Joseph Brandfron
Overview
Brandfron was under contract with the Leo Feist Music Publishing Company, in 1927. While there, among his other duties, he wrote some songs with
Frank Loesser lyrics, which were never published. see Loesser.
Among the films on which he worked are:
< Nicholas Brodszky
His very first film was made in Vienna in 1930 (it starred Richard Tauber and Gitta Alpa), and he may have written or contributed to 14 or 15 other
film scores, including:
In Hollywood, "Slug" did some work with lyricist Sammy Cahn.
Among his compositions -All co-composed with Razaf and Waller unless otherwise shown- are:
Together with Razaf and Waller, Brooks help score the Broadway stage shows "Snapshots of 1921" and "Connie's Hot Chocolates". In 1930, Brooks joined ASCAP.
Among his other songs are:
Shelton wrote his first big hit in 1910, "Some of These Days" with his own lyrics. He had already introduced the song in his own vaudeville act, when Sophie Tucker's maid, introduced both him and the tune to Sophie. "The Last of the Red Hot Mamas", picked it up and made it her very own theme song. It was the beginning of a lifelong friendship with Sophie, and to Sophie's great credit, over her long career, she did everything she could to help struggling Black artists. Among those she helped were Noble Sissle and Eubie Blake. Their first song, "It's All Your Fault", published in 1915, was a direct result of the Tucker-Brooks friendship. Between 1911 and 1914, Brooks had other hits including "There'll Come a Time", "All Night Long", and "Walking the Dog".
1911 was a busy year for Brooks. He appeared in his first musical comedy, 'Dr. Herb's Prescription, or It Happened in a Dream' (then playing at Chicago's famed African-American owned Pekin Theater). The show starred (and was produced), Jesse Shipp, who had previously worked in the Williams and Walker shows in New York city. During this time, he also toured with Danny Small's Hot Harlem Band for several months during this period.
While the 1920's Jazz Age has often been called the 'Era of Tango Teas', the "Tea" of choice was whisky. Nightclubs stayed open all night long (often the front doors didn't even have a lock), and private parties lasted till the dawn. Shelton's composition, "All Night Long" perfectly reflected this era. His 1916 instrumental tune "Walkin' The Dog" inspired a dance that first swept dance-mad New York city, and then the rest of the country.
In 1917, Brooks had another hit "The Darktown Strutter's Ball", for which he wrote both the words and music. Soon after it was published, it was played
by the Original Dixieland Jazz Band, and has remained a jazz standard ever since. Geoffrey Brooks has written:
"...there was a formal dance held in Chicago once a year for those who you
In the early 1920s, Perry Bradford, helped him get a recording session. One side of the record was a comedy dialog called 'Darktown Court Room'. The
flip side a song by the comedy team Miller and Lyles called "You Can't Come In". The record sold 80,000 copies. Shelton, the vaudeville headliner pre-WW1, appeared in many small African-American shows during the 1920s. In 1920, he was in 'Miss Nobody From Starland'. He was Florence Mill's co-star in the 1922 Broadway show 'Negro Plantation Revue'. (Mills, died in 1927 at the peak of her career.) In 1923, appeared in the show 'K of P'. He was the 'song-and-dance man' in another Florence Mill' show 'Dixie To Broadway'.
Throughout the 1930s, he was active in other stage productions and toured Europe as a member of Lew Leslie's "Blackbirds of 1932" revue. During this tour he appeared in a command performance before England's King George V. In 1940, at the ASCAP-sponsored Festival of American Music in San Francisco, Shelton Brooks, W. C. Handy and William Grant Still, the dean of black classical composers, were honored . He died on On September 6, 1975, 89 years old.
Lew Brown
Among his songs are:
L. Russell Brown
During the 1960s, Brown was a member of the U. S. Army. While in the service, he was one half of a team called 'The Distant Cousins' that toured Europe for the Army. After his service discharge, he and Raymond Bloodworth formed a team that knocked around New York City, mostly playing the Folk Scene in that city's Greenwich Village area. Songwriter and record producer, Bob Crewe heard his work, and took Brown under his wing. Crewe had written some 'Top Ten' hit songs including "Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You", "Big Girls Don't Cry", and perhaps 50 others. Working with Crewe, Brown composed his first Million-Seller, "Sock It To Me Baby", which was a huge hit for the group 'Mitch Ryder and The Detroit Wheels.' Following that, Raymond Bloodworth and Brown wrote "C'mon Marianne" which was one of 'The Four Seasons' greatest hits.
