Chet Gierlach

Born as Chester M Gierlach on March 31, 1919 and died on March 28, 1995. Chet Gierlach was a music publisher, composer, conductor, and radio producer. He co-founded the publishing firm Music, Music, Music Inc., whose biggest hit was "The Ballad Of The Green Berets" in 1966. As a composer, he often collaborated with Leonard Whitcup and John L. Olson (aka Johnny Olson). He produced radio programs including The New York Philharmonic Orchestra and The Boston Pops Orchestra, the Woody Herman show, and directed the daytime serial "We Love and Learn", on which he met his wife, actress Ann Thomas, who died in 1989. He also wrote, produced, and directed musical commercials for McCann.