Con Conrad (born Conrad K. Dober, June 18, 1891 – September 28, 1938) was an American songwriter and producer.
Biography
Conrad was born in
Manhattan, New York
Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...
, and published his first song, "Down in Dear Old New Orleans", in 1912. Conrad produced the Broadway show ''The Honeymoon Express'', starring
Al Jolson
Al Jolson (born Eizer Yoelson; June 9, 1886 – October 23, 1950) was a Lithuanian-American Jews, Jewish singer, comedian, actor, and vaudevillian. He was one of the United States' most famous and highest-paid stars of the 1920s, and was self-bi ...
, in 1913. By 1918, Conrad was writing and publishing with
Henry Waterson (1873–1933). He co-composed "
Margie
Margie is a feminine given name, usually a short form (hypocorism) of Margaret, Marjorie or Margarita.
Margie may refer to:
People
* Margie Ackles (born 1939), American retired figure skater
* Marjorie Margie Alexander (1948–2013), American ...
" in 1920 with
J. Russel Robinson
Joseph Russel Robinson (July 8, 1892 – September 30, 1963) was an American ragtime, dixieland, and blues pianist and composer who was a member of the Original Dixieland Jass Band.
Career
Robinson was born in Indianapolis, Indiana. In his teen ...
and lyricist
Benny Davis
Benny Davis (August 21, 1895 - December 20, 1979) was a vaudeville performer and writer of popular songs.
Biography
Davis started performing in vaudeville in his teens. He began writing songs when working as an accompanist for Blossom Seeley. In ...
, which became his first major hit. He went on to compose hits that became standards, including:
* "
Palesteena" with co-composer and co-lyricist
J. Russel Robinson
Joseph Russel Robinson (July 8, 1892 – September 30, 1963) was an American ragtime, dixieland, and blues pianist and composer who was a member of the Original Dixieland Jass Band.
Career
Robinson was born in Indianapolis, Indiana. In his teen ...
(1920)
* "
Singin' the Blues
''Singin' the Blues'' is the first LP album by American bluesman B.B. King, released in 1957 by the Bihari brothers on their Crown budget label. It is a compilation album whose songs were issued between 1951 and 1956 on singles by RPM Records a ...
" with co-composer
J. Russel Robinson
Joseph Russel Robinson (July 8, 1892 – September 30, 1963) was an American ragtime, dixieland, and blues pianist and composer who was a member of the Original Dixieland Jass Band.
Career
Robinson was born in Indianapolis, Indiana. In his teen ...
and lyricists
Sam M. Lewis
Sam M. Lewis (October 25, 1885 – November 22, 1959) was an American singer and lyricist.
Career
Lewis was born Samuel M. Levine in New York City, United States. He began his music career by singing in cafés throughout New York City, and be ...
and
Joe Young (1920)
* "You've Got to See Mama Ev'ry Night" with co-composer and co-lyricist
Billy Rose
Billy Rose (born William Samuel Rosenberg; September 6, 1899 – February 10, 1966) was an American impresario, theatrical showman and lyricist. For years both before and after World War II, Billy Rose was a major force in entertainment, with sh ...
(1923)
* "Come on Spark Plug" with co-composer and co-lyricist
Billy Rose
Billy Rose (born William Samuel Rosenberg; September 6, 1899 – February 10, 1966) was an American impresario, theatrical showman and lyricist. For years both before and after World War II, Billy Rose was a major force in entertainment, with sh ...
(1923)
* "Barney Google" with co-composer and co-lyricist
Billy Rose
Billy Rose (born William Samuel Rosenberg; September 6, 1899 – February 10, 1966) was an American impresario, theatrical showman and lyricist. For years both before and after World War II, Billy Rose was a major force in entertainment, with sh ...
(1923)
* "Memory Lane" with lyricist
Buddy DeSylva
George Gard "Buddy" DeSylva (January 27, 1895 – July 11, 1950) was an American songwriter, film producer and record executive. He wrote or co-wrote many popular songs and, along with Johnny Mercer and Glenn Wallichs, he co-founded Capitol Re ...
and co-composer
Larry Spier (1924)
* "Lonesome and Sorry" with lyricist
Benny Davis
Benny Davis (August 21, 1895 - December 20, 1979) was a vaudeville performer and writer of popular songs.
