was placed behind camera, where Wilson could see and imitate his hand movements. The only black people on the "Casablanca" set, Wilson and Carpenter became and remained friends. Wilson died a decade later on May 30, 1953. Joining ASCAP in 1955, Carpenter's chief musical collaborator was Clarence Muse. His popular-song compositions include "No More Sleepy Time", "The Little Things You Do" and "The Hills Are Mine". Elliot Carpenter died in Los Angeles in 1982, at age 87.
Pianist, Composer, Conductor, and Author. He was educated at the Temple School of Music, the French Conservatory (with Fouchet and Decroux), and at the Tadlewski Institute in Nice. He was a pianist in the Jim Europe orchestra, and then with the New York Syncopated Orchestra. He was a soloist in night clubs and theatres in New York, London and Paris, and authored the book "Syncopation". His talents found him in Hollywood, soon heard in film classics. In 1942's "Casablanca", it was Carpenter's piano heard in the notable tunes of the film. Actor/singer Dooley Wilson was cast as 'Sam', Humphrey Bogart's best piano-playing pal in the film. Though a fine singer and drummer, Wilson could not play piano. During the piano sequences with Dooley Wilson, it was Elliot Carpenter playing the piano just offscreen, while Dooley fingered the keyboard on camera. Carpenter was placed behind camera, where Wilson could see and imitate his hand movements. The only black people on the "Casablanca" set, Wilson and Carpenter became and remained friends. Wilson died a decade later on May 30, 1953. Joining ASCAP in 1955, Carpenter's chief musical collaborator was Clarence Muse. His popular-song compositions include "No More Sleepy Time", "The Little Things You Do" and "The Hills Are Mine". Elliot Carpenter died in Los Angeles in 1982, at age 87.
Bio by: the Chronicler
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