Pockriss, writer of 'Itsy Bitsy' bikini song, dies

[November 18, 2011]  HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) -- Lee Pockriss, who wrote pop hits such as "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini" for an eager, youthful post-World War II generation, has died in Connecticut after a long illness. He was 87.

His wife, Sonja Pockriss, confirmed his death. She says he died at home in Bridgewater on Monday.

Pockriss, who also worked in musical theater, co-wrote several songs with Paul Vance, including 1957's "Catch a Falling Star."

In a 2006 interview, Vance called "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini" -- about a shy young woman in a skimpy bathing suit -- a "money machine."

The New York Times says (http://nyti.ms/vJCoN0) Lee Julian Pockriss was born on Jan. 20, 1924, in Brooklyn. He served during World War II as a cryptographer in the South Pacific.

[Associated Press]

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