George Gard "Buddy" DeSylva (January 27, 1895 – July 11, 1950) was an American

songwriter A songwriter is a musician who professionally composes musical compositions or writes lyrics for songs, or both. The writer of the music for a song can be called a composer, although this term tends to be used mainly in the classical music ...

, film producer and

record executive A music executive or record executive is a person within a record label who works in senior management and makes executive decisions over the label's artists. Their role varies greatly but in essence, they can oversee one, or many, aspects of a re ...

. He wrote or co-wrote many popular songs and, along with Johnny Mercer and Glenn Wallichs, he co-founded Capitol Records.

Biography

DeSylva was born in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...

, but grew up in

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

, and attended the

University of Southern California , mottoeng = "Let whoever earns the palm bear it" , religious_affiliation = Nonsectarian—historically Methodist , established = , accreditation = WSCUC , type = Private research university , academic_affiliations = , endowment = $8.1 ...

, where he joined the Theta Xi Fraternity. His Portuguese-born father, Aloysius J. De Sylva, was better known to American audiences as actor Hal De Forrest. His father was also a lawyer as well as an actor. His mother, Georgetta Miles Gard, was the daughter of

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...

police chief The police are a constituted body of persons empowered by a state, with the aim to enforce the law, to ensure the safety, health and possessions of citizens, and to prevent crime and civil disorder. Their lawful powers include arrest and ...

George E. Gard George Edwin Gard (January 16, 1843 – March 10, 1904) is one of only two men to have served as both police chief in Los Angeles, California, and sheriff of Los Angeles County, the other being William A. Hammel. He was the city's fourth chi ...

. DeSylva's first successful songs were those used by

Al Jolson Al Jolson (born Eizer Yoelson; June 9, 1886 – October 23, 1950) was a Lithuanian-American 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-billed ...

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 ...

in the 1918 production of ''Sinbad'', which included "I'll Say She Does". Soon thereafter, he met Jolson and in 1918 the pair went to New York and DeSylva began working as a songwriter in

Tin Pan Alley Tin Pan Alley was a collection of music publishers and songwriters in New York City that dominated the popular music of the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It originally referred to a specific place: West 28th Street ...

. In the early 1920s, DeSylva frequently worked with composer

George Gershwin George Gershwin (; born Jacob Gershwine; September 26, 1898 – July 11, 1937) was an American composer and pianist whose compositions spanned popular, jazz and classical genres. Among his best-known works are the orchestral compositions ' ...

. Together, they created the

experimental An experiment is a procedure carried out to support or refute a hypothesis, or determine the efficacy or likelihood of something previously untried. Experiments provide insight into cause-and-effect by demonstrating what outcome occurs when a ...

one-act A one-act play is a play that has only one act, as distinct from plays that occur over several acts. One-act plays may consist of one or more scenes. The 20-40 minute play has emerged as a popular subgenre of the one-act play, especially in writi ...

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...

opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a libr ...

'' Blue Monday'' set in

Harlem Harlem is a neighborhood in Upper Manhattan, New York City. It is bounded roughly by the Hudson River on the west; the Harlem River and 155th Street on the north; Fifth Avenue on the east; and Central Park North on the south. The greater Ha ...

, which is widely regarded as a forerunner to ''

Porgy and Bess ''Porgy and Bess'' () is an English-language opera by American composer George Gershwin, with a libretto written by author DuBose Heyward and lyricist Ira Gershwin. It was adapted from Dorothy Heyward and DuBose Heyward's play '' Porgy'', it ...

