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IMDbPro

Otis Blackwell(1931-2002)

  • Composer
  • Music Department
  • Soundtrack
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Otis Blackwell was a songwriter whose works included "Great Balls of Fire", "Fever", "Don't Be Cruel" and "All Shook Up". Born in Brooklyn in 1931, he grew up obsessed with the movies of Tex Ritter. After briefly singing in blues clubs, he signed with RCA in 1952 as a songwriter. With the royalties he collected from his songs, including those above, he was able to live his bon vivant lifestyle. He is survived by his wife and seven children.
BornFebruary 16, 1931
DiedMay 6, 2002(71)
BornFebruary 16, 1931
DiedMay 6, 2002(71)
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Add photos, demo reels
  • Awards
    • 1 nomination

Known for

Tom Cruise and Kelly McGillis in Top Gun (1986)
Top Gun
6.9
  • Soundtrack("Great Balls of Fire")
  • 1986
Bob Odenkirk in Nobody (2021)
Nobody
7.4
  • Soundtrack("I Told Myself a Lie")
  • 2021
Matt Damon and Emily Blunt in The Adjustment Bureau (2011)
The Adjustment Bureau
7.0
  • Soundtrack("Fever (Adam Freeland Extended Remix)")
  • 2011
Tobey Maguire in Spider-Man 3 (2007)
Spider-Man 3
6.3
  • Soundtrack("Fever")
  • 2007

Credits

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IMDbPro

Composer

  • FEVER: The Musical
    • Composer
    • Video
    • 2007
  • Madonna in Madonna: Fever (1993)
    Madonna: Fever
    • Composer (as J. Davenport)
    • Music Video
    • 1993
  • Billy Joel: All Shook Up (1992)
    Billy Joel: All Shook Up
    • Composer
    • Music Video
    • 1992
  • Jerry Lee Lewis: Great Balls of Fire (1989)
    Jerry Lee Lewis: Great Balls of Fire
    • Composer
    • Music Video
    • 1989
  • Dolly Parton in Dolly Parton: Great Balls of Fire (1979)
    Dolly Parton: Great Balls of Fire
    • Composer
    • Music Video
    • 1979

Music Department

  • Miles Teller: Great Balls of Fire (2022)
    Miles Teller: Great Balls of Fire
    • Music Department
    • Music Video
    • 2022
  • August Igor Svideniouk Egholm, Martine Ølbye Hjejle, and Sebastian Teschemacher in Christmas Star (2012)
    Christmas Star
    • composer: additional music
    • TV Series
    • 2012
  • Status Quo: The Anniversary Waltz - Part One
    • song: "Great Balls of Fire"
    • Music Video
    • 1990
  • Jamboree! (1957)
    Jamboree!
    • musical director
    • 1957

Soundtrack

  • For All Mankind (2019)
    For All Mankind
    • writer: "Don't Be Cruel"
    • TV Series
    • 2021–2022
  • Winona Ryder, Tom Wlaschiha, David Harbour, Brett Gelman, Maya Hawke, Jamie Campbell Bower, Natalia Dyer, Joseph Quinn, Caleb McLaughlin, Sadie Sink, Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Charlie Heaton, Joe Keery, Noah Schnapp, Gaten Matarazzo, Priah Ferguson, and Eduardo Franco in Stranger Things (2016)
    Stranger Things
    • writer: "Fever" (uncredited)
    • TV Series
    • 2022
  • Kaley Cuoco in The Flight Attendant (2020)
    The Flight Attendant
    • writer: "All Shook Up"
    • TV Series
    • 2022
  • Austin Butler in Elvis (2022)
    Elvis
    • writer: "Fever" (as J. Davenport)
    • 2022
  • Tom Cruise in Top Gun: Maverick (2022)
    Top Gun: Maverick
    • writer: "Great Balls of Fire"
    • 2022
  • Zendaya in Euphoria (2019)
    Euphoria
    • writer: "Fever"
    • writer: "Don't Be Cruel"
    • TV Series
    • 2022
  • Rob Lowe, Gina Torres, Jim Parrack, Sierra Aylina McClain, Julian Works, Ronen Rubinstein, Brian Michael Smith, Natacha Karam, and Rafael L. Silva in 9-1-1: Lone Star (2020)
    9-1-1: Lone Star
    • writer: "Fever"
    • TV Series
    • 2021
  • Bob Odenkirk in Nobody (2021)
    Nobody
    • writer: "I Told Myself a Lie"
    • 2021
  • Anya Taylor-Joy in The Queen's Gambit (2020)
    The Queen's Gambit
    • writer: "Fever" (uncredited)
    • TV Mini Series
    • 2020
  • Tähdet, tähdet (2014)
    Tähdet, tähdet
    • writer: "Great Balls of Fire"
    • TV Series
    • 2020
  • Alfredo Castro in My Tender Matador (2020)
    My Tender Matador
    • writer: "Fever"
    • 2020
  • Bernadette Peters in Bernadette Peters: A Special Concert (2020)
    Bernadette Peters: A Special Concert
    • lyrics: "Fever"
    • music: "Fever"
    • TV Special
    • 2020
  • Cilla: The Lost Tapes (2020)
    Cilla: The Lost Tapes
    • writer: "Fever"
    • TV Movie
    • 2020
  • Darren Aronofsky, Lance Oppenheim, and Melissa Oppenheim in Some Kind of Heaven (2020)
    Some Kind of Heaven
    • writer: "Great Balls of Fire"
    • 2020
  • Conphidance in Little America (2020)
    Little America
    • writer: "Don't Be Cruel"
    • TV Series
    • 2020

Personal details

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  • Alternative name
    • J. Davenport
  • Born
    • February 16, 1931
    • Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA
  • Died
    • May 6, 2002
    • Nashville, Tennessee, USA(heart attack)
  • Spouse
    • Mamie Wiggins? - May 6, 2002 (his death, 7 children)
  • Publicity listings
    • 2 Articles

Did you know

Edit
  • Trivia
    He wrote more than 1,000 songs that were recorded by performers such as Ray Charles, Billy Joel, The Who, James Taylor, Otis Redding, Peggy Lee and Jerry Lee Lewis. Some of Blackwell's other credits include "Great Balls of Fire" and "Breathless", both recorded by Lewis; "Handy Man" by Taylor; "Fever" by Lee; "Daddy Rolling Stone" by The Who; and "Return to Sender", "Don't Be Cruel," and "All Shook Up", each recorded by Presley.
  • Quotes
    I wrote my songs, I got my money and I boogied.

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