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Article: A Talent for Genius: The Life and Times of Oscar Levant

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Forward
Article date:
June 24, 1994
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Copyright

Joel Lewis
Forward
06-24-1994
A Talent for Genius: The Life and Times of Oscar Levant.

At the height of his popularity in the late 1930s, Oscar Levant was one of the most recognizable figures in America. His piano concerts were invariable sell-outs, and his performance fees eclipsed those of Vladimir Horowitz and Arthur Rubinstein. He was a familiar voice on radio, a regular on the "Information Please" quiz show and a frequent guest on most of the major variety shows. He was famous for his outrageous comments and for quips such as "I knew Doris Day before she became a virgin." Levant also made 13 Hollywood movies, playing a character that became known as "an Oscar Levant type." By the time ...

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