'' ten years later. In April 1924, DeSylva married Marie Wallace, a

Ziegfeld Follies The ''Ziegfeld Follies'' was a series of elaborate theatrical revue productions on Broadway in New York City from 1907 to 1931, with renewals in 1934 and 1936. They became a radio program in 1932 and 1936 as ''The Ziegfeld Follies of the Ai ...

dancer. In 1925, DeSylva became one third of the songwriting team with lyricist

Lew Brown Lew Brown (born Louis Brownstein; December 10, 1893 – February 5, 1958) was a lyricist for popular songs in the United States. During World War I and the Roaring Twenties, he wrote lyrics for several of the top Tin Pan Alley composers, esp ...

and composer Ray Henderson, one of the top

s of the era. The team was responsible for the song "Magnolia" (1927) which was popularized by Lou Gold's orchestra. The writing and publishing partnership continued until 1930, producing a string of hits and the perennial

favorite '' Good News''. DeSylva joined ASCAP in 1920 and served on the ASCAP board of directors between 1922 and 1930. He became a producer of

stage Stage or stages may refer to: Acting * Stage (theatre), a space for the performance of theatrical productions * Theatre, a branch of the performing arts, often referred to as "the stage" * ''The Stage'', a weekly British theatre newspaper * Sta ...

and screen musicals. DeSylva relocated to Hollywood and was contracted to

Fox Studios 20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Dis ...

. During this tenure, he produced movies such as '' The Little Colonel'', ''

The Littlest Rebel ''The Littlest Rebel'' is a 1935 American musical drama film directed by David Butler. The screenplay by Edwin J. Burke was adapted from a play of the same name by Edward Peple. Cast * Shirley Temple as Virgie Cary * John Boles as Herbert Ca ...

'', '' Captain January'', '' Poor Little Rich Girl'' and '' Stowaway''. In 1941, he became the Executive Producer at Paramount Pictures, a position he would hold until 1944. At Paramount, he was also an uncredited executive producer for '' Double Indemnity'', ''

For Whom the Bell Tolls ''For Whom the Bell Tolls'' is a novel by Ernest Hemingway published in 1940. It tells the story of Robert Jordan, a young American volunteer attached to a Republican guerrilla unit during the Spanish Civil War. As a dynamiter, he is assigned ...

'', '' The Story of Dr. Wassell'' and ''

The Glass Key ''The Glass Key'' is a novel by American writer Dashiell Hammett. First published as a serial in '' Black Mask'' magazine in 1930, it then was collected in 1931 (in London; the American edition followed 3 months later). It tells the story of a ga ...

''.

Betty Hutton Betty Hutton (born Elizabeth June Thornburg; February 26, 1921 – March 11, 2007) was an American stage, film, and television actress, comedian, dancer, and singer. Early life and education Hutton was born Elizabeth June Thornburg on February 2 ...

always credited DeSylva for bringing her to Hollywood and launching her film career. The Paramount all-star extravaganza '' Star Spangled Rhythm'', which takes place at the Paramount film studio in Hollywood, features a fictional movie executive named "B.G. DeSoto" (played by

Walter Abel Walter Abel (June 6, 1898 – March 26, 1987) was an American film, stage and radio actor. Life Abel was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, the son of Christine (née Becker) and Richard Michael Abel. Abel graduated from the American Academy of ...

) who is a

parody A parody, also known as a spoof, a satire, a send-up, a take-off, a lampoon, a play on (something), or a caricature, is a creative work designed to imitate, comment on, and/or mock its subject by means of satiric or ironic imitation. Often its sub ...

of DeSylva. In 1942, Johnny Mercer, Glenn Wallichs and DeSylva together founded Capitol Records. He also founded the Cowboy label. He is sometimes credited as: Buddy De Sylva, Buddy DeSylva, Bud De Sylva, Buddy G. DeSylva and B.G. DeSylva. Buddy DeSylva died in Hollywood, aged 55, and is buried at Glendale's

Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery Forest Lawn Memorial-Parks & Mortuaries is an American corporation that owns and operates a chain of cemeteries and mortuaries in Los Angeles, Orange, and Riverside counties in Southern California. History The company was founded by a group of ...

