Frank Comstock

Frank Comstock

Frank G. Comstock (September 20, 1922 – May 21, 2013) was an American composer, arranger, conductor, and trombonist. For television, Comstock wrote and arranged music for major situation comedies and variety shows; his theme and incidental music for Rocky and His Friends (1959–1964) are probably his best-remembered works. Additionally, his music for Adam-12 earned him a 1971 Emmy nomination. Comstock's recording credits include eight Hi-Lo's albums and backing arrangements for major recording stars. His 1962 instrumental album, Project: Comstock - Music from Outer Space became a classic and was released on CD in 2004. Recently, Comstock wrote new big-band arrangements for Brian Setzer's Wolfgang's Big Night Out (2007) and Songs from Lonely Avenue (2009) CDs. He started his arranging career in the dance bands of Sonny Dunham and Benny Carter, and with Les Brown from 1943 to 1955. When dance bands fell out of favor after World War II, Comstock and Doris Day left the Les Brown band. Comstock's backing arrangements for Doris Day's Warner Brothers screen tests impressed studio executives and resulted in a staff arranger position at Warner where he demonstrated his ability to write for large studio orchestras. He died in 2013.

Birth and Death Data: Born September 20, 1922 (San Diego), Died May 21, 2013 (Huntington Beach)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1947 - 1959

