Q Who performs "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" at the end of the movie 50 First Dates? I remember this particular version also was used on ER when Dr. Greene died.
—Mary Hall, Ore City, Texas
The lovely, ukulele-backed version was recorded in 1993 by Hawaiian singer Israel Kamakawiwo'ole, more widely known as "Iz" and also known for his physical stature, standing 6 feet, 6 inches tall and weighing some 700 pounds. After his death in 1997 of weight-related respiratory illness, his striking version of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" also was used in the movies Finding Forester and The Big Bounce, for TV episodes of Providence, Charmed and Party of Five, and in a 2006 commercial for Rice Krispies.
Found in: Celebrity Q&A
