Resource id #75
Image Source: Wikipedia

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 (Results 1-25 of 84 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
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  
(Results 1-25 of 84 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Comstock, Frank," accessed April 18, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/309329.

Comstock, Frank. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 18, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/309329.

"Comstock, Frank." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 18 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/309329

Wikipedia content provided under the terms of the Creative Commons BY-SA license

Feedback

Send the Editors a message about this record.