Felix Bernard
Encyclopedia
Felix Bernard was an American conductor, pianist and a composer of popular music. His writing credits include the popular songs Winter Wonderland
(with lyricist Richard B. Smith
) and Dardanella
.
on April 28, 1897, and died in Los Angeles
, California, on October 20, 1944. A professional pianist from childhood, his early musical studies were with his father, and his formal musical education was from Rensselaer Poly Institute and CR. Bernard wrote professional one-act musical comedies for vaudeville
, and he toured throughout the United States with the Orpheum and Keith Vaudeville Circuit, and also abroad.
Bernard worked as a pianist for dance orchestras and music publishers before forming his own band. His also had his own radio show which he produced. Best known as a composer, Bernard found success writing musical material for artists such as Al Jolson
, Nora Bayes
, Eddie Cantor
, Marilyn Miller
, and Sophie Tucker
. In 1934 Bernard joind ASCAP where his chief musical collaborators were Sam Coslow
, L. Wolfe Gilbert
, Richard B. Smith
, and Johnny Black.
Other musical compositions by Felix Bernard include The Mailman's Got My Letter, Jane, You Opened My Eyes, I'd Rather Be Me, Cutest Kid in Town, Tom Thumb and Tiny Teens, What Am I Goin' to Do for Lovin'?, Painter In The Sky, Twenty One Dollars a Day Once a Month, and The Whistlin' Cowboy.
Winter Wonderland
"Winter Wonderland" is a winter song, popularly treated as a Christmastime pop standard, written in 1934 by Felix Bernard and Richard B. Smith . Through the decades it has been recorded by over 150 different artists.-History:...
(with lyricist Richard B. Smith
Richard B. Smith
Richard B. Smith wrote the lyrics to the popular song Winter Wonderland, which was composed by Felix Bernard. Smith was born in Pennsylvania, and was diagnosed with tuberculosis in 1931. He succumbed to the disease on September 28, 1935....
) and Dardanella
Dardanella
"Dardanella" is a popular song published in 1919 by Fred Fisher, who wrote the lyrics for the music written by Felix Bernard and Johnny S. Black. Band conductor Ben Selvin led into the 1920s with his hit instrumental version of Dardanella. The song held the No. 1 spot on the U.S...
.
Biography
Felix Bernard was born Felix William Bernhardt in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
on April 28, 1897, and died in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California, on October 20, 1944. A professional pianist from childhood, his early musical studies were with his father, and his formal musical education was from Rensselaer Poly Institute and CR. Bernard wrote professional one-act musical comedies for vaudeville
Vaudeville
Vaudeville was a theatrical genre of variety entertainment in the United States and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s. Each performance was made up of a series of separate, unrelated acts grouped together on a common bill...
, and he toured throughout the United States with the Orpheum and Keith Vaudeville Circuit, and also abroad.
Bernard worked as a pianist for dance orchestras and music publishers before forming his own band. His also had his own radio show which he produced. Best known as a composer, Bernard found success writing musical material for artists such as Al Jolson
Al Jolson
Al Jolson was an American singer, comedian and actor. In his heyday, he was dubbed "The World's Greatest Entertainer"....
, Nora Bayes
Nora Bayes
Nora Bayes was a popular American singer, comedienne and actress of the early 20th century.-Early life and career:...
, Eddie Cantor
Eddie Cantor
Eddie Cantor was an American "illustrated song" performer, comedian, dancer, singer, actor and songwriter...
, Marilyn Miller
Marilyn Miller
Marilyn Miller was one of the most popular Broadway musical stars of the 1920s and early 1930s. She was an accomplished tap dancer, singer and actress, but it was the combination of these talents that endeared her to audiences. On stage she usually played rags-to-riches Cinderella characters who...
, and Sophie Tucker
Sophie Tucker
Sophie Tucker was a Russian/Ukrainian-born American singer and actress. Known for her stentorian delivery of comical and risqué songs, she was one of the most popular entertainers in America during the first half of the 20th century...
. In 1934 Bernard joind ASCAP where his chief musical collaborators were Sam Coslow
Sam Coslow
Sam Coslow was an American songwriter, singer, film producer, publisher, and market analyst. Coslow was born in New York City. He began writing songs as a teenager...
, L. Wolfe Gilbert
L. Wolfe Gilbert
Louis Wolfe Gilbert was a Russian-born American songwriter.-Biography:Born in Odessa, Russian Empire, Gilbert moved to the United States as a young man and eventually established himself as one of the leading songwriters on Tin Pan Alley.Gilbert began his career touring with John L...
, Richard B. Smith
Richard B. Smith
Richard B. Smith wrote the lyrics to the popular song Winter Wonderland, which was composed by Felix Bernard. Smith was born in Pennsylvania, and was diagnosed with tuberculosis in 1931. He succumbed to the disease on September 28, 1935....
, and Johnny Black.
Other musical compositions by Felix Bernard include The Mailman's Got My Letter, Jane, You Opened My Eyes, I'd Rather Be Me, Cutest Kid in Town, Tom Thumb and Tiny Teens, What Am I Goin' to Do for Lovin'?, Painter In The Sky, Twenty One Dollars a Day Once a Month, and The Whistlin' Cowboy.
External links
- Felix Bernard at Find-A-Grave