Research on William Grant Still shows that he was the uncredited composer on this film. Considering that Crosby was the force behind getting Louis Armstrong both hired and given credible billing, I'm wondering if Armstrong had recommended Still (who was also Black) or if Crosby recommended Still. Difficult to believe that Still wrote Pennies from Heaven without credit so perhaps he wrote the score but not some of the songs. Will research that.
shareStill wrote the "Afro-American Symphony" in the 20s, which apparently was the first symphony written by a black American. He did orchestrations for stage shows as well. I'm not familiar with any of his film work.
"May I bone your kipper, Mademoiselle?"
The Song "Pennies from Heaven" was written (music) by Arthur Johnston and (lyrics) by Johnny Burke. William Still did the arrangement for the 1936 film of the same name. Still did a lot of film arrangements for Hollywood, in addition to being a very prolific composer who also had many firsts.
Still was the first American-born composer of any race to have an opera produced by a major opera company. He was the first African American to conduct a major American symphony orchestra, the first to have a symphony (his first symphony) performed by a leading orchestra, the first to have an opera performed by a major opera company, and the first to have an opera performed on national television. His first symphony was also at one time the most widely performed symphony by an American composer.
The universe is not only stranger than we imagine, it is stranger than we can imagine.–J.B. Haldane