Tommie Connor

Tommie Connor in New York City, ca. 1980

(Thomas) Tommie Connor (16 November 1904 – 28 November 1993), also known as Tommy Connor, was an English songwriter, credited with several hit songs over his long career. Most notable among these was "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus", which has been recorded by many artists and is among the most-played Christmas songs played on American radio. This was one of several non-religious Christmas songs that he wrote, others being "The Little Boy that Santa Claus Forgot" and "I'm Sending a Letter to Santa".

He was born and raised in the West End of London to parents of Irish descent. He had five children of his own, born to his wife Catherine Connor (née McCarthy). He lived in London for most of his life interspersed with spells in parts of the United States, namely Los Angeles and New York.

In the 1966 Western The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, he provided lyrics to "The Story of a Soldier".

Catalog

Songs with Connor given writing credits, as well as recording artists include:

Title Artist(s)
My Home Town (1932)
Jump on the Wagon (1935)
It's My Mother's Birthday Today (1935) Arthur Tracy
I Once Had a Heart Margarita (1935
When the Guardsman Started Crooning on Parade (1935)
It's Never Too Late to Mend (1937)
The Little Boy that Santa Claus Forgot (1937) Vera Lynn
(Underneath) The (Spreading) Chestnut Tree (1938)
The Biggest Aspidistra in the World (1938) Gracie Fields
Who's Taking You Home Tonight(1939)
Til the Lights of London Shine Again(1939)
I'm Spending Christmas with the Old Folks(1940)
If Tears Could Bring You Back(1940)
The Little Boy Who Never Told a Lie(1940)
I've Got You Where I Want You(1940)
Was it the Orchids You Wore? (1941)
Ridin' Home On The Buggy In The Moonlight (1941)
Thanks To Love (1941)
Not A Cloud In The Sky (1942)
Be Like The Kettle And Sing (1943) Vera Lynn
I Love to Sing (1943) Vera Lynnin Rhythm Serenade
The Lover's Lullaby (1943) Geraldo and his orchestra
Lili Marlene (1944) Perry Como, Vera Lynn, Anne Shelton
My Beautiful Sarie Marais (1945)
It's Good To See You Honey (1945)
The Wedding of the Royal Princess (1947)
Hang on the Bell, Nellie (1948)
It Began With a Tango (1948) Gracie Fields
Hold Me Just a Little Closer Dear (1948) Anne Shelton
When the Heather Gleams Like Stardust (In the Glen) (1949) Robert Wilson
The Scottish Samba (1949)
Addormentarmi Cosi (So Ends My Search for a Dream) (1949)
The Wedding of Lili Marlene (1949)
Tipperary Samba (1950)
Sleepy Eyes (1950)
The Rose I Bring You (1950)
My Christmas Wish (1950)
When You Talk About Old Ireland (1950) Josef Locke
Five Minutes to Midnight (1951) The Radio Revellers
Rosaline (1951) Joe Loss
Lilli Marlene's Lullaby (1952)
The Homing Waltz (1952) Phil Tate
I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus (1952) Jimmy Boyd
Arriverderci (Till Our Next Meeting) (1952) Gracie Fields
(We Must Have Safety On) The Queens Highway (1953)
Kiss Me Again (1953)
The Engagement Waltz (1955)
Give Her My Love (When You Meet Her) (1956)
Rooney (1958)
I'm Backing Britain (1968)
Down In The Glen
Who's Taking You Home Tonight?
Never Do A Tango With An Eskimo Alma Cogan
O'Rafferty's Motor Car Val Doonican

Sources