Individual songs

*Desylva, Buddy, B. G. De Sylva, Lew Brown, and Ray Henderson. ''Seven Veils''. 26 March 1927 *Desylva, Buddy, B. G. De Sylva, Lew Brown, and Ray Henderson. ''Good News: vocal selection''.

lace of publication not identified Lace is a delicate fabric made of yarn or thread (yarn), thread in an open weblike pattern, made by machine or by hand. Generally, lace is divided into two main categories, needlelace and bobbin lace, although there are other types of lace, suc ...

Chappell, n.d. *Henderson, Ray, B. G. De Sylva, and Bud Green. "Alabamy Bound". New York: Shapiro, Bernstein & Co, 1925. *De Sylva, B. G., Lew Brown, and Ray Henderson. "Magnolia". 1927. * "

Avalon Avalon (; la, Insula Avallonis; cy, Ynys Afallon, Ynys Afallach; kw, Enys Avalow; literally meaning "the isle of fruit r appletrees"; also written ''Avallon'' or ''Avilion'' among various other spellings) is a mythical island featured in the ...

" * " April Showers" * "

The Best Things in Life Are Free "The Best Things in Life Are Free" is a duet between American singers Luther Vandross and Janet Jackson, recorded for the Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis-produced soundtrack to the 1992 American film '' Mo' Money'', starring Damon Wayans. The song was ...

" * "

The Birth of the Blues "The Birth of the Blues" is a popular 1926 song composed by Ray Henderson, with lyrics by Buddy DeSylva and Lew Brown. It was used in the Broadway revue ''George White's Scandals of 1926''. It was recorded in its debut year by Paul Whiteman (with v ...

" * "

Button Up Your Overcoat "Button Up Your Overcoat" is a popular song. The music was written by Ray Henderson, the lyrics by B.G. DeSylva and Lew Brown. The song was published in 1928, and was first performed later that same year by vocalist Ruth Etting. However, the mos ...

" * "

California, Here I Come "California, Here I Come" is a song interpolated in the Broadway musical '' Bombo'', starring Al Jolson. The song was written by Bud DeSylva, Joseph Meyer, and Jolson. Jolson recorded the song on January 17, 1924, with Isham Jones' Orchestra, ...

" * " If You Knew Susie" * "

It All Depends on You "It All Depends on You" is a 1926 popular song with music by Ray Henderson, lyrics by Buddy G. DeSylva and Lew Brown. The song, written for the musical '' Big Boy'', was published in 1926. It was featured in the hit 1928 Warner Bros. film '' The S ...

" * " Look for the Silver Lining" * "

Somebody Loves Me "Somebody Loves Me" is a popular song, with music written by George Gershwin, and lyrics by Ballard MacDonald and Buddy DeSylva. The song was published in 1924 and featured in ''George White's Scandals'' of 1924. This is not to be confused with ...

" * " Sonny Boy" * " The Varsity Drag" * "

You're the Cream in My Coffee "You're the Cream in My Coffee" is a popular song published in 1928. Popular recordings were by Annette Hanshaw, Ben Selvin (vocal by Jack Palmer), Ted Weems (vocal by Parker Gibbs) and Ruth Etting. The music was written by Ray Henderson, wit ...

Broadway credits

*1919 - ''

La La Lucille ''La La Lucille'' is a musical with a book by Fred Jackson, primary lyrics by Arthur J. Jackson and Buddy DeSylva, additional lyrics by Lou Paley and Irving Caesar, and music by George Gershwin. Plot overview The plot involves a wealthy society ...

'' (music by

) *1922 - '' George White's Scandals of 1922'' (music by

, and included premiere of one-act jazz opera '' Blue Monday'') *1922 - '' Orange Blossoms'' (music by

Victor Herbert Victor August Herbert (February 1, 1859 – May 26, 1924) was an American composer, cellist and conductor of English and Irish ancestry and German training. Although Herbert enjoyed important careers as a cello soloist and conductor, he is bes ...

) *1922 - ''The Yankee Princess'' (music by

Emmerich Kalman Emmerich may refer to: Places * Emmerich am Rhein, city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany ** Emmerich Rhine Bridge ** Emmerich station * Emmerich, Wisconsin, unincorporated community in the town of Berlin, Wisconsin, United States Other uses * ...

