Leo Robin

Leo Robin was an Americna lyricist best known for his songs "Thanks for the Memory" (1938; co-written with Ralph Rainger) and "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" (1949; written with Jule Styne).

Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Robin studied at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law and at Carnegie Tech's drama school. After working as a jounalist, he had his first big break on Broadway with By the Way (1926). In 1932, he moved out to Hollywood, where he collaborated chiefly with composer Ralph Rainger. They became one of Hollywood's leading songwriting duos, until Rainger's unexpected death in 1942. Robin went on to collaborate with a number of other composers, including Jule Styne, Vincent Younmens, Richard A. Whiting, and Sam Coslow. "Thanks for the Memory" was featured in The Big Broadcast of 1938 and won the Oscar for Best Original Song. "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" was written for Carol Channing to sing in the 1949 musical Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, which was subsequently adapted for film and sung by Marilyn Monroe.