The Band with a Thud

Or

Maybe Barris *is* an assassin - Owens, Patton, DeLugg. That's why Langston wore a bag over his head...

(Props to the conspiracy-minded Phil)

Milton Delugg, who made a career out of oddness and mediocrity, yet worked with such music giants as Al Jolson, Nat King Cole and Pia Zadora, has died of heart failure at the age of 96. As musical director for a radio program, Delugg accompanied Jolson shortly before his death in 1950, then became bandleader for “Broadway Open House,” the first late-night program in TV history. There he co-wrote and performed “Orange Colored Sky,” which would become a hit for Nat King Cole. He also produced the Buddy Holly single Rave On. Stretching his wings, he wrote the music for Santa Claus Conquers the Martians, arguably the worst entry in the worst cinematic subgenre, notable only for the presence of Pia Zadora and the first appearance by Mrs. Claus in a movie. He was the rebound bandleader for Johnny Carson’s The Tonight Show between Skitch Henderson and Doc Severinsen. In the 1960s, he also scored the gig as the music director for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade that he would hold until 2013, bringing the best out of faded singers and wannabe Broadway hits as background score for the gas bags getting dragged around New York as well as the ones bantering inanely in the host’s booth. His varied experiences with performers of varied skills made him the ideal bandleader of the Band With a Thug and comic foil on Chuck Barris’ surreal splendor The Gong Show, where the polka he penned, Hoop Dee Doo, was used to celebrate each week’s champion.