In 1971, Russell Brown started writing songs with his very good friend the late Irwin Levine. Together, their works have already sold over 150 million records. One of their songs, "Tie a Yellow Ribbon 'Round The Old Oak Tree" has accounted for over 80 percent of that total, with well over 1000 different versions around the globe in just about ever language spoken. Two years later, in 1973, Levine and Brown wrote another song together "Knock Three Times", which sold 10 million singles in the United States alone. It was also number one Worldwide, however only a dozen or so other people have recorded "Knock Three Times".
L. Russell Brown is still very active indeed. He currently has a new 'single' coming out September 1st (2000) in Europe, and in the rest of the world including the USA on October 1st. The artist is named 'Kaci' and the song is called "Paradise" (Lyric Joel Diamond).
His tune "Butterfly (I'll Set You Free)", with lyric by Irwin Levine was recorded by Perry Como. Several of his tunes were huge hits for Tony Orlando and Dawn.
Nacio Herb Brown
He came to Hollywood in 1928 under contract to MGM. Among his best known songs, are:
Nacio Herb Brown is a Songwriters' Hall of Fame member. Gene Buck
Walter Bullock
Joseph A. Burke
In 1920, Burke joined ASCAP, and among the many other songwriters with whom he collaborated are Al Dubin, Mark Fisher, Edgar Leslie, Marty Simes, Benny Davis, and Charles Tobias. As a composer, he is best recalled for such song hits as:
Among the films for which he wrote songs are:
Leslie Bricusse
b. Jan. 29, 1931, London, England, U.K.
Currently No Information Available for this British Lyricist.
Among the songs for which he contributed are:
All from the musical "Pickwick"
"Bit of a Character"
"British Justice"
"Debtor's Lament"
"Do As You Would Be Done By"
"Fingers Crossed"
"Good Old Pickwick"
"Learn A Little Something"
"Letter of the Law"
"Look Into Your Heart"
"Pickwickians"
"Sumfink"
"Talk"
"That's The Law"
"That's what I'd Like for Christmas"
"Trouble With Women"
"Very"
"You've Never Met a Fella Like Me"
Among his Other songs:
"Goldfinger", Lyric to the main theme. A huge hit for vocalist Shirley Bassey.
"(The) Candy Man", vocalist Sammy Davis, Jr.'s big Hit.
"If I Ruled The World", Perry Como hit.
"Goldfinger", the film's theme, A Shirley Bassey vocal hit.
"What Kind Of Fool Am I", Anthony Newley vocal hit.
"The Joker"
"Talk To The Animals"
Jekyll & Hyde: The Musical (2001 lyricist)
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992 (lyricist)
Hook (1991 (lyricist)
Home Alone (1990 (lyricist)
Santa Claus (1985 (lyricist)
Sammy Stops the World (1978 lyricist. aka in USA: Stop the World, I Want to Get Off)
Superman (1978 lyricist for the song: "Can You Read My Mind?")
Gunn (1967) (lyricist)
You Only Live Twice (1967 lyricist: title song)
Guide for the Married Man, A (1967 lyricist)
Penelope (1966 lyricist)
Goldfinger (1964 lyricist: title song)
font size=4 color="blue">Addie Britt
Overview
This lyricist contributed his lyrics to the 1927 tune "Hello Swanee, Hello" with music by Sam Coslow. (Fred Waring recorded the song.)
b. 1905, Odessa, Russia, d. 1985, Hollywood, CA, USA.
Currently no information available for this composer, who did much of his work in Britain.
He is known to have studied music in Rome, Vienna and Budapest, and even contributed songs to Viennese operettas during the 1920s. Nicknamed "Slug", he is best recalled today as a 'film tunesmith'. Lionel Salter termed him "...a notorious 'near-illiterate.' "Slug" Brodszky needed to have 'collaborators'". He was rather dependent on the assistance of such arrangers as Charles Williams, Mischa Spoliansky, Roy Douglas, Clive Richardson, Philip Green, and Sidney Torch, all of whom were rarely credited.
