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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 total

Known for

Tom Cruise and Kelly McGillis in Top Gun (1986)
Top Gun
7.0
  • 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
James Cromwell, Willem Dafoe, Kirsten Dunst, Theresa Russell, Tobey Maguire, Ted Raimi, Thomas Haden Church, Joe Virzi, Elizabeth Banks, Mike Alexander, Frank Anello, Becky Ann Baker, Dylan Baker, Elya Baskin, Joe Bays, Andre B. Blake, Bruce Campbell, Craig Castaldo, Terrell Clayton, Alan Cohn, Grant Curtis, Robert Curtis Brown, Gregg Daniel, Walt Dohrn, Dean Edwards, Hal Fishman, James Franco, Anne Gartlan, Lucy Gordon, Topher Grace, Rosemary Harris, Bryce Dallas Howard, Andrew James Jones, Ron King, Mark Kubr, Stan Lee, Tim Maculan, Sonya Maddox, Joe Manganiello, Danny Mann, Carolyn Neff, Bill Nunn, Ayesha Orange, Edward Padilla, Michael Papajohn, John Paxton, Alyssa Lakota, Timothy Patrick Quill, Emilio Rivera, Cliff Robertson, Bill E. Rogers, Shade Rupe, J.K. Simmons, Peter Sohn, Evelyn O. Vaccaro, Steve Valentine, Marc Vann, Jennifer Weston, Keith Woulard, Dan Callahan, Jeshua Vargas, Gary Flamik, Mageina Tovah, Claudia Katz Minnick, Toni Wynne, April Parker Jones, Martha Millan, Margaret Laney, Christina Cindrich, Dawn Marie Anderson, Reynaldo Gallegos, Natali Jones, Sincerely A. Ward, Nick Vlassopoulos, Gerald Bunsen, Jim Coope, David Backus, Vanessa Ross, Aimee Miles, Natalie McNeil, Jen Oda, Perla Haney-Jardine, Dan Cummings, Kristi Clainos, Brittany Krall, David Collihan, Joseph O'Brien, Peter Donato, Rogelio T. Ramos, Linda Lee, Graig F. Weich, Arne Starr, Liam Stone, Ray Wineteer, Samantha Ressler, Stella Stark, Julie Jei, Derrick 'Phoenix' Thomas, Michael Ciesla, Tiffany L. Baker, La Rivers, Tanya Bond, Tony Besson, Kristin Somo, Brigid Turner, Ramon Adams, Marc C. Cancassi, Silq Webster, Anya Avaeva, Bernadette Lords, Bria Roberts, Sandrine Marlier, Jhing, Kellie Aiken, Abbey Skinner, Anjelia Pelay, Crystal Marie Denha, Kathryn Bryding, Michael McLaughlin, Nick Poltoranin, Paul Edney, Chuck Gerena, Arick Salmea, Kevin Fung, Christopher Stadulis, Jennifer Sparks, Carol Chaikin, Lorne Raimi, Emma Raimi, Taylor Hemhauser, Austin Hendrickson, Nasir Stewart, Jessi Collins, Menachem Mendel Boymelgreen, Henry Raimi, Vance Hammond, Logan Fry, Daniel Shafer, Dan Maysen, Cesar Di Parra, Eric Shackelford, Veronica, Amy V. Dewhurst, Robert Myers, Samantha Kelly, Vanessa Reseland, Sujeilee Candele, Irina Costa Jelinek, Christopher Jude, Halla, Brianna Leann Florian, Tiffany Ashley Florian, Amanda Florian, Laura McDavid, Tony Galtieri, Jimmy Star, Natalie Fabry, John Crann, Angelis Alexandris, Trenton Willey, Marmee Regine Cosico, Shaun Patrick Flynn, Brian Hopson, Tajna Tanovic, Aija Terauda, Daniel Mignault, Pierangeli Llinas, Philip Vaiman, Luis Rosa, A.J. Adelman, Fredrick Weiss, Donn R. Nottage, Don Pravda, Keith Fausnaught, Claude Jay, Tia Latrell, Kadrolsha Ona Carole, Michele-Nanette Miller, Emily Eckes, Tom Coughlin, Austin Rospert, Karen Schiff Freeman, and Roger Petan in Spider-Man 3 (2007)
Spider-Man 3
6.3
  • Soundtrack("Fever")
  • 2007

