Buddy Bregman, arranger and producer, dead at age 86

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Buddy Bregman, an accomplished arranger, producer and filmmaker whose credits ranged from albums by Ella Fitzgerald and Bing Crosby to directing dozens of television movies and documentaries, has died.

Bregman died Sunday in Los Angeles at age 86. His daughter, actress Tracey Bregman, confirmed through her manager that he had been battling Alzheimer's disease.

The Chicago-born Bregman was in his mid-20s when hired by the Verve record label, and he worked with many top acts in the 1950s and after. He arranged Fitzgerald's classic "Songbook" tribute records to Cole Porter and Rodgers and Hart and produced Crosby's "Bing Sings Whilst Bregman Swings." He also worked on music featuring Fred Astaire and Count Basie, among others.

His TV credits included director and producing TV specials featuring Ethel Merman and Judy Garland.