French Without Tears (1939)
Freedom Radio (1941)
The Way to the Stars (1945
dir Anthony Asquith)
Carnival (1946)
A Man About the House (1947)
Harry Brooks
b. Sept. 20, 1895, Homestead, PA, USA. d. 1970, USA.
composer/pianist
Not too well remembered today, still, Harry was the composer of some hit songs including his co-composition "AIn't Misbehavin'". After graduating from his hometown high school, he soon found work as a pianist in some local bands, and subsequently worked as a staff composer for a publishing company. He is best recalled today for work with his friends, - Thomas "Fats" Waller, and Andy Razaf.
"Ain't Misbehavin'", a truly huge worldwide hit.
"That Rhythm Man"
"My Man Is Good For Nothin' But Love"
"Jungle Jamboree"
"Rockin' In a Rockin' Chair"
"Can t We Get Together"
"Swing, Mr. Charlie", (co-composed with Irving Taylor and J. Russel Robinson)
"Alone And Blue" (BUT better known as "Black nd Blue")
"Saturday"
"Low Tide Down In My Heart", (Co-composed with Andy Razaf)
"When the Sun Sets South", (Co-composed with Sidney Joseph Bechet and Noble Sissle)
"Sweet Savannah Sue"
"In the Meantime",
"Garden Of God", (sole composer.)
"Strictly From Dixie",
"On the Loose" (Sole composer)
Harvey Brooks
b: Feb. 17, 1899, Philadelphia, PA, USA. d: June 17, 1968, Los Angeles, CA, USA
For the 1933 film I'm No Angel, (yes.. he was not credited) starring Mae West and her protege Cary Grant. The story plot was 'Taglined' as being about "A girl who lost her reputation, - and never missed it." For this film, Brooks composed the songs "They Call Me Sister Honky-Tonk", "Nobody Loves Me Like That Dallas Man", "I Found a New Way to Go to Town", "I Want You, I Need You", and "I'm No Angel". Other Uncredited composers who collaborated on the film (and perhaps with Brooks in composing the above songs) include:
Ben Ellison, (b. Nov. 7, 1902, Pennsylvania, USA, d. Feb. 1, 1984, Los Angeles, CA, USA.)
Karl Hajos
Herman Hand
Howard Jackson
Rudy Kopp
Heinz Roemheld, and
John Leipold
These men also often worked together on many other films including detective stories such as Bulldog Drummond....., cowboy
films such as Gene Autry , and various sci-fi films such as the 'Flash Gordon' and 'Buck Rogers' episodes, among many others. .
"The Sweetest Moment of My Life" for the 1937 film: Dark Manhattan
"I Know You Remember", from the 1938 film: The Duke Is Tops
Shelton Brooks
May 4, 1886, Amesburg, Ontario, CANADA d. September 6, 1975.
Here is a photograph of Shelton Brooks, who as a very young boy, this child of Native American and Black parents, learned to play on the family pump organ. His father was a Preacher, and Shelton and his brother would play the organ at services. (Shelton played, and his older brother pumped the Bellows pedals which Shelton couldn't reach.) His family emigrated to Detroit, and the 15 year old Shelton made some appearances
as a child prodigy. In time, he became a cafe pianist, and a very famous negro performer. He loved to mimic Bert Williams, whom he greatly admired.
"might say practiced the oldest profession in the world", and their
associates. Each year they practiced in the proper attire of tall hats,
coats and tails, and spats. This was their night that they suffered no
oppression and were not bothered very much, if at all, by the local
authorities. It was if they were ignored, and as long as "they" were all
in one place, no bother! Granted these people did have some clout of
their own and were the pride of their people, even though some of them
were practicing illegal moonlighting in their illicit affairs after their
day jobs. It was a marvelous occasion looked forward to each year by
thousands, and to be a guest was by all means a pride of honor. In their
minds, they were (and who could disagree) the bottom of the social ladder.
