Donald Voorhees (July 26, 1903, Allentown, Pennsylvania–January 10, 1989, Cape May Court House, New Jersey) was an American composer and conductor who received an Emmy Award nomination for "Individual Achievements in Music" for his work on the television series, The Bell Telephone Hour.
Conducted the pit orchestra for the classic Gershwin show "Girl Crazy" in 1930, a pit orchestra that included such future musical legends as Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, Jimmy Dorsey, Artie Shaw, Red Nichols, and Gene Krupa. Onstage, the show made stars of Ethel Merman and Ginger Rogers.
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He conducted the orchestra for the "Bell Telephone Hour" from its beginnings on radio in 1942 to its final television broadcast in 1968.
Music Department
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Bell Telephone Jubilee
1976
TV Movie documentary conductor: footage of "Bell Telephone Hour" clips
The Bell Telephone Hour
TV Series conductor - 56 episodes, 1959 - 1965 musical director - 1 episode, 1968 orchestra leader - 1 episode, 1960 composer - 1 episode, 1960
Soundtrack
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Bell Telephone Hour
1961
TV Series performer - 2 episodes
Rehearsal: The Telephone Hour
1947
Short performer: "Overture to 'The Bartered Bride'" excerpt, "La ci darem la mano", "O Love, Hide Me In My Weakness", "Le cor"
Actor
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Bell Telephone Hour
1967
TV Series
Conductor
Director
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Bell Telephone Hour
1959
TV Series
Composer
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Bell Telephone Hour
1967
TV Series 1 episode
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Bell Telephone Hour
1959-1968
TV Series
Himself - Host / Himself - Orchestra Leader / Himself
Rehearsal: The Telephone Hour
1947
Short
Himself / Conductor
Nominated Awards
Year
Award
Ceremony
Nomination
Movie
1966
Primetime Emmy
Primetime Emmy Awards
Individual Achievements in Music - Conducting
The Bell Telephone Hour (1959)
Known for movies
The Bell Telephone Jubilee (1976) as Music Department
The Bell Telephone Hour (1959-1968) as Music Department
Rehearsal: The Telephone Hour (1947) as Himself / Conductor
$500,000
