- In the 1940s, along with orchestrator Conrad Salinger, he was one of the musicians most responsible for changing (and, many would say, improving) the overall sound of the M-G-M Orchestra, partially through the re-seating of some of the players. This is why the overall orchestral sound of M-G-M's musicals from the mid 1940s onward is different from the orchestral sound of those made from 1929 until about 1944.
- Recipient of thirteen Oscar nominations, five of which he actually won.
- Won Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Oscars for three films which also won Best Picture: An American in Paris (1951), West Side Story (1961) and Oliver! (1968).
- Led the Academy Award Orchestra a total of seventeen times on Oscar Nights over the years.
- Was the bandleader on The Jack Benny Program (1950) prior to Phil Harris.
- Composer of numerous song standards, most notably "Body and Soul" but also "Coquette," "I Cover the Waterfront," "I'm Yours," "Out of Nowhere" and "Song of Raintree County".
- Johnny's daughter Kathe was brought in when it was found the singing voice of Mark Lester wasn't quite what was wanted for the song "Where Is Love" in Oliver! (1968).
- Father of Babbie Green and Kathe Green.
- Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1972.
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