Personal Info
William James Basie
Count Basie
Acting
Biography
William James "Count" Basie (/ˈbeɪsi/; August 21, 1904 – April 26, 1984) was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. In 1935, he formed the Count Basie Orchestra, and in 1936 took them to Chicago for a long engagement and their first recording. He led the group for almost 50 years, creating innovations like the use of two "split" tenor saxophones, emphasizing the rhythm section, riffing with a big band, using arrangers to broaden their sound, his minimalist piano style, and others.
Many musicians came to prominence under his direction, including the tenor saxophonists Le…
Known For
Filmography
Movies
Rat Pack
as Self (archive footage)
Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues
as Self (voice) (archive sound)
Charlie Parker: Bird Songs
as Self (archive footage)
Billie
as self
Count Basie: Through His Own Eyes
Sid & Judy
as Self (archive footage)
Jazz Legends in Their Own Words
as Self (archive footage)
All-Star Jazz Show: Live from The Ed Sullivan Theater
as Self
Music Inn
as Himself (archive footage)
Jazz Icons: Count Basie Live in '62
as Himself
TV Shows
The Big Show
as Self · 1 ep.
The Kennedy Center Honors
as Self · 1 ep.
ABC Stage 67
as Self · 1 ep.
The Hollywood Palace
as Self - Pianist · 1 ep.
The Judy Garland Show
as Self · 1 ep.
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
as Self · 4 ep.
The Merv Griffin Show
as Self · 2 ep.
The Mike Douglas Show
as Self · 1 ep.
Startime
as Self · 1 ep.
The Steve Allen Show
as Self - Bandleader · 1 ep.