Lee Pockriss
January 20, 1924 – November 14, 2011
Lee Pockriss was a New York born songwriter who wrote or co-wrote several pop hits during the ’50s and ’60s. He also scored music for film and Broadway. Pockriss’ biggest hit came by way of 1960’s “Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini,” which he co-wrote with Paul Vance. The song as recorded by Brian Hyland shot to #1 on the Billboard charts and has since been used in countless commercials, films and TV shows. Pockriss also penned “Catch A Falling Star” (Perry Como), “Tracy” (the Cuff Links), “Johnny Angel” (Shelley Fabares), and “My Little Corner” (Anita Bryant). For Broadway, he wrote the songs for Tovarich which earned him a Grammy nomination. Pockriss’ film work includes Stagecoach, The Phantom Tollbooth, and The Subject Was Roses. He also wrote several songs for Sesame Street during the ’80s. Lee Pockriss was 87 when he passed away on November 14, 2011.
Thanks to Harold Lepidus for the assist.