Walter Donaldson
b. Feb. 15, 1893, New York (Brooklyn), NY, USA, d. July 15, 1947, Santa Monica, CA, USA.
Overview
Composer Walter Donaldson was a top writer of popular songs. His catalog of hits may be one of the longest of any 1920's songwriter. He was most active from 1925 through 1928. Perhaps his best known Broadway score was for producer Florenz Ziegfeld's show 'Whoopee' (1928), which starred Eddie Cantor. Later in his career, he formed his own publishing company, 'Donaldson, Douglas & Gumble'.

This son of a Piano teacher never formally studied music, but he came from a musical family. He attended high school in Brooklyn, NY, and wrote songs for plays put on by his fellow students. After high school, he worked briefly as a clerk in a Wall Street brokerage house. but quickly found a $15 per week job as a demonstrator in a music publishers. (They fired him when they found him writing music during business hours.) During WW1, he entertained troops at US Army Camps. It was at Camp Upton that he met Irving Berlin.

After the War, Donaldson joined the Irving Berlin, Inc., Music Publishers, staying for 10 years. While working with Berlin, he wrote a great many of his finest hits. He stayed with Belin until 1928, when he left to found his own music publishing firm, Donaldson, Douglas and Gumble.

Brief chronology
1915 He wrote three songs this year, including his first hit
   "Back Home in Tennessee", lyric by William Jerome
   "You'd Never Know the Old Home Town of Mine", lyric by Howard Johnson
   "We'll Have a Jubilee in My Old Kentucky Home", lyric by Coleman Goetz.

1916-17 He wrote
   "The Daughter of Rosie O'Grady", lyric by Monty C. Brice
   "You're a Million Miles from Nowhere", lyric by Sam M. Lewis and Joe Young.
   "I'll Be Happy When the Preacher Makes You Mine", lyric Sam M. Lewis and Joe Young.

1919 He had two hits this year.
   "How Ya Gonna Keep 'En Down on the Farm?"
   "Don't Cry Frenchy", both with lyrics by Sam M. Lewis and Joe Young.

1919 He joins the Irving Berlin, Inc. Publishers.

1920 He wrote
   "My Mammy", lyric: Sam M. Lewis & Joe Young. Introduced in vaudeville by
   ;  William Frawley, and later used by Al Jolson, in Broadway play Sinbad.

1921
   "Down South"
   "My Little Bimbo Down on a Bamboo Isle". Grant Clarke lyric.

1922 Donaldson and lyricist Gus Kahn write
   "My Buddy"
   "Carolina in the Morning".

192?
   "Beside a Babbling Brook"

1925
   "Yes Sir, That's My Baby"
   "That Certain Party"
   "My Sweetie Turned Me Down"
   "Isn't She the Sweetest Thing"
   "For My Sweetheart"

1926 Wrote several songs with lyricist Ballard MacDonald for the Broadway show Sweetheart Time.

1927
   "At Sundown"
   "My Blue Heaven", lyric by George Whiting. (This version wonderfully played here by Mr. Irwin Schwartz.)

1928For the Ziegfeld production of 'Whoopie', starring Eddie Cantor,
   "Making Whoopie"
   "My Baby Just Cares For Me", both sung by Eddie Cantor
   "Love Me or Leave Me", sung by Ruth Etting in the show. Here is a lovely photo of Ruth Etting, by Alfred Cheney Johnston, the official photographer of the Ziegfeld Follies:

1929
   "Kansas City Kitty", lyric by Edgar Leslie
   "Let It Rain, Let It Pour", lyric Cliff Friend
   "In The Middle of the Night", lyric Billy Rose.
   "Georgia", lyric by Howard Johnson

Walter also wrote the music and the words for a great many other songs, including:
   "My Best Girl"
   "Sam, the Old Accordion Man"
   "At Sundown"
   "Just Like a Melody out of the Sky"
   "You Didn't Have to Tell Me"
   "An Evening in Carolina"

In 1930, he had two hit songs:
   "You're Driving Me Crazy"
   "Little White Lies"

Donaldson continued writing until 1943, when he composed songs for the movie Nevada, but after 1930 he had no major hits.