Roles Represented in DAHR: arranger, leader

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company	Matrix No.	Size	First Recording Date	Title	Primary Performer	Description	Role
Victor	D7VB-0520	10-in.	4/24/1947	Take the A train	Delta Rhythm Boys	Male vocal quartet, with jazz/dance band	leader
Victor	D7VB-0521	10-in.	4/24/1947	St. Louis blues	Delta Rhythm Boys	Male vocal quartet, with jazz/dance band	leader
Victor	D7VB-0522	10-in.	4/24/1947	One o'clock jump	Delta Rhythm Boys	Male vocal quartet, with jazz/dance band	leader
Victor	D7VB-0523	10-in.	4/24/1947	Dry bones	Delta Rhythm Boys	Male vocal quartet, with jazz/dance band	leader
Victor	D7VB-0543	10-in.	5/15/1947	East of the sun and west of the moon	Delta Rhythm Boys	Male vocal quartet, with jazz/dance band	leader
Victor	D7VB-0544	10-in.	5/15/1947	September song	Delta Rhythm Boys	Male vocal quartet, with jazz/dance band	leader
Victor	D7VB-0545	10-in.	5/15/1947	Ev'ry time we say goodbye	Delta Rhythm Boys	Male vocal quartet, with jazz/dance band	leader
Victor	D7VB-0546	10-in.	5/15/1947	If you are but a dream	Delta Rhythm Boys	Male vocal quartet, with jazz/dance band	leader
Victor	D7VB-0574	10-in.	6/29/1947	My future just passed	Delta Rhythm Boys ; Frank Comstock Orchestra	Male vocal quartet, with instrumental ensemble	leader
Victor	D7VB-0575	10-in.	6/29/1947	Every so often	Delta Rhythm Boys ; Frank Comstock Orchestra	Male vocal quartet, with instrumental ensemble	leader
Victor	D7VB-0576	10-in.	6/29/1947	Come in out of the rain	Delta Rhythm Boys ; Frank Comstock Orchestra	Male vocal quartet, with instrumental ensemble	leader
Victor	D7VB-0577	10-in.	6/29/1947	I'm in love with a gal (who's in love with a guy who looks like me but ain't)	Delta Rhythm Boys ; Frank Comstock Orchestra	Male vocal quartet, with instrumental ensemble	leader
Decca	83098		7/18/1952	Blue skies-1	The Ames Brothers ; Les Brown and his Band of Renown		arranger
Decca	84033		3/2/1953	Ruby-1	Les Brown and his Band of Renown		arranger
Decca	84034		3/2/1953	Midnight sun-1	Les Brown and his Band of Renown		arranger
Decca	86005		between 9/4/1953 and 9/20/1953	Happy hooligan	Les Brown and his Band of Renown		arranger
Decca	86006		between 9/4/1953 and 9/20/1953	Caravan-3	Les Brown and his Band of Renown		arranger
Decca	86009		between 9/4/1953 and 9/20/1953	I let a song go out of my heart-3	Les Brown and his Band of Renown		arranger
Decca	86011		between 9/4/1953 and 9/20/1953	Crazy legs-3	Les Brown and his Band of Renown		arranger
Decca	86017		between 9/4/1953 and 9/20/1953	Cherokee-3	Les Brown and his Band of Renown		arranger
Decca	86020		between 9/4 and 9/20/1953	Rain-3	Les Brown and his Band of Renown		arranger
Decca	86023		between 9/4/1953 and 9/20/1953	Jersey bounce-3	Les Brown and his Band of Renown		arranger
Decca	86024		between 9/4/1953 and 9/20/1953	Laura-3	Les Brown and his Band of Renown		arranger
Decca	86026		between 9/4/1953 and 9/20/1953	Speak low-3	Les Brown and his Band of Renown		arranger
Decca	86027		between 9/4/1953 and 9/20/1953	Midnight sun-3	Les Brown and his Band of Renown		arranger
Decca	86028		between 9/4/1953 and 9/20/1953	Strange-3	Les Brown and his Band of Renown		arranger
Decca	86157		between 9/4/1953 and 9/20/1953	Opening announcement ; Leap frog	Les Brown and his Band of Renown		arranger
Decca	86158		between 9/4/1953 and 9/20/1953	Closing announcement	Les Brown and his Band of Renown		arranger
Decca	L 6086		2/16/1951	If I loved you	Les Brown and his Band of Renown		arranger
Decca	L 6087		2/16/1951	Red sails in the sunset-1	Les Brown and his Band of Renown		arranger
Decca	L 6091		2/19/1951	Leap frog (theme)-1	Les Brown and his Band of Renown		arranger
Decca	L 6092		2/19/1951	Blue moon-1	Les Brown and his Band of Renown		arranger
Decca	L 6131		3/8/1951	Deep purple	Les Brown and his Band of Renown		arranger
Decca	L 6132		3/8/1951	Azure	Les Brown and his Band of Renown		arranger
Decca	L 6133		3/8/1951	That old black magic	Les Brown and his Band of Renown		arranger
Decca	L 6222		4/9/1951	Over the rainbow	Les Brown and his Band of Renown		arranger
Decca	L 6223		4/9/1951	The moon was yellow	Les Brown and his Band of Renown		arranger
Decca	L 6224		4/9/1951	Red wing	Les Brown and his Band of Renown		arranger
Decca	L 6225		4/9/1951	Green eyes	Les Brown and his Band of Renown		arranger