But with the likes a Shelton Brooks, Fats Waller and some of the most
talented musicians, to grace one place in one night would be a great honor
in any human book."
b. Dec. 10, 1893, Odessa, Russia, d. Feb. 5, 1958, New York, NY, USA.
né: Louis Brownstein
Overview
This lyricist is probably best known as one part of the De Sylva, Brown and Henderson songwriting team. In 1912, he wrote his first successful lyric to a song by Albert Von Tilzer. In 1922, Brown joined with composer Ray Henderson on the song "Georgette." In 1925, they were joined with Buddy De Sylva. Even after De Sylva left them in the early 1930's, Brown and Henderson continued on as a team.
1922 "How You Gonna Keep Your Mind On Dancing", James F. Hanley music.
1925 "Don't Bring Lulu", Billy Rose, Brown & Henderson music.
1927 From Broadway show 'Manhattan Mary'
"The Five Step", DeSylva Brown and Henderson music.
1927 "One Sweet Letter From You", Sidney Clare, Harry Warren, Brown.
1928 From film, 'Singing Fool', DeSylva, Brown and Henderson music
"Sonny Boy", A huge Al Jolson vocal hit.
1929 From film 'Say It With Song', starring Al Jolson
"Little Pal", DeSylva, Brown and Henderson
1929 From film 'Sunnyside Up'
"I'm A Dreamer (Aren't We All)", DeSylva, Brown & Henderson
1930 From film 'Flying High'
"Without Love", DeSyvla, Brown and Henderson.
1934 From film 'Stand Up and Cheer', music by Jay Gorney
"We're Out of the Red"
1936 From film 'The Music Goes Round'
"Life Begins When You're In Love", collab. with Victor Schertzinger music & Harry Richmond
b. June 29, 1940, Newark, NJ, USA.
Once, when Brown was 15 years old and suffering from the Mumps (a childhood disease), an even younger friend lent him a guitar. In 10 days, Brown could play it fairly well, - his fingers were sore as could be, but he could play the guitar. At one point, a teacher did indeed try to teach him to read music, but Brown found the subject too boring, and much preferred to make music his own way, and his way has turned out to be the right way.
b. Feb. 22, 1896, Deming, New Mexico, USA. d. 1964, San Francisco, CA, USA.
né: Ignacio Herb Brown.
Overview
Educated at Musical Arts High School in Los Angeles, California. After graduating from UCLA, he first became a tailor, and then made a small fortune in Beverly Hills (L.A.) real estate trading. He began to compose in the early 1920's, with little luck. In 1927, he became a member of ASCAP, and worked with such men as Arthur Freed, B. G. "Buddy" DeSylva, Gus Kahn, Leo Robin and Gordon Clifford. Arthur Freed also went to Hollywood where he was one of MGM's finest musical show producers. In Hollywood, Freed and Nacio again worked closely together. Nacio's main fame was as a composer for Hollywood films from the very first days of soundtrack recordings. Here's a photograph of Nacio Herb Brown, and film actress Bessie Love, taken at a practice session. And, a visitor to our site, Mr. Robert Klein, has graciously sent these two close-ups:
Nacio (side view), and this Nacio (frontal view)
(Photos courtesy of Mr. Robert Klein)
1929's 'Broadway Melody'
"You Were Meant for Me"
"The Wedding of the Painted Doll"
"When Buddha Smiles (at me)"
"Coral Sea",
"Singin' in the Rain"
"Pagan Love Song"
"Chant of the Jungle"
1932 "Fit As A Fiddle and Ready For Love", Arthur Freed lyric.
"Eadie Was a Lady"
"You're an Old Smoothie"
"Should I?"
"The Moon is Low"
"Paradise"
"You're an Old Smoothie"
"Eadie Was a Lady"
"We'll Make Hay While the Sun Shines" (ex 1933 film: "Going Hollywood" starring Bing Crosby and Marion Davies)
"Our Big Love Scene" (ex 1933 film: "Going Hollywood" starring Bing Crosby and Marion Davies)
"Temptation" (ex 1933 film: "Going Hollywood" starring Bing Crosby and Marion Davies)
"After Sundown" (ex 1933 film: "Going Hollywood" starring Bing Crosby and Marion Davies)
"Beautiful Girl"
"A New Moon is Over My Shoulder"
"Sing Before Breakfast"
"I've Got a Feelin' You're Foolin'"
"Alone"
"Would You?"