With the advent of 'Sound', Hollywood called Donaldson. He contributed songs to several musicals, including 'Glorifying the American Girl', in 1929, as well as "Did I Remember" sung by Jean Harlow and Cary Grant in the film 'Suzi'. He signed with MGM in 1933, and contributed songs to such other Hollywood shows as 'The Great Ziegfeld', with Harold Adamson lyrics; 'Panama Hattie' and 'Follow the Boys'.

As mentioned, after leaving Irving Berlin in 1928, he formed his own firm. He stayed there until ill health caused him to retire in 1946. He died in 1947.

Walter Donaldson is a member of the Songwriters' Hall of Fame.

   Edgardo Felipe Valerio Donato
b. Apr. 14, 1897, (San Cristobal) Buenos Aires, Argentina
d. Feb. 15, 1963, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Instruments: Violin, Leader, Composer
Edgardo and his brothers were born into a musical family, where their father was a cellist. In 1899, the family moved to Montevideo, Uruguay, and a young Edgardo was soon enrolled in the Franz Liszt Conservatory. In 1918, he became a member of a 'Tipica Orquesta' led by Jose Quevedo. There, Edgardo could also work alongside another member of the band, composer (pianist) Enrique Delfino. In 1919, he joined the 'Carlos Warren Jazz-Band', which was appearing at the Tabaris Cabaret in Buenos Aires. In 1922, he joined the Luis Casanova Orchestra, where, for the first time, he worked alongside violinist Roberto Zerrillo. In 1923, while still living in Montevideo, Uruguay, he composed the song "Julian", a Tango with lyric by Jose Luis Panissa. After Iris Marga sang it (at the Maipo Theater in Buenos Aires) in the show Quien Dijo Miedo?, the tune became a hit.

In 1925, Edgardo moved to Buenos Aires, where he both worked (briefly) in the bands of Julio De Caro, and Adolfo Carabelli, and also formed his own 'Orquesta Tipica y Jazz-Band Donato'. In 1927, he returned to Montevideo, Uruguay, and formed another, his 2nd, orchestra that featured his friend, violinist Roberto Zerrillo. On July 18, 1925, the band began working at the 'Avenida Cafe', -perhaps Montevideo's best known restaurant. In Montevideo, his orchestra was now able to find work at various theaters, hotels, and cabarets. Due to this success, Argentine impresario Agustin Alvarez offered him the chance to work at the 'Select Lavalle' cinema in Buenos Aires. His return to Argentina marked the start of a long recording career that began with two Tangos "Segui, No te Pares" and "No Me Enganes, Por Favor". A number of singers also appeared with his band including Azucena Maizani and Agustin Magaldi.

In 1931, his violinist Roberto Zerrillo, who had become romantically involved with singer Azucena Maizani, left the band to tour Spain with Maizani, pianist Orestes Cufaro and concertina player Joaquin Mora. Nevertheless, Edgardo replaced Zerrillo, and continued his successful Argentinean career. He would go on to score a number of musical hits and to contribute to the Argentine film industry. In 1933, he and his orchestra were seen in the film Tango, - Argentina's first "talkie". In 1934, he scored the music for the film Riachuelo. He was just 66 years old when he died in Buenos Aires.

   Dorothy Donnelly
1880 - 1928
Overview
This actress-lyricist was educated in a convent. Her career started as an actress perfoming in Henry Donnelly's stock company. She was also seen in the Broadway play 'Madame X' during 1909 to 1911.

Donnelly was the frequent collaborator of Sigmund Romberg, the light opera composer. Among the shows upon which this team worked are:
   1921 'Blossom Time'
   1924 'The Student Prince'
   1927 'My Maryland'

Some of the Romberg songs for which she contributed the lyrics are:
   "Your Land and My Land"
   "Song of Love"
   "Deep In My Heart Dear"