Decca	L 6226		4/9/1951	The day isn't long enough	Les Brown and his Band of Renown		arranger
Decca	L 6442		9/19/1951	Highlights from An American in Paris (Gershwin): -1 Part 1	Les Brown and his Band of Renown		arranger
Decca	L 6443		9/19/1951	Highlights from An American in Paris (Gershwin): Part 2	Les Brown and his Band of Renown		arranger
Decca	L 6477		10/10/1951	You're blasé	Les Brown and his Band of Renown		arranger
Decca	L 6478		10/10/1951	You're driving me crazy	Les Brown and his Band of Renown		arranger
Decca	L 6479		10/10/1951	You're the cream in my coffee	Les Brown and his Band of Renown		arranger
Decca	L 6480		10/10/1951	You're an old smoochie	Les Brown and his Band of Renown		arranger
Decca	L 6515		11/15/1951	You're a sweetheart	Les Brown and his Band of Renown		arranger
Decca	L 6516		11/15/1951	You are my sunshine	Les Brown and his Band of Renown		arranger
Decca	L 6517		11/15/1951	You're my everything	Les Brown and his Band of Renown		arranger
Decca	L 6518		11/15/1951	You're an old smoothie	Les Brown and his Band of Renown		arranger
Decca	L 6554		11/28/1951	You're driving me crazy-1	Les Brown and his Band of Renown		arranger
Decca	L 6555		11/28/1951	Let it be	Les Brown and his Band of Renown		arranger
Decca	L 6556		11/28/1951	I'll never let you cry	Les Brown and his Band of Renown		arranger
Decca	L 6557		11/30/1951	You're the top	Les Brown and his Band of Renown		arranger
Decca	L 6734		4/28/1952	I waited a little too long	Les Brown and his Band of Renown		arranger
Decca	L 6735		4/28/1952	Ill wind-1	Les Brown and his Band of Renown		arranger
Decca	L 6763		5/9/1952	Nutcracker suite, part 1	Les Brown and his Band of Renown		arranger
Decca	L 6800		6/2/1952	Nutcracker suite, part 2-1	Les Brown and his Band of Renown		arranger
Decca	L 6801		6/2/1952	Clouds-2	Les Brown and his Band of Renown		arranger
Decca	L 6803		6/2/1952	Stormy weather-2	Les Brown and his Band of Renown ; Ray Sims		arranger
Decca	L 6805		6/10/1952	Lost in a fog-2	Les Brown and his Band of Renown ; Ray Sims		arranger
Decca	L 6806		6/10/1952	Rain-2	Les Brown and his Band of Renown ; Ray Sims		arranger
Decca	L 6923		11/5/1952	Flip lid-2	Les Brown and his Band of Renown		arranger
Decca	L 6924		11/5/1952	My heart belongs to Daddy	Les Brown and his Band of Renown		arranger
Decca	L 7127		4/13/1953	Jersey bounce-1	Les Brown and his Band of Renown		arranger
Decca	L 7128		4/23/1953	Stompin' at the Savoy	Les Brown and his Band of Renown		arranger
Decca	L 7129		4/13/1953	Cherokee-1	Les Brown and his Band of Renown		arranger
Decca	L 7269		6/25/1953	Invitation	Les Brown and his Band of Renown		arranger
Decca	L 7271		6/25/1953	Forty cups of coffee	Les Brown and his Band of Renown		arranger
Decca	L 7272		6/25/1953	Forty cups of coffee	Les Brown and his Band of Renown		arranger
Decca	L 7364		9/17/1953	Street of dreams	Les Brown and his Band of Renown		arranger
Decca	L 7365		9/17/1953	Darn that dream	Les Brown and his Band of Renown		arranger
Decca	L 7366		9/17/1953	I guess I'll have to dream the rest	Les Brown and his Band of Renown		arranger
Decca	L 7367		9/17/1953	A million dreams ago	Les Brown and his Band of Renown		arranger
Decca	L 7368		9/17/1953	Dream	Les Brown and his Band of Renown		arranger
Decca	L 7369		9/17/1953	Did you ever see a dream walking?	Les Brown and his Band of Renown		arranger
Decca	L 7370		9/17/1953	I dream too much	Les Brown and his Band of Renown		arranger
Decca	L 7371		9/17/1953	I dream of you	Les Brown and his Band of Renown		arranger
Decca	L 7415		10/15/1953	I can't get enough	Connie Haines		arranger
Decca	L 7416		10/15/1953	The wrong side of town	Connie Haines		arranger
Decca	L 7417		10/15/1953	Man to woman	Connie Haines		arranger
Decca	L 7418		10/15/1953	Pink shampoo	Connie Haines		arranger
Decca	L 7932		9/23/1954	Swingin' at the Met-2	Les Brown and his Band of Renown		arranger
Decca	L 11538		5/29/1959	Our love is here to stay-1	Les Brown and his Band of Renown		arranger

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Comstock, Frank," accessed November 19, 2024, https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/309329.

Comstock, Frank. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 19, 2024, from https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/309329.

"Comstock, Frank." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 19 November 2024.