Louis F. Gottschalk
Encyclopedia
Louis Ferdinand Gottschalk (October 7, 1864 - July 15, 1934) was an American
composer
and conductor
born in St. Louis, Missouri
. The son of a Missouri governor, also named Louis, he studied music in Stuttgart, Germany, where his father, a judge, was American consul
.
He came to attention as conductor of the U.S. premiere of Franz Lehár
's The Merry Widow
. He was a pioneer of original film music, largely due to his work with independent filmmaker L. Frank Baum
, for whom he composed the musical, The Tik-Tok Man of Oz
, to Baum's libretto
, which producer Oliver Morosco
decided not to bring to Broadway
after only modest success in Los Angeles
. The show ran in 1913 and closed in early 1914, by which time Baum and Gottschalk were discussing getting involved in the nascent film industry that had been springing up in Hollywood, where both had been living at the time.
Baum, as president
, with Gottschalk, as vice president
, Harry Marston Haldeman as secretary
, and Clarence R. Rundel as treasurer
, founded The Oz Film Manufacturing Company
in 1914 as an outgrowth of Haldeman's men's social group, The Uplifters
, which met at the Los Angeles Athletic Club
. As co-producer, Gottschalk composed the earliest known feature length
film scores for The Patchwork Girl of Oz
, The Magic Cloak of Oz
, His Majesty, the Scarecrow of Oz, and The Last Egyptian
(all 1914), at a time when cue sheets were the norm. He also wrote several stage musicals with Baum for The Uplifters, including Stagecraft, or, The Adventures of a Strictly Moral Man (1914), High Jinks (1914), The Uplift of Lucifer, or Raising Hell: An Allegorical Squazosh (1915), Blackbird Cottages (1916), and The Orpheus Road Show: A Paraphrastic Compendium of Mirth (1917).
After the Oz company dissolved, Gottschalk went on to work with D. W. Griffith
, arranging cue sheets for Broken Blossoms
(1919) and composing a score for Orphans of the Storm
(1921). Other major films for which he contributed scores include The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
, The Three Musketeers
, Little Lord Fauntleroy
(all 1921), and Romola
(1924). He composed a score for Charles Chaplin's A Woman of Paris
(1923), but Chaplin replaced it with a score of his own when Chaplin re-released the film in 1976.
of paralysis at his Los Angeles
home on July 16, 1934 at the age of 70.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and conductor
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
born in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
. The son of a Missouri governor, also named Louis, he studied music in Stuttgart, Germany, where his father, a judge, was American consul
Consul (representative)
The political title Consul is used for the official representatives of the government of one state in the territory of another, normally acting to assist and protect the citizens of the consul's own country, and to facilitate trade and friendship between the peoples of the two countries...
.
He came to attention as conductor of the U.S. premiere of Franz Lehár
Franz Lehár
Franz Lehár was an Austrian-Hungarian composer. He is mainly known for his operettas of which the most successful and best known is The Merry Widow .-Biography:...
's The Merry Widow
The Merry Widow
The Merry Widow is an operetta by the Austro–Hungarian composer Franz Lehár. The librettists, Viktor Léon and Leo Stein, based the story – concerning a rich widow, and her countrymen's attempt to keep her money in the principality by finding her the right husband – on an 1861 comedy play,...
. He was a pioneer of original film music, largely due to his work with independent filmmaker L. Frank Baum
L. Frank Baum
Lyman Frank Baum was an American author of children's books, best known for writing The Wonderful Wizard of Oz...
, for whom he composed the musical, The Tik-Tok Man of Oz
The Tik-Tok Man of Oz
The Tik-Tok Man of Oz is a musical play with book and lyrics by L. Frank Baum and music by Louis F. Gottschalk that opened in Los Angeles, California on March 31, 1913. It is loosely inspired by Baum's book, Ozma of Oz , and the basis for his 1914 novel, Tik-Tok of Oz. It was promoted as "A...
, to Baum's libretto
Libretto
A libretto is the text used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata, or musical. The term "libretto" is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major liturgical works, such as mass, requiem, and sacred cantata, or even the story line of a...
, which producer Oliver Morosco
Oliver Morosco
Oliver Morosco was an American theatrical producer, director, writerand theater owner.-Biography:Born Oliver Mitchell in Logan, Utah, Morosco was raised in San Francisco, California...
decided not to bring to Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
after only modest success 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...
. The show ran in 1913 and closed in early 1914, by which time Baum and Gottschalk were discussing getting involved in the nascent film industry that had been springing up in Hollywood, where both had been living at the time.
Baum, as president
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
, with Gottschalk, as vice president
Vice president
A vice president is an officer in government or business who is below a president in rank. The name comes from the Latin vice meaning 'in place of'. In some countries, the vice president is called the deputy president...
, Harry Marston Haldeman as secretary
Secretary
A secretary, or administrative assistant, is a person whose work consists of supporting management, including executives, using a variety of project management, communication & organizational skills. These functions may be entirely carried out to assist one other employee or may be for the benefit...