Credits

Edit
IMDbPro

Composer



  • FEVER: The Musical
    7.6
    Video
    • Composer
    • 2007
  • Madonna in Madonna: Fever (1993)
    Madonna: Fever
    7.0
    Music Video
    • Composer (as J. Davenport)
    • 1993
  • Billy Joel: All Shook Up (1992)
    Billy Joel: All Shook Up
    5.2
    Music Video
    • Composer
    • 1992
  • Jerry Lee Lewis: Great Balls of Fire (1989)
    Jerry Lee Lewis: Great Balls of Fire
    7.3
    Music Video
    • Composer
    • 1989
  • Dolly Parton in Dolly Parton: Great Balls of Fire (1979)
    Dolly Parton: Great Balls of Fire
    Music Video
    • Composer
    • 1979

Music Department



  • Jay Ellis, Miles Teller, Monica Barbaro, and Lewis Pullman in Top Gun: Maverick (2022)
    Miles Teller: Great Balls of Fire
    8.2
    Music Video
    • Music Department
    • 2022
  • August Igor Svideniouk Egholm, Martine Ølbye Hjejle, and Sebastian Teschemacher in Christmas Star (2012)
    Christmas Star
    6.5
    TV Series
    • composer: additional music
    • 2012
  • Status Quo: The Anniversary Waltz - Part One
    6.8
    Music Video
    • song: "Great Balls of Fire"
    • 1990
  • Jamboree! (1957)
    Jamboree!
    5.1
    • musical director
    • 1957

Soundtrack



  • The Masked Singer (2019)
    The Masked Singer
    5.8
    TV Series
    • writer: "Fever"
    • 2025
  • Jim Henson: Idea Man (2024)
    Jim Henson: Idea Man
    7.7
    • writer: "Fever"
    • 2024
  • Madonna: The Celebration Tour in Rio (2024)
    Madonna: The Celebration Tour in Rio
    8.6
    TV Special
    • writer: "Fever"
    • 2024
  • Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2024)
    Mr. & Mrs. Smith
    7.0
    TV Series
    • writer: "Daddy Rollin' Stone"
    • 2024
  • Scott Pilgrim Takes Off (2023)
    Scott Pilgrim Takes Off
    7.7
    TV Mini Series
    • writer: "Breathless"
    • 2023
  • Marco Girnth, Melanie Marschke, Amy Mußul, and Johannes Hendrik Langer in Leipzig Homicide (2001)
    Leipzig Homicide
    5.7
    TV Series
    • writer: "Great Balls of Fire"
    • 2023
  • Michael Keaton, Ezra Miller, and Sasha Calle in The Flash (2023)
    The Flash
    6.6
    • writer: "Great Balls of Fire"
    • 2023
  • Gael García Bernal in Cassandro (2023)
    Cassandro
    6.5
    • writer: "Fever"
    • 2023
  • Emma Roberts in American Horror Story (2011)
    American Horror Story
    7.9
    TV Series
    • writer: "Fever"
    • 2022
  • Jay Ellis, Miles Teller, Monica Barbaro, and Lewis Pullman in Top Gun: Maverick (2022)
    Miles Teller: Great Balls of Fire
    8.2
    Music Video
    • writer: "Great Balls of Fire" (uncredited)
    • 2022
  • For All Mankind (2019)
    For All Mankind
    8.1
    TV Series
    • writer: "Don't Be Cruel"
    • 2021–2022
  • Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Natalia Dyer, Caleb McLaughlin, Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Charlie Heaton, Noah Schnapp, and Gaten Matarazzo in Stranger Things (2016)
    Stranger Things
    8.6
    TV Series
    • writer: "Fever" (uncredited)
    • 2022
  • Kaley Cuoco in The Flight Attendant (2020)
    The Flight Attendant
    7.1
    TV Series
    • writer: "All Shook Up"
    • 2022
  • Austin Butler in Elvis (2022)
    Elvis
    7.3
    • writer: "Fever" (as J. Davenport)
    • 2022
  • Tom Cruise in Top Gun: Maverick (2022)
    Top Gun: Maverick
    8.2
    • writer: "Great Balls of Fire"
    • 2022

Personal details

Edit
  • 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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