Biography
Davis started performing in vaudeville in his teens. He began writing songs when working as an accompanist for Blossom Seeley. In ...
(1926)
* "
Ma! He's Making Eyes at Me
"Ma, He's Making Eyes At Me", alternatively sung as "Ma, She's Making Eyes At Me", is a song published in 1921. The lyrics were by the American composer and comedian Sidney Clare, and the music was by the American songwriter and producer Con C ...
" with lyricist
Sidney Clare
Sidney Clare (August 15, 1892 – August 29, 1972) was an American comedian, dancer and composer. His best-known songs include "On the Good Ship Lollipop" (introduced by Shirley Temple), " You're My Thrill" (recorded by Billie Holiday), and "Ple ...
(1928)
In 1923, Conrad focused on the stage and wrote the scores for the
Broadway
Broadway may refer to:
Theatre
* Broadway Theatre (disambiguation)
* Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
** Broadway (Manhattan), the street
**Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
shows: ''The Greenwich Village Follies'', ''Moonlight'', ''Betty Lee'', ''Kitty’s Kisses'' and ''
Americana
Americana may refer to:
*Americana (music), a genre or style of American music
*Americana (culture), artifacts of the culture of the United States
Film, radio and television
* ''Americana'' (1992 TV series), a documentary series presented by J ...
''.
In 1924 the
Longacre Theatre
The Longacre Theatre is a Broadway theatre, Broadway theater at 220 West 48th Street (Manhattan), 48th Street in the Theater District, Manhattan, Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States. Opened in 1913, it was desi ...
staged the small musical ''Moonlight'', with a score by Conrad and
William B. Friedlander. The next year Conrad and Friedlander's ''Mercenary Mary'' was presented at the Longacre.
In 1929, Conrad moved to
Hollywood
Hollywood usually refers to:
* Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California
* Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States
Hollywood may also refer to:
Places United States
* Hollywood District (disambiguation)
* Hollywood, ...
after losing all of his money on unsuccessful shows. There he worked on films such as: ''Fox Movietone Follies'', ''Palmy Days'', ''
The Gay Divorcee
''The Gay Divorcee'' is a 1934 American musical film directed by Mark Sandrich and starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. It also features Alice Brady, Edward Everett Horton, Eric Blore, and Erik Rhodes (actor, born 1906), Erik Rhodes. The sc ...
'' and ''Here’s to Romance''.
Conrad received the first
Academy Award
The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
for
Best Song for ''
The Continental'' in 1934 along with collaborator
Herb Magidson
Herbert A. Magidson (January 7, 1906 – January 2, 1986) was an American popular lyricist. His work was used in over 23 films and four Broadway revues. He won the first Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1934.
Life and career
Magidson was ...
. He died four years later in
Van Nuys
Van Nuys () is a neighborhood in the central San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles, California. Home to Van Nuys Airport and the Valley Municipal Building, it is the most populous neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley.
History
In 1909, t ...
,
California
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
.
His spouse was actress
Francine Larrimore
Francine Larrimore (born Francine La Remee, August 22, 1898 – March 7, 1975) was a French-born American stage and screen actress.
Biography
Born in Verdun, France, Larrimore came to the United States when a child. She was educated in New ...
. He died in
Van Nuys, California
Van Nuys () is a neighborhood in the central San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles, California. Home to Van Nuys Airport and the Valley Municipal Building, it is the most populous neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley.
History
In 1909, ...
, aged 47.
Conrad was posthumously inducted into the
Songwriters Hall of Fame
The Songwriters Hall of Fame (SHOF) is an American institution founded in 1969 by songwriter Johnny Mercer, music publisher/songwriter Abe Olman, and publisher/executive Howie Richmond to honor those whose work, represent, and maintain, the her ...
in 1970.
Notes
External links
*
*
*
Sheet Music for "Margie" Waterson, Berlin & Snyder Co., 1920.
Con Conrad recordingsat the
Discography of American Historical Recordings
The Discography of American Historical Recordings (DAHR) is a database of master recordings made by American record companies during the 78rpm era. The DAHR provides some of these original recordings, free of charge, via audio streaming, along with ...
.
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Conrad, Con
1891 births
1938 deaths
Songwriters from New York (state)
Best Original Song Academy Award-winning songwriters
20th-century American musicians
Record producers from New York (state)