If I Only Had A Brain
The Wizard of Oz (1939) dir. Victor Fleming, George Cukor (uncredited)
Starring Judy Garland, Frank Morgan, Ray Bolger, Bert Lahr, Jack Haley, Billie Burke, Margaret Hamilton
Academy Award Best Original Song – Over the Rainbow
Academy Award Best Original Score – Herbert Stothart
Harold Arlen (1905 – 1986)
Pianist/singer worked as an accompanist in Vaudeville
Cotton Club (1923 – 1940) songs with Ted Koehler (1894 – 1973)
Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea (1931)
I’ve Got the World On A String (1932)
Stormy Weather (1933) introduced by Ethel Waters (1896 – 1977)
It’s Only A Paper Moon (1932) from film version of Take a Chance (previously used on Broadway in The Great Magoo (1932)with title If You Believe In Me) with lyricist E. Y. “Yip” Harburg
The duo also wrote Lydia the Tattooed Lady for Groucho Marx film At the Circus (1939)
Broadway Musicals (selections)
Bloomer Girl (1944) lyricist E. Y. Harburg
House of Flowers (1954) lyricist Truman Capote
Jamaica (1956) lyricist E. Y. Harburg
Saratoga (1958) lyricist Johnny Mercer
E. Y. “Yip” Harburg (1896 – 1981)
High School chum of Ira Gershwin (1896 – 1983) who shared his love of Gilbert and Sullivan.
Brother Can You Spare A Dime?, music by Jay Gorney (1896 – 1990) from Americana(1932) an Earl Carroll Broadway review – became the unofficial anthem of The Great Depression with popular recordings by Bing Crosby and Rudy Vallée.
Broadway Musicals (selections)
Bloomer Girl (1944) music Harold Arlen
Finian’s Rainbow (1947) music Burton Lane(1912 – 1997)
Blacklisted in 1950 by HUAC
Ray Bolger (1904-1987)
Boston street busker, vaudevillian – as “Sanford and Bolger,” star of musical revue, Broadway, film & television
Long time friend of Harold Arlen’s.
starred with Bert Lahr – Life Begins at 8:40 (1934) review – music, Harold Arlen, lyrics, Ira Gershwin & E.Y. “Yip” Harburg
On Your Toes (1936)
created the role of Phil Dolan III, “Junior,” who danced, to George Balanchine’s choreography, the “Slaughter On Tenth Avenue” ballet – music, Richard Rodgers, lyrics, Lorenz Hart
By Jupiter (1942) – music, Richard Rodgers, lyrics, Lorenz Hart
Where’s Charley? (1949) music/lyrics Frank Loesser, featuring the ever-popular “Once In Love With Amy”-Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical.
Final Broadway musical appearance – All American (1962) music, Charles Strouse – lyrics, Lee Adams