"Smoke Dreams"
"I'm Feelin' Like a Million"
"Your Broadway and My Broadway"
"Yours and Mine"
"Good Morning"
"You Stepped Out of a Dream"
"If I Steal a Kiss"
"Love Is Where You Find It"
1934's "All I Do Is Dream of You"
1935's "You Are My Lucky Star"
1941's "You Stepped Out of a Dream"
1948's "Love Is Where You Find It"
1952's "Make 'Em Laugh".
Lyricist/producer Arthur Freed later admitted to plagirism, when
he used this song in a Gene Kelly film (Donald O'Connor sang it.
The original of this song was "Be A Clown".
His instrumental compositions include "Doll Dance" and "American Bolero".
b. 1885, d. 1957
Currently no information available.
b. 1907, Shelburn, IN, USA, d. 1953, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Overview
Lyricist Walter Bullock was most active from the mid-1930's through the late 1940's. He started his career in Indianapolis at radio station WFBM. Bullock traveled to Hollywood and began writing for bandleader Ben Bernie. Later he mainly wrote for Hollywood Movie musicals, both as a composer and as a screenwriter. His writing partners included Richard Whiting, and Jules Styne. He wrote lyrics for many songs in Shirley Temple films. Bullock was twice nominated for Oscar best song awards, -in 1936 for "When Did You Leave Heaven" (with Whiting) from "Sing Baby, Sing", and in 1940 for "Who Am I?" (with Jule Styne) for "Hit Parade of 1941". Among Bullock's screenplays are, "Springtime in the Rockies", "The Gang's All Here", "Greenwich Village" and "The Farmer Takes a Wife".
b. March 18, 1884, Philadelphia, PA, USA USA; d. June 9, 1950, Upper Darby, PA, USA. USA
Often Credited on the music as "Joe Burke"
After matriculating at University of Pennsylvania, this pianist, composer and actor then joined the staff of a New York publishing firm. As an actor, Joe played a great many roles. He first began his acting career in 1912 when he appeared in the Hollywood film 'As the Wind Blows', and 'A Shot in the Dark,' that same year. Joe would go on to appear as an actor in perhaps 60 other films. His last screen appearances were in 1929's 'The Royal Rider', and
'The Show of Shows (appearing as himself - Joe Burke).
"Tip Toe Through the Tulips"
"Rambling Rose"
"For You"
"Carolina Moon"
"Painting the Clouds With Sunshine"
"Dancing With Tears in My Eyes"
"Yearning"
"Oh How I Miss You Tonight"
"A Little Bit Independent"
"In a Little Gypsy Tearoom"
"In the Valley of the Moon"
"Getting Some Fun Out of Life"
"It Looks Like Rain in Cherry Blossom Lane"
"Moon Over Miami"
"Robins and Roses"
"At a Perfume Counter"
"Who Wouldn't Love You"
"Cling to Me"
"On Treasure Island"
"By the River of the Roses"
"The Kiss Waltz"
"She Was Just a Sailor's Sweetheart"
"Midnight Blue"
"We Must Be Vigilant" (aka: "American Patrol").
"Villanova Alma Mater"
1929 Gold Diggers of Broadway (contributed a song)
1929 Hearts in Exile (song "Like a Breath of Springtime". He was not credited.)
1929 Little Johnny Jones
1930 She Couldn't Say No
1930 Hold Everything
1930 Dancing Sweeties (songs "The Kiss Waltz", "I'm Dancing with Tears in My Eyes". He was uncredited)
1930 Oh, Sailor Behave
1930 Top Speed ( wrote additional music)
1930 Sweethearts on Parade
1934 Palooka, - aka Great Schnozzle, The
1941 Moon Over Miami (song "Moon Over Miami". He was uncredited. Betty Grable was the star.)
1941 Shot in the Dark, A (song "For You". He was uncredited)
