Johnny Marks Biography

Johnny Marks (November 10, 1909 - September 3, 1985) was a Jewish-American songwriter[1].

He was born in Mount Vernon, New York. He is best remembered today for his Christmas songs, which include "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" (a hit for Gene Autry and others), "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" (first recorded by Bing Crosby), "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" (a hit for Brenda Lee), and "A Holly Jolly Christmas" (recorded by the Quinto Sisters then Burl Ives). He died in New York City.

Although "Frosty the Snowman" and "Jingle Bell Rock" have the same musical structure and chord progressions as Rudolph, Rockin', and Holly Jolly, they were written by different authors.

He is a great-uncle of economist Steven Levitt.