Born in Denver, Colorado to Sam and Dora (Lazarus) Levinson, Jerry Livingston studied music at the University of Arizona.
[1] Livingston served in the Army's Special Services division during World War II.
He worked on Tin Pan Alley and co-wrote with Mack David the theme song to Casper the Friendly Ghost, and co-wrote "The Unbirthday Song" for Alice in Wonderland and "Trick or Treat For Halloween" for Trick or Treat with David and Al Hoffman.
In 1965, he and his wife, Ruth (née Schwartz), a former singer, were shot at their Beverly Hills home on North Rodeo Drive by their son, Gary, for "bugging him about getting out of bed at 1 PM",[3] after Gary had reportedly attempted suicide the previous night.
[4] Jerry Livingston died of a heart condition at his North Rodeo Drive home in Beverly Hills, California.