On the TV show "Night Court", who was Harry's favorite singer?

On “Night Court,” Harry’s favorite singer is Mel Tormé. Judge Harry Stone, played by Harry Anderson, repeatedly identifies the sophisticated jazz and pop vocalist as his musical idol, creating one of the sitcom’s most distinctive character traits.

The connection worked because Anderson was a genuine Tormé admirer in real life. Tormé eventually appeared on the series several times, usually as himself, allowing the show to turn Harry’s fandom into an ongoing joke. Harry’s reverence contrasts with the odd situations and broad comedy surrounding the Manhattan night court, making his refined musical taste part of his characterization.

Mel Tormé was a major singer, songwriter, arranger, and drummer whose career began in the 1940s. He co-wrote “The Christmas Song,” best known from Nat King Cole’s recording, and became associated with jazz phrasing and the nickname “The Velvet Fog.” Viewers sometimes remember Harry as a fan of Frank Sinatra or another traditional pop singer, but “Night Court” consistently makes Tormé the canonical answer. Tormé’s appearances also blur the line between the show’s fictional admiration and Anderson’s real one.