Jay Blackton; Won Oscar for ‘Oklahoma!’

Jay Blackton, an opera conductor who segued to Broadway and Hollywood, earning an Academy Award for best musical score for the film version of “Oklahoma!,” has died. He was 84.

Blackton died Saturday of heart failure at Granada Hills Community Hospital, his family said.

Born Jay Schwartzdorf in New York City, he was educated at the Juilliard School in piano and conducting. Blackton began his career in opera, first as assistant conductor of the New York Opera Comique and from 1937 to 1942 as the conductor of the St. Louis Municipal Opera.

It was in St. Louis that he was noticed by the Broadway musical team of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, who moved him back to New York to score and conduct their 1943 stage hit, “Oklahoma!”

“I couldn’t see it at first,” Blackton said, recalling his doubts about the innovative musical for The Times in 1983. “I was trained for the opera and had absolutely no instinct when we opened in New Haven that this would be anything special.”

Blackton also was behind the score and baton for the hit Broadway musicals “Annie Get Your Gun,” “Call Me Madam,” “Guys and Dolls,” “Hello, Dolly!” and “George M.”

In Hollywood, Blackton provided the music for such films as “The Merry Widow” in 1952, and the movie versions of “Guys and Dolls” and “Oklahoma!” in 1955. He was nominated for an Academy Award for both 1955 musicals, and defeated himself for “Guys and Dolls” by winning the Oscar for “Oklahoma!”

It was Blackton’s task to coach the non-singing Marlon Brando for his musical role in “Guys and Dolls.”

“He wasn’t a singer, you know,” Blackton told The Times, “but he did try. He was a professional. Every time he got a tone right, I’d get so excited that he’d say, ‘Take it easy, Jay.’ ”

Over the years, Blackton worked with Irving Berlin, Fritz Loewe and Noel Coward. In 1948, he was part of Bob Hope’s first Armed Forces Christmas tour.

In recent years, Blackton occasionally conducted the San Fernando Valley Civic Light Opera and the Beverly Hills Symphony. His last public appearance was in 1991.

Blackton is survived by his wife, Louise; a son, Bill; a daughter, Jennie Philhower, and one grandson.

Services and burial will be in South Boston, Va.