Alvin Morris (December 25, 1913 â€" July 27, 2012), known
professionally as Tony Martin, was an American actor and popular
singer.His career spanned over seven decades, and he scored dozens of
hits between the late-1930s and mid-1950s with songs such as "Walk
Hand in Hand", "Stranger in Paradise" and "I Get Ideas". He was
married to actress and dancer Cyd Charisse for 60 years, from 1948
until her death in 2008.Martin was born on December 25, 1913, in San
Francisco, the son of Hattie (née Smith) and Edward Clarence Morris.
His family was Jewish, and all of his grandparents had emigrated from
Eastern Europe. He was raised in Oakland, California. At the age of
ten, he received a saxophone as a gift from his grandmother. He went
to Oakland High School and St Mary's College.In his grammar school
glee club, he became an instrumentalist and singer. He formed his
first band, named "The Red Peppers," when he was at Oakland Technical
High School, eventually joining the band of a local orchestra leader,
Tom Gerun, as a saxophone player sitting alongside the future
bandleader Woody Herman. He attended Saint Mary's College of
California during the mid-1930s. After college, he left Gerun's band
to go to Hollywood to try films. It was at that time that he adopted
the stage name of Tony Martin.
professionally as Tony Martin, was an American actor and popular
singer.His career spanned over seven decades, and he scored dozens of
hits between the late-1930s and mid-1950s with songs such as "Walk
Hand in Hand", "Stranger in Paradise" and "I Get Ideas". He was
married to actress and dancer Cyd Charisse for 60 years, from 1948
until her death in 2008.Martin was born on December 25, 1913, in San
Francisco, the son of Hattie (née Smith) and Edward Clarence Morris.
His family was Jewish, and all of his grandparents had emigrated from
Eastern Europe. He was raised in Oakland, California. At the age of
ten, he received a saxophone as a gift from his grandmother. He went
to Oakland High School and St Mary's College.In his grammar school
glee club, he became an instrumentalist and singer. He formed his
first band, named "The Red Peppers," when he was at Oakland Technical
High School, eventually joining the band of a local orchestra leader,
Tom Gerun, as a saxophone player sitting alongside the future
bandleader Woody Herman. He attended Saint Mary's College of
California during the mid-1930s. After college, he left Gerun's band
to go to Hollywood to try films. It was at that time that he adopted
the stage name of Tony Martin.
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