Joseph Hittelman, also known as Joe Harnell, born on August 2, 1924, in The Bronx, New York, was an American composer, music arranger, and musician. He began playing piano at age six and performed with his father's ensembles by age fourteen. After studying music at the University of Miami and serving in the United States Army Air Forces, Harnell worked as an accompanist for singers such as Judy Garland and Maurice Chevalier. His breakthrough came in 1962 when he arranged "Fly Me to the Moon", which reached number 14 on the Pop chart and number 4 on the Adult Contemporary chart in 1963. This success led to nearly twenty easy listening albums, including Fly Me To The Moon and the Bossa Nova Pops (1963), Bossa Now! (1967), and Moving On!! (1969). Harnell also composed for television shows like The Incredible Hulk. He died on July 14, 2005, in Sherman Oaks, California.
