Robert Mellin

Israel Melnikoff (September 22, 1902 – July 10, 1994), known professionally as Robert Mellin, was a Russian-born American composer, lyricist, and music publisher. Born in Kiev (now Ukraine), he was raised in Chicago, where he began his career as a music plugger at Remick Music. In the early 1940s, he moved to New York, where he established his own company in 1947.

In the early 1950s, Mellin moved to Europe, where he wrote music or lyrics for hundreds of songs, including several hits, over the next two decades. His biggest hit was My One and Only Love written with lyricist Guy Wood. It was recorded by many artists, including Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Chet Baker and (as a duet) John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman. In 1962, Mellin wrote lyrics for Acker Bilk's instrumental Stranger on the Shore, enabling it to be covered by vocal artists.

From the mid-1950s onwards, he ran his own music publishing company, Robert Mellin Music, based in London's Tin Pan Alley on Denmark Street. Tony Hatch found his first job there. The company acquired exclusive rights to all film scores coming out of Czechoslovakia and Rumania, as well as many scores from Italy. With Gian-Piero Reverberi, Mellin wrote the theme music for the 1964 TV series The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, which became a hit single, and, in 1966, the score for Don Quijote. He also wrote music for films in the 1960s.

Mellin married the songwriter Patricia Rossiter in 1980. He died while on a business trip to Rome at age 91.

Birth and Death Data: Born (Kyiv (capital and largest city of Ukraine)), Died July 10, 1994

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1952 - 1955

Roles Represented in DAHR: composer, songwriter, lyricist

= 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 Audio
Victor F4PB-0418 10-in. 1/31/1955 My own Gordon Jenkins and his Chorus and Orchestra ; Bob Grabeau lyricist  
Victor E4LB-3969 10-in. approximately 1954 Mary Ann Hilversum and his Orchestra Orchestra composer  
Victor E4LB-3972 10-in. approximately 1954 Ondine Hilversum and his Orchestra Orchestra composer  
Victor E4LB-4449 10-in. 8/16/1954 Missing Stewart "Rick" Rose Male vocal solo, with vocal group and instrumental ensemble composer  
Victor E4LB-4451 10-in. 8/16/1954 How much do I love you? Stewart "Rick" Rose songwriter  
Victor E4LB-5990 10-in. 11/18/1954 (I'm always hearing) Wedding bells Frankie Lester Male vocal solo, with vocal chorus and instrumental ensemble composer, lyricist  
Mercury 9252 10-in. 1952 Some folks do some folks don't Marty Manning Orchestra ; Billy Williams songwriter  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Mellin, Robert," accessed January 3, 2026, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/400460.

Mellin, Robert. (2026). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved January 3, 2026, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/400460.

"Mellin, Robert." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2026. Web. 3 January 2026.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/400460

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