, and Clarence R. Rundel as treasurer
Treasurer
A treasurer is the person responsible for running the treasury of an organization. The adjective for a treasurer is normally "tresorial". The adjective "treasurial" normally means pertaining to a treasury, rather than the treasurer.-Government:...
, founded The Oz Film Manufacturing Company
The Oz Film Manufacturing Company
The Oz Film Manufacturing Company was an independent film studio from 1914-1915. It was founded by L. Frank Baum , Louis F. Gottschalk , Harry Marston Haldeman , and Clarence R. Rundel as an offshoot of Haldeman's social group, The Uplifters, that met at the Los Angeles Athletic Club...
in 1914 as an outgrowth of Haldeman's men's social group, The Uplifters
The Uplifters
The Lofty and Exalted Order of Uplifters or simply The Uplifters was a men's social club at the Los Angeles Athletic Club founded by Harry Marston Haldeman in 1913. Originally from Chicago and a member of such a club there called The Bugs, Haldeman, a plumbing magnate and grandfather of H.R....
, which met at the Los Angeles Athletic Club
Los Angeles Athletic Club
Los Angeles Athletic Club is an athletic club and private social club in Los Angeles, California, USA. It awards the John R. Wooden Award to the outstanding men's and women's college basketball player of each year....
. As co-producer, Gottschalk composed the earliest known feature length
Feature length
Feature length is motion picture terminology referring to the length of a feature film. According to the rules of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, a feature length motion picture must have a running time of more than 40 minutes to be eligible for an Academy Award.The term may also...
film scores for The Patchwork Girl of Oz
The Patchwork Girl of Oz (1914 film)
The Patchwork Girl of Oz is a silent film made by L. Frank Baum's The Oz Film Manufacturing Company. It was based on the book The Patchwork Girl of Oz....
, The Magic Cloak of Oz
The Magic Cloak of Oz
The Magic Cloak of Oz is a 1914 film directed by J. Farrell MacDonald. It was written by L. Frank Baum and produced by Baum and composer Louis F. Gottschalk. The film is an adaptation of Baum's novel, Queen Zixi of Ix....
, His Majesty, the Scarecrow of Oz, and The Last Egyptian
The Last Egyptian
The Last Egyptian: A Romance of the Nile is a novel written by L. Frank Baum, famous as the creator of the Land of Oz. The book was published anonymously on 1 May 1908 by Edward Stern & Co. of Philadelphia, with eight color plate illustrations by Francis P. Wightman...
(all 1914), at a time when cue sheets were the norm. He also wrote several stage musicals with Baum for The Uplifters, including Stagecraft, or, The Adventures of a Strictly Moral Man (1914), High Jinks (1914), The Uplift of Lucifer, or Raising Hell: An Allegorical Squazosh (1915), Blackbird Cottages (1916), and The Orpheus Road Show: A Paraphrastic Compendium of Mirth (1917).
After the Oz company dissolved, Gottschalk went on to work with D. W. Griffith
D. W. Griffith
David Llewelyn Wark Griffith was a premier pioneering American film director. He is best known as the director of the controversial and groundbreaking 1915 film The Birth of a Nation and the subsequent film Intolerance .Griffith's film The Birth of a Nation made pioneering use of advanced camera...
, arranging cue sheets for Broken Blossoms
Broken Blossoms
Broken Blossoms or The Yellow Man and the Girl is a 1919 silent film directed by D.W. Griffith. It was distributed by United Artists and premiered on May 13, 1919...
(1919) and composing a score for Orphans of the Storm
Orphans Of The Storm
Orphans of the Storm is a drama film by D. W. Griffith set in late 18th century France, before and during the French Revolution.This was the last Griffith film to feature Lillian and Dorothy Gish, and is often considered Griffith's last major commercial success, after boxoffice hits such as Birth...
(1921). Other major films for which he contributed scores include The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (film)
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse is a 1921 silent movie produced by Metro Pictures Corporation, adapted by June Mathis, directed by Rex Ingram and starring Rudolph Valentino, Pomeroy Cannon, Josef Swickard, Wallace Beery, and Alice Terry...
, The Three Musketeers
The Three Musketeers (1921 film)
__notoc__The Three Musketeers is an American silent film based on the novel The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas, père. It was directed by Fred Niblo and starred Douglas Fairbanks as d'Artagnan. The film originally had scenes filmed in the Handschiegl Color Process...
, Little Lord Fauntleroy
Little Lord Fauntleroy (1921 film)
Little Lord Fauntleroy is a 1921 American film directed by Alfred E. Green and Jack Pickford and starring Mary Pickford as both Cedric Errol and Widow Errol. The film is based on the novel Little Lord Fauntleroy by Frances Hodgson Burnett. A statue depicting Mary Pickford's role exists today...
(all 1921), and Romola
Romola (film)
Romola is a 1924 drama film directed by Henry King and shot on location in Italy. The film stars Lillian Gish, Dorothy Gish, William Powell and Ronald Colman, and is based on the George Eliot novel of the same name...