   Dan Dougherty
Currently no information available.
Dougherty was a composer (usually, but not always, working with a lyricist). Included among his many songs are:
   1922 "You Can Have Him, I Don't Want Him, Didn't Love Him Anyhow Blues!", the lyric was
    by William Tracey)
   192x "I'm Walking on Air", (lyric William Tracey)
   192x "Charleston Baby o' Mine", (lyric Bernie Grossman)
   192x "Sitting on a Rainbow", (c/l Dougherty)
   192x "Short and Sweet", (c/l Dougherty)
   192x "The Grass Grows Greener ('way Down Home)", (lyric Jack Yellen)
   1929 "I'm Dreaming", (c/l Dougherty. From the 1929 movie "Brothers" and its 1930 remake)
   1929 "Glad Rag Doll" (c. Dougherty and Milton Ager; lyric Jack Yellen. From the 1929
     movie, "The Glad Rag Doll.")
   1929 "Take a Good Look at Mine", (I don't know if Dougherty shared credit with a lyricist)
   1931 "Let's Get Friendly", (lyric Jack Yellen and Sid Silvers. The 1931 recording by
     Lee Morse is terrific!)
   1931 "I'd be Lying", (lyric Tommy Lyman and Rudy Valle)
   1940 "One Cigarette for Two", (c/l Dougherty, Ros Metzger and Ben Ryan)
   1944 "The Bigger the Army and Navy", (c/l Dougherty, Jack Yellen and Ted Shapiro)

Dougherty and Edmund Goulding, -both contibuting music and lyrics - authored six songs in the 1930 movie "The Grand Parade;" I have never heard these.
This information on Dan Dougherty was kindly submitted by Mr. Anthony Ponaras.

   Ervin Drake
b. April 3, 1919, New York, NY, USA
né: Ervin Maurice Druckman
To many people, this composer/lyricist is an odd candidate for success as a songwriter. Drake studied graphic arts and social sciences while in college, and didn't start his formal study of music until entering, in 1963, the Julliard School of Music - many years after writing all of his hits, although he had studied privately in his youth with Tibor Serly.

In 1942, he added English lyrics to a popular Brazilian instrumental by Zequinha Abreu. The song, "Tico-Tico", was introduced in the Walt Disney Film 'Saludos Amigos' - and was a big recording hit for the Xavier Cugat orchestra. Again in 1944, he repeated the same trick adding a lyric to "Perdido", a Duke Ellington instrumental number, composed by trombonist Juan Tizol. But it wasn't until 1945 that Drake had his first real financial success when Eddy Howard's band recorded "The Rickety Rickshaw Man", with both words and music by Ervin. It sold over a million copies.

His 1946 song, "Good Morning Heartache," is now a minor jazz standard, having been recorded by Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Joe Williams, and Billy Eckstine, among many others. In the late 1940s, Xavier Cugat recorded some of his tunes including "That's That," "Made for Each Other," and "Yo Te Amo Mucho". Included among his other hits are such songs as "I Believe" (1953) written with Irvin Graham, Jimmy Shirl and Al Stillman; "It Was A Very Good Year" (1961) which was a huge 1965 hit recording by Frank Sinatra, and "Father of the Girls" (1968) which was introduced by Perry Como.

Ervin Drake was an active and successful songwriter for over thirty years. He also served as president of the American Guild of Authors and Composers from 1973 to 1982. He currently resides in Great Neck, Long Island, New York.