) *1923 - '' George White's Scandals of 1923'' (music by

) *1924 - ''Sweet Little Devil'' (music by

) *1924 - '' George White's Scandals of 1924'' music by

*1925 - ''Big Boy'' (music by Joseph Meyer and James F. Hanley) *1925 - ''Tell Me More!'' (co-lyricist with Ira Gershwin music by

) *1925 - '' George White's Scandals of 1925'' (DeSylva, Brown and Henderson) *1925 - ''Captain Jinks'' (music by Lewis Gensler) *1926 - '' George White's Scandals of 1926'' (DeSylva, Brown and Henderson) *1926 - ''

Queen High ''Queen High'' is the title of an American pre-Code musical comedy film, produced by Paramount Pictures in 1930. Based upon the 1926 stage musical ''Queen High'' that Buddy DeSylva, Lewis Gensler, and Laurence Schwab had adapted from Edward P ...

'' (music by Lewis Gensler) *1927 - '' Good News'' (DeSylva, Brown and Henderson) *1927 - ''Manhattan Mary'' (DeSylva, Brown and Henderson) *1928 - '' George White's Scandals of 1928'' (DeSylva, Brown and Henderson) *1928 - ''

Hold Everything! ''Hold Everything!'' is a musical comedy with lyrics by Lew Brown and B. G. de Sylva, music by Ray Henderson, and has an accompanying book by John McGowan and B. G. de Sylva. Produced by Alex A. Aarons and Vinton Freedley, the Broadway producti ...

'' (DeSylva, Brown and Henderson) *1929 - ''

Follow Thru ''Follow Thru'' is a 1930 American pre-Code musical romantic comedy film photographed entirely in Technicolor. It was the second all-color all-talking feature to be produced by Paramount Pictures. The film was based on the hit 1929 Broadway mu ...

'' (DeSylva, Brown and Henderson) *1930 - '' Flying High'' (DeSylva, Brown and Henderson) *1932 - '' Take a Chance'' (music by

Nacio Herb Brown Ignacio Herbert "Nacio Herb" Brown (February 22, 1896 – September 28, 1964) was an American writer of popular songs, movie scores and Broadway theatre music in the 1920s through the early 1950s. Amongst his most enduring work is the scor ...

, Richard A. Whiting and

Vincent Youmans Vincent Millie Youmans (September 27, 1898 – April 5, 1946) was an American Broadway composer and producer. A leading Broadway composer of his day, Youmans collaborated with virtually all the greatest lyricists on Broadway: Ira Gershwin, ...

)

Selected filmography

* '' Stepping Sisters '' (1932) * '' My Weakness'' (1933) * '' The Stork Club'' (1945)

In popular culture

The 1956 Hollywood film ''

'', starring

Gordon MacRae Albert Gordon MacRae (March 12, 1921 – January 24, 1986) was an American actor, singer and radio/television host who appeared in the film versions of two Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals ''Oklahoma!'' (1955) and '' Carousel'' (1956) and who p ...

, Dan Dailey, and

Ernest Borgnine Ernest Borgnine (; born Ermes Effron Borgnino; January 24, 1917 – July 8, 2012) was an American actor whose career spanned over six decades. He was noted for his gruff but relaxed voice and gap-toothed Cheshire Cat grin. A popular perfor ...

, depicted the De Sylva, Brown and Henderson collaboration.

References

External links

* *
Buddy DeSylva and the 1909 Copyright ActBuddy DeSylva at the Internet ArchiveBuddy De Sylva recordings
at the Discography of American Historical Recordings. {{DEFAULTSORT:Desylva, Buddy 1895 births 1950 deaths American people of Portuguese descent Broadway composers and lyricists Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale) Capitol Records Musicians from New York City People from Greater Los Angeles Songwriters from New York (state) University of Southern California alumni 20th-century American musicians

Biography

Individual songs

Broadway credits

Selected filmography

In popular culture

References

Further reading

External links