(1924). He composed a score for Charles Chaplin's A Woman of Paris
A Woman of Paris
A Woman of Paris is a feature-length silent film that debuted in 1923. The film, an atypical drama film for its creator, was written, directed, produced and later scored by Charlie Chaplin. It is also known as A Woman of Paris: A Drama of Fate....
(1923), but Chaplin replaced it with a score of his own when Chaplin re-released the film in 1976.
Death
Gottschalk died of a strokeStroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
of paralysis at his 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...
home on July 16, 1934 at the age of 70.
Additional works
- The Liberty Belles, book and lyrics by Harry B. SmithHarry B. SmithHarry Bache Smith was a writer, lyricist and composer. 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 Herbert...
, music by John W. Bratton, Clifton Crawford, Aimee Lachaume, Harry Von TilzerHarry Von TilzerHarry Von Tilzer was a very popular United States songwriter.-Biography:Von Tilzer was born in Goshen, Indiana under the name Aaron Gumbinsky which he shortened to Harry Gumm. He ran away and joined a traveling circus at age 14, where he took his new name by adding 'Von' to his mother's maiden...
, A. Baldwin Sloane, Louis F. GottschalkLouis F. GottschalkLouis Ferdinand Gottschalk was an American composer and conductor born in St. Louis, Missouri. The son of a Missouri governor, also named Louis, he studied music in Stuttgart, Germany, where his father, a judge, was American consul.He came to attention as conductor of the U.S. premiere of Franz...
, William J. Accooe, and Mae Anwerda Sloane, 1901. - Cinderella and the Prince, or The Castle of Heart's DesireCinderella and the Prince, or The Castle of Heart's DesireCinderella and the Prince, or The Castle of Heart's Desire - A Fairy Excuse for Songs and Dances in 3 Acts is a musical with music by Louis F. Gottschalk and Edward W. Carliss, lyrics by D.K. Stevens, and R.A. Barnett, and additional musical numbers by D.J. Sullivan, J. S. Chipman, and D.K. Stevens...
- A Fairy Excuse for Songs and Dances in 3 Acts, co-composed with Edward W. Carliss, lyrics by D.K. Stevnes and. R.A. Barnett, additional musical numbers by D.J. Sullivan, J. S. Chapman, and D.K. Stevens, White-Smith Music Publishing Company, 1904.
Broadway conducting credits
- The Ameer Dec 4, 1899 - Jan 20, 1900
- The Messenger BoyThe Messenger BoyThe Messenger Boy is a musical comedy in two acts by James T. Tanner and Alfred Murray, lyrics by Adrian Ross and Percy Greenbank, with music by Ivan Caryll and Lionel Monckton, with additional numbers by Paul Rubens. The story concerned a rascally financier who tries to discredit a rival in love...
Sep 16, 1901 - Jan 4, 1902 - The ToreadorThe ToreadorThe Toreador is an Edwardian musical comedy in two acts by James T. Tanner and Harry Nicholls, with lyrics by Adrian Ross and Percy Greenbank and music by Ivan Caryll and Lionel Monckton. It opened at the Gaiety Theatre in London, managed by George Edwardes, on 17 June 1901 and ran for an...
Jan 6, 1902 - May 3, 1902 - Red Feather Nov 9, 1903 - Apr 1904
- The CingaleeThe CingaleeThe Cingalee, or Sunny Ceylon is a musical play in two acts by James T. Tanner, with music by Lionel Monckton, lyrics by Adrian Ross and Percy Greenbank, and additional material by Paul Rubens. It opened at Daly's Theatre in London, managed by George Edwardes, on March 5, 1904 and ran until March...
Oct 24, 1904 - Nov 19, 1904 - The Gingerbread Man Dec 25, 1905 - May 26, 1906
- The Rich Mr. Hoggenheimer Oct 22, 1906 - Mar 30, 1907
- Dream CityDream CityDream City is an operetta in two acts with music by Victor Herbert and a libretto by Edgar Smith. The original production opened at Weber's Music Hall in New York City on December 25, 1906, and ran for 102 performances until March 23, 1907. The show contained a one-act musical burlesque The Magic...
Dec 24, 1906 - Mar 23, 1907 - The Merry WidowThe Merry WidowThe Merry Widow is an operetta by the Austro–Hungarian composer Franz Lehár. The librettists, Viktor Léon and Leo Stein, based the story – concerning a rich widow, and her countrymen's attempt to keep her money in the principality by finding her the right husband – on an 1861 comedy play,...
Oct 21, 1907 - Oct 17, 1908 - Old Dutch Nov 22, 1909 - Feb 5, 1910
- The Red Rose Jun 22, 1911 - Sep 1911
- Gypsy Love Oct 17, 1911 - Nov 11, 1911
- Modest Suzanne Jan 1, 1912 - Jan 20, 1912
- The Century Girl Nov 6, 1916 - Apr 28, 1917
External links
- Louis F. Gottschalk on The Internet Broadway Database