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Gail Laughton, born Denzil Gail Laughton (1921–1985), was an American jazz harpist. He worked in Hollywood, playing on many film and cartoon soundtracks.

Early life

Laughton was born in Oklahoma. His parents were both involved with the harp: his mother as a teacher and his father, Charles T. Laughton, as a harp builder. As a young child, he played with his family's orchestra, touring Cuba and Panama. He joined the Oklahoma City Symphony in 1937, hired through the WPA at the minimum age of 15.

Career

Laughton appeared regularly on the Al Pearce Show, a weekly radio broadcast, beginning in 1942. Laugton performs as Cary Grant's hands and arms during the harp-playing scene in The Bishop's Wife.

Discography

Albums, as performer

• A Streetcar Named Desire soundtrack (Capitol Records, 1951)
• Gandharva - Beaver & Krause (Warner Brothers Records, 1971)

Solo album

• Harps of the Ancient Temples (Rapture, 1969) - "The shimmering, ethereal quality of the harp sings out under loving care." The track 'Pompeii 76 A.D.' from this LP was used in the movie Blade Runner, mislabeled as "Harp of the Ancient Temples" and/or "Bicycle Riders".

Singles

• Mel Tormé with Hal Mooney & His Orchestra, 11/16/1947 session: "I Cover the Waterfront" bw "County Fair" (Musicraft 5009), "A Foggy Day" (Musicraft 589) "Makin' Whoopee" (Musicraft 534), "Little White Lies" (Musicraft 558), "Do It Again" (Musicraft 534), "Night and Day" (Musicraft 538)
• Ben Light, "When Day is Done"/"Cocktails for Two" (Tempo TR-608)

References

1. "Gail Laughton, Jazz Harpist". The American Harp Journal. 7 (3): 38–39. 1980.
2. "Ralph Rose 1937-1938". Oklahoma City Philharmonic. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
3. "1/8/1942 show script" (PDF). Old Time Radio Researchers Group. Retrieved 19 November 2017.
4. "1/29/1942 show script" (PDF). Old Time Radio Researchers Group. Retrieved 19 November 2017.
5. "Gail Laughton, Jazz Harpist". The American Harp Journal. 7 (3): 38–39. 1980.
6. Performing Arts Annual, 1989, p. 7
7. The Jazz Discography CD-ROM 3.3, Tom Lord, Lord Music Reference, 2002
8. Birosik, Patti Jean (1989). The New Age Music Guide. New York: Collier Books. p. 107. ISBN 0020416407.
9. The Jazz Discography CD-ROM 3.3
10. Hanscom, Michael. "Vinylicious". Retrieved 19 November 2017.

External links

• Review of Harps of the Ancient Temples with some background
• Current availability of Harps of the Ancient Temples
• Brief biography
• Discogs page
• Film Score Monthly list of soundtracks
• Gale Laughton at IMDb
• Gail Laughton at AllMusic
• Gail's arms are shown when Cary Grant plays harp in The Bishop's Wife

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• 1921 births
• 1985 deaths
• American jazz harpists
• 20th-century American male musicians
• Jazz musicians from Oklahoma
• American male jazz musicians
• Oklahoma stubs
• American jazz musician stubs