American film composer and songwriter. Joined The Walt Disney Studios in December 1932, he contributed to numerous shorts until his departure in 1941 to become a freelancer. He worked for other major studios, including MGM, Paramount, and RKO.

The most popular song he wrote was "When You Wish Upon a Star" from Walt Disney's Pinocchio, which was critically acclaimed, won an Academy Award for Best Song and was also one of Walt Disney's favorite songs.
It served as theme for the Studios' first weekly television series, Disneyland, and has served as somewhat of an anthem for The Walt Disney Company, using its melody for the opening logos from 1980s until today.