Harry Bache Smith (December 28, 1860 – January 1, 1936) was a
writerA writer is anyone who creates a written work, though the word usually designates those who write creatively or professionally, as well as those who have written in many different forms.-Profession:...
,
lyricistA lyricist is a writer who specializes in song lyrics, usually paid for by a band to write a custom song. A singer who writes the lyrics to songs is a singer-lyricist. This differentiates from a singer-songwriter, who also composes the song's melody in addition to the lyrics.- Collaboration...
and
composerA composer is a person who creates music, usually by musical notation, for interpretation and performance. The level of distinction between composers and other musicians varies, which affects issues such as copyright and the deference given to individual interpretations of a particular piece of...
. The most prolific of all American stage writers, he is said to have written over 300 librettos and more than 6000 lyrics. Some of his best-known works were librettos for the composer
Victor HerbertVictor August Herbert was an Irish-born, German-raised American composer, cellist and conductor who is best known for his many successful operettas that premiered on Broadway. He was prominent among the tin pan alley composers and later a founder of the American Society of Composers, Authors, and...
. He also wrote the book or lyrics for several versions of the
Ziegfeld FolliesThe Ziegfeld Follies were a series of elaborate theatrical productions on Broadway in New York City from 1907 through 1931. They became a radio program in 1932 and 1936 as The Ziegfeld Follies of the Air....
.
Smith was born in
Buffalo, New YorkBuffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, second only to New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River, Buffalo is the principal city of the Buffalo-Niagara Falls metropolitan area and the seat of Erie...
. His younger brother,
Robert B. SmithRobert Bache Smith , usually published as Robert B. Smith, was an American librettist and lyricist. His older brother, Harry B. Smith, was also a successful lyricist and a writer and composer....
, was also a successful lyricist.
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Harry Bache Smith (December 28, 1860 – January 1, 1936) was a
writerA writer is anyone who creates a written work, though the word usually designates those who write creatively or professionally, as well as those who have written in many different forms.-Profession:...
,
lyricistA lyricist is a writer who specializes in song lyrics, usually paid for by a band to write a custom song. A singer who writes the lyrics to songs is a singer-lyricist. This differentiates from a singer-songwriter, who also composes the song's melody in addition to the lyrics.- Collaboration...
and
composerA composer is a person who creates music, usually by musical notation, for interpretation and performance. The level of distinction between composers and other musicians varies, which affects issues such as copyright and the deference given to individual interpretations of a particular piece of...
. The most prolific of all American stage writers, he is said to have written over 300 librettos and more than 6000 lyrics. Some of his best-known works were librettos for the composer
Victor HerbertVictor August Herbert was an Irish-born, German-raised American composer, cellist and conductor who is best known for his many successful operettas that premiered on Broadway. He was prominent among the tin pan alley composers and later a founder of the American Society of Composers, Authors, and...
. He also wrote the book or lyrics for several versions of the
Ziegfeld FolliesThe Ziegfeld Follies were a series of elaborate theatrical productions on Broadway in New York City from 1907 through 1931. They became a radio program in 1932 and 1936 as The Ziegfeld Follies of the Air....
.
Smith was born in
Buffalo, New YorkBuffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, second only to New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River, Buffalo is the principal city of the Buffalo-Niagara Falls metropolitan area and the seat of Erie...
. His younger brother,
Robert B. SmithRobert Bache Smith , usually published as Robert B. Smith, was an American librettist and lyricist. His older brother, Harry B. Smith, was also a successful lyricist and a writer and composer....
, was also a successful lyricist. He worked on many of the famous
musical theatreMusical theatre is a form of theatre combining music, songs, spoken dialogue and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
productions of his time. He died in Atlantic City.
Selected productions
- Robin Hood
Robin Hood is an American comic opera, based on the legendary Robin Hood of Sherwood Forest, England.-History:Robin Hood was composed in Chicago during the winter of 1888-1889 by Reginald De Koven , Harry B. Smith , and Clement Scott . The opera was first performed at the Chicago Opera House on 9...
- operetta libretto written in winter of 1888-1889 (and 1944 revival)
- Rob Roy - opera, libretto written in 1894
- The Serenade
The Serenade is an operetta with music and lyrics by Victor Herbert, and book by Harry B. Smith. Produced by a troupe called "The Bostonians", it premiered on Broadway on March 16 1897 at the Knickerbocker Theatre and ran initially for 79 performances...
- musical, lyrics written in 1897
- The Fortune Teller
The Fortune Teller is an operetta in three acts written by Victor Herbert, with a libretto by Harry B. Smith. After a brief tryout in Toronto, it premiered on Broadway on September 26 1898 at Wallack's Theatre and ran for 40 performances...
- operetta libretto written in 1898
- The Belle of Bohemia - operetta written in 1900
- The Wild Rose - operetta written in 1902
- The Spring Maid - musical, book and lyrics written in 1910
- Sweethearts - operetta libretto written in 1913 (and 1947 revival)
- The Girl from Montmartre - musical, lyrics written in 1913
- Very Good Eddie
Very Good Eddie is a musical with a book by Guy Bolton and Philip Bartholomae, music by Jerome Kern, and lyrics by Schuyler Green and Herbert Reynolds, with additional lyrics by Elsie Janis, Harry B. Smith and John E. Hazzard and additional music by Henry Kailimai. The story was based on the farce...
- musical, additional lyrics written 1915 (and 1975-76 revival)
- The Century Girl - musical, additional lyrics written in 1916
- Love o' Mike - musical, lyrics written in 1917
- Ladies First - musical, book and lyrics written in 1918
- The Canary - musical, book written in 1918
- Florodora
Florodora is an Edwardian musical comedy and became one of the first successful Broadway musicals of the 20th century. The book was written by Jimmy Davis under the pseudonym Owen Hall, the music was by Leslie Stuart with additional songs by Paul Rubens, and the lyrics were by Edward Boyd-Jones...
- 1920 revival (revised book)
- Caroline - operetta; lyrics written in 1923
- The Love Song - operetta; English lyrics written in 1925
- Princess Flavia - operetta; English lyrics written in 1925
- Countess Maritza
Gräfin Mariza is an operetta in three acts composed by Hungarian composer Emmerich Kálmán, with a libretto by Julius Brammer and Alfred Grünwald. It premiered in Vienna on 28 February, 1924 at the Theater an der Wien....
- operetta; English lyrics written in 1926
- The Circus Princess - musical, lyrics written in 1927
- Rogues and Vagabonds - musical written in 1930
- Three Little Girls - play, lyrics written in 1930
External links
- Harry B. Smith at the Internet Broadway Database
The Internet Broadway Database is an online database of Broadway theatre productions and their personnel. It is operated by the Research Department of The Broadway League, a trade association for the North American commercial theatre community....