Among the hundreds of hit tunes for which Ervin supplied lyrics are:
   "Across The Wide Missouri", with Jimmy Shirl.
   "After You", with music by Paul Jules Durand
   "Al Di La", music: Carlo Labati Donida and Giulio Rapetti.
   "Allegheny Fiddler", with music by Jimmy Shirl
   "And So Am I", words and music by Ervin
   "Au Revoir", music Marcel Eugene Algeron and Alex Alstone, co-lyricist Jimmy Shirl
   "Castle Rock", with Al Sears and Jimmy Shirl
   "Chillicothe Ohio", w/Irving Fields - Jimmy Shirl
   "Frankie Laine Time", written with Jimmy Shirl
   "Get Along Home Cindy", written with Jimmy Shirl
   "Good Morning Heartache", written with Irene Higginbotham and Dan Fisher
   "Hayfoot Strawfoot", written with Hans Lengsfelder and Paul James McGrane
   "Help Me Telstar", words/music by Ervin M. Drake
   "Her First Roman", w/m by Ervin M. Drake
   "I'm Living From Kiss To Kiss", Music by Ernesto Casado Leucuona
   "It Was A Very Good Year", w/m Ervin M. Drake. Recorded by Tijuana Brass
   "Kiss Me No Kisses", words and music by Ervin M. Drake
   "The Language Of Hawaii", written with Irving Graham and Jimmy Shirl
   "Let's Have A Party", with Irving Graham, Jimmy Shirl and Al Stillman
   "Make Believe Lover" words and music Ervin M. Drake
   "Mariachi Serenade", co-written with Maria Grever
   "My Pretty Shoo Gah", with Carlos Gedarro; Andre Hoff and Jimmy Shirl
   "My Silent Song", co-written with Ziskind R. Lieb. Rec'd: Enoch Light Orch.
   "The Old Oaken Bucket", words and music Ervin M. Drake
   "Perdido", music: Hans Lengsfelder and Juan Tizol (T'bone with Duke Ellington)
   "Plymouth Rock", with Jimmy Shirl
   "Quando Quando Quando", Orig. Italian: Elio Cesari and Alberto Testa. The English lyric
     was supplied by Ervin M. Drake
   "Rickety Rickshaw Man", words and music Ervin M. Drake
   "Room Without Windows", words and music Ervin M. Drake, Steve Lawrence recorded it.
   "Samba Lady", orig. tune Paulo Barbosa, english lyric by Ervin Drake
   "Susie On The Sewing Machine", co-written with Hans Lengsfelder
   "Tico Tico", Orig. tune by Jose Gomes de Abreu and Aloysio De Oliveira. English lyric by
     Ervin M. Drake.
   "Til You're Back", written with Irvin Graham and Jimmy Shirl
   "Triskaidekaphobia", written with Irvin Graham and Jimmy Shirl
   "Ukelele Talk", words and music Ervin Drake. Recorded by vocalist Pearl Bailey
   "Uno Per Tutte", Orig. Ital. tune by Elio Cesari; Alberto Testa and Giulio Rapetti. English
     lyric by Ervin M. Drake
   "Viva Vem Vem (The Cuban Kissing Game)", written with Jimmy Shirl.
   "Williamsburg Virgin Ee Ya", written with Irvin Graham and Jimmy Shirl.
   "Wind In My Sails", written with Maria Grever and Jimmy Shirl
   "The World Of Your Embrace", music by Anthony "Tony" Mottola (Guitarist/Composer)
   "You Blew Out The Flame (In My Heart)", music by Jimmy Shirl and Johnny Hodges (sax
     with the Duke Ellington Orch.) Recorded by the Coleman Hawkin's All Stars Orchestra.
   "Yours Alone", written with Irvin Graham and Jimmy Shirl.

   Milton Drake
b. August 3, 1916 , New York, NY, USA.
né: Milton Druckman
Here's a photo of Milton, who was born in New York City, - one of four children in a family that had emigrated from Rumania (Transylvania region). His father, Max Druckman, was a pioneer in the furniture business, and Max Druckman's obit in the N.Y.Times reported him as the founder of that industry's guild. There were three brothers and a sister. Milton's middle brother, Ervin, was also a very well-known lyricist (see entry just above this); his youngest brother Arnold wrote text for 'Batman', 'Superman', and 'Jerry Lewis' comic books. As of 1999, all the brothers are alive (1999) but their sister has passed away.

Milton never finished high school (ran away from home and wound up on the radio) and while he did not formally study music, yet as a teenager he played the Ukulele and told stories on his own radio program

During the 1930s, Milton lived in Hollywood, where he wrote songs for the movies. In 1940, he wrote "Willie of the Valley" for the film 'My Little Chickadee' (not even a little 'hit' - but memorable for both being the only song in the film, and for being sung by Mae West herself. In the 40's and 50's he continued to write, until rock & roll showed its unstoppable face. During the 1940's, he was known as 'The King of Novelty'.

In 1962, The Scarecrow Press, Inc., (NYC), published Milton's 'Almanacs of the United States', a 1449-page, 2-volume bibliography (10 years in the making). It is the first comprehensive listing of almanacs printed in the United States, and for which he received an honorary degree from Rutgers Univ., as well as a nice write-up in the NY Times Book Review. (Sometime in the 1980's, he sold his huge almanac collection to a small museum.) In the 1960's, Milton took college courses in technical writing; his knowledge of, and expertise with, electronics is awesome. He was subsequently hired by McGraw Hill Corporation as a technical writer, as well as a "troubleshooter" for their European divisions.

