Irving Szathmary

Irving Szathmary, born Isadore Szathmary (October 30, 1907 – October 29, 1983) in Quincy, Massachusetts and died in Valletta, Malta on the eve of his 76th birthday, was a Hungarian-American musical composer and arranger most known for scoring the Get Smart television series. His wife was Irene Szathmary (born 1905) and his daughter was Elizabeth Szathmary (born 1938).

One of six children, his youngest brother was comedian Bill Dana. Szathmary was a child prodigy pianist from the age of five. Before graduating from Quincy High School in 1925, he adopted the name "Irving". At the same time he formed a band with his brother Albert, the Szathmary Symphonic Syncopaters. Al Szathmary (26 April 1906 – 9 June 1975) later had a career as an actor and was a stand-in on Get Smart. another brother was Arthur (1916–2013) who was a member of the Philosophy Department at Princeton University 1947–1986. Another brother, Sidney played violin in the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra from 1945 to 1978 The family had one sister, Fannie (23 July 1919 – 8 January 2010) who was an associate law librarian at the University of Southern California.

Szathmary began arranging for a variety of orchestras, including Benny Goodman in 1934, Emery Deutsch in 1935, Artie Shaw in 1936, and Andre Kostelanetz from 1936 to 1977 and from 1937, Paul Whiteman until joining Jack Teagarden in 1940.

During World War II he transcribed many orchestral pieces on V-Disc for American servicemen and began recording arrangements for featured singers such as Frank Sinatra and Mary Martin. He composed a major hit Leave It To Love in 1948.

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