Today (1999), Milton is very thankfully alive and well and living in Boca Raton, FL. Among the hundreds of wonderful tunes for which Milton supplied lyrics are:
   "Alone", (Music Al Hoffman and Jerry Livingston)
   "Ashby De La Zooch", (Music Al Hoffman and Jerry Livingston)
   "Champagne Waltz", (Con Conrad and Ben Oakland music)
   "Four Letter Varsity Man", Milton wrote words and music.
   "Fuzzy Wuzzy", (Music Al Hoffman and Jerry Livingston)
   "Hotta Chocolotta", Vic Mizzy music. (an Ella Fitzgerald Hit Recording)
   "I Love The Wide Open Spaces", co-lyricist Walter Kent and Al Sherman music
   "If Im Not Back In Five Minutes", Al Hoffman and Jerry Livingston music
   "I'm A Big Girl Now", (Music Al Hoffman and Jerry Livingston) Both Sammy Kaye and
     Ray McKinley Orch., recorded this hit tune.
   "I've Got My Eye On You", co-lyricist Walter Kent and Carmen Lombardo music.
   "Java Jive",, co-written with Ben Oakland. (a Huge hit for The Ink Spots voc. group)
   "Kiss Me Sweet", words and music Milton Drake. (Recorded by vocalist Kitty Kallen)
   "Kiss Proof Lips", written with Fred Spielman
   "Last Dance With You", written with Al Hoffman
   "Lil Abner", written with Ben Oakland (Milton Berle co-credit)
   "Magdalena", written with Albert Van Dam
   "Mairzy Doats", Al Hoffman and Jerry Livingston music. A huge hit recorded by just about
     everybody, including The Merry Macs; The King Sisters; even The Three Stooges.
   "Nina Never Knew", Louis Alter music. Big hit record for King Sisters and others
   "Pardon My Love", music by Oscar Levant. Fats Waller recorded it.
   "The Party's Over", music by Con Conrad and Ben Oakland
   "Puhleeze Mister Hemingway", music by Abner Silver: Walter Kent co- lyricist
   "She Broke My Heart In Three", music by Jerry Hoffman and Al Livingston
   "Spellbound", co-written with Don Pedro.
   "Sweetheart Waltz", co-lyricist Walter Kent and music by Carmen Lombardo
   "The Same Old Moon", co-written with Al Frisch
   "Three O'Clock", written with Vic Mizzy
   "Wake Up and Dream", music by Joseph A. Burke
   "Willie Of The Valley", co-written with Ben Oakland.
   "Winter In Miami", co-written with Al Frisch
   "Young And In Love", co-written with Al Frisch
   "You Lead the Parade", co-lyricist Walter Kent; Music by Carmen Lomhardo.

   Patrick Doyle
b. April 6, 1953, Uddingston, Scotland, UK
aka: Pat Doyle
To my mind, Doyle represents that certain class of men whom one can refer to as 'Artistes'. Doyle is at once, an Actor, a Writer, and a Musician. His "Art" is the theatre, and he is capable of working in any aspect of theatre. Another such person who comes readily to mind is Noel Coward. Would one characterize Coward as a musician (he certainly is that), or an actor, a director, or a playwright. Charlie Chaplin is another such person in this general class of "Artiste".

Doyle, educated at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, joined 'Kenneth Brannagh''s Renaissance Theatre Company in 1987. As an Actor, he has worked in the 1981 film 'Chariots of Fire' (as Pat Doyle), and in 10 more shows including the 1995 TV series 'Rose Against the Odds' (as Merv Williams). As a composer he worked on (Hamlet (1996 music writer), and Change of Heart (1992 associate).

As a Composer, he has worked on 20 or more films and some TV shows, including 1989's 'Henry V' (his first film score! This was also the first film score conducted by Sir Simon Rattle), 'Look Back in Anger' (for TV), 1993s 'Much Ado About Nothing', two 1995 films, 'A French Woman and Sense and Sensibility', 1997's 'Donnie Brasco', 1998s 'Quest for Camelot', in 2000, the film 'Love's Labour's Lost' (aka: 'Peines d'Amour Perdues' --2001 in France), and in 2002, 'Gosford Park'.