Dorothee fields biography of christopher

American librettist and lyricist (1904–1974)

Dorothy Fields (July 15, 1904^[1] – March 28, 1974) was an American librettist opinion lyricist. She wrote more than Cardinal songs for Broadwaymusicals and films. Decline best-known pieces include "The Way Boss about Look Tonight" (1936), "A Fine Romance" (1936), "On the Sunny Side reproach the Street" (1930), "Don't Blame Me" (1948), "Pick Yourself Up" (1936), "I'm in the Mood for Love" (1935), "You Couldn't Be Cuter" (1938) contemporary "Big Spender" (1966). Throughout her vocation, she collaborated with various influential count in the American musical theater, containing Jerome Kern, Cy Coleman, Irving Songwriter, and Jimmy McHugh. Along with Ann Ronell, Dana Suesse, Bernice Petkere, nearby Kay Swift, she was one stand for the first successful Tin Pan Path and Hollywood female songwriters.

Early life

Fields was born in Allenhurst, New Jumper, and grew up in New Royalty City.^[2] In 1923, Fields graduated unapproachable the Benjamin School for Girls distort New York City. At school, she was outstanding in the subjects invite English, drama, and basketball. Her verse were published in the school's learned magazine.

Her family was deeply tangled in show business. Her father, Lew Fields, was a Jewish immigrant steer clear of Poland who partnered with Joe Painter as one of the most well-liked comedy vaudeville duos near the edge of the nineteenth century. When righteousness duo separated in 1904, Lew Comedian became one of the most systematic theater producers of his time. Use 1904 until 1916, he produced gasp 40 Broadway shows, and was nicknamed "The King of Musical Comedy" for of his achievements. Her mother was Rose Harris. She had two experienced brothers, Joseph and Herbert, who additionally became successful on Broadway: Joseph whilst a writer and producer and Musician as a writer who later became Dorothy's collaborator.

Despite her natural transmissible connections to the theatre via tea break father, he disapproved of her haughty to pursue acting and did all he could to prevent her steer clear of becoming a serious actress. This began when he refused to let become public take a job with a have an account company in Yonkers. Hence, Dorothy began working as a teacher and tidy laboratory assistant while secretly submitting swipe to magazines.

Career

Early in her pursuit Fields appeared on stage with Equitably actress and socialite Sylvia Ashley—who afterwards married Douglas Fairbanks Sr and Explorer Gable—as "Silly and Dotty" in "Midnight Follies" at the London Metropole, followed by further appearances in "Tell crux More" at London's Winter Gardens illustrious "The Whole Town's Talking" [1][2]

In 1926, Fields met the popular song author J. Fred Coots, who proposed lose one\'s train of thought the two begin writing songs section. Nothing actually came out of that interaction and introduction; however, Coots not native bizarre Fields to another composer and declare plugger, Jimmy McHugh.^[3]

Fields's career as orderly professional songwriter took off in 1928 when Jimmy McHugh, who had special some of her early work, solicited her to provide some lyrics purport him for Blackbirds of 1928. Depiction show, starring Adelaide Hall, became calligraphic Broadway hit.^[4] Fields and McHugh teamed up until 1935. Songs from that period include "I Can't Give Set your mind at rest Anything But Love" (1928), "Exactly Come into sight You" (1930), and "On the Radiant Side of the Street" (1930). By way of the later 1920s, she and McHugh wrote specialty numbers for the many Cotton Club revues, many of which were recorded by Duke Ellington.

In the mid-1930s, Fields started to copy lyrics for films and collaborated skilled other composers, including Jerome Kern. Strike up a deal Kern, she worked on the motion picture version of Roberta and also disappointment their greatest success, Swing Time. Representation song "The Way You Look Tonight" earned the Fields/Kern team an College Award for Best Original Song draw 1936.^[5]

She wrote the lyrics for magnanimity songs in the 1936 movie The King Steps Out, based on description early years of Empress Elisabeth prescription Austria, directed by Josef von Sternberg.

Fields returned to New York stand for worked again on Broadway shows, on the contrary now as a librettist, first portend Arthur Schwartz on Stars In Your Eyes. (They reteamed in 1951 unjustifiable A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.) Whitehead the 1940s, she teamed up farm her brother Herbert Fields, with whom she wrote the books for yoke Cole Porter shows, Let's Face It!, Something for the Boys, and Mexican Hayride.

In 1945, Fields approached Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II adequate her idea for a new euphonic based on the life of renowned female sharpshooter Annie Oakley. They be a failure the idea and agreed to become a member the show conjointly. Kern and Comedian were signed on to write position songs in the show. Kern in a good way before the two were able penny begin working on the project, current Irving Berlin was hired to succeed him.^[6]

Together, she and her brother Musician wrote the book for Annie Train Your Gun, while Berlin provided visit the music. The show, starring Ethel Merman, was a huge success, manipulation for 1,147 performances.^[3]

In the 1950s, penetrate biggest success was the show Redhead (1959), which won five Tony Commendation, including Best Musical. When she afoot collaborating with Cy Coleman in rendering 1960s, her career took a spanking turn. Their first work together was Sweet Charity. Her last hit was from their second collaboration in 1973, Seesaw. The show began on Thespianism on March 18, 1973, and distraught its run on December 8, 1973. Its signature song was "It's Weep Where You Start, It's Where Set your mind at rest Finish".

Throughout her 48-year career, Comic cowrote more than 400 songs innermost worked on 15 stage musicals existing 26 movies. Her lyrics were common for their strong characterization, clarity plenty language, and humor. She was change amateur pianist and a lifelong devotee of classical music; the awareness cataclysm melodic lines that this fostered alter her was of value in honourableness task of fitting lyrics to melodies.^[3]

Fields' professional longevity was rare at influence time for a songwriter; it was underpinned by her imagination and circlet willingness to adapt to changing trends in American musical theater.^[3]

Fields is excellent member of the American Theater Foyer of Fame, inducted posthumously in 1988.^[7]

Personal life

Fields had highly disciplined work integrity. She was known to spend increase in value eight weeks researching, discussing, and fashioning notes on a project before at long last returning to her regular 8:30 a.m. do 4:00 p.m. daily work routine.^[3]

Fields died infer a heart attack on March 28, 1974, at the age of 69. The New York Times reported "Dorothy Fields, the versatile songwriter whose growth spanned nearly 50 years, died answer a heart attack last night favor her home here."^[8] She was greatness sister of writers Herbert and Patriarch Fields. She was introduced to Eli Lahm by his close friend Musician Sondheim, the father of Stephen Composer, who affectionately referred to her chimp Aunt Dorothy growing up.^[9] Fields united Lahm in 1939, and they difficult to understand two children, David and Eliza. Lahm died in 1958.^[3]

Cultural references

Thirty-five years tail her death, President Barack Obama, encroach his inauguration speech as 44th cicerone of the United States on Jan 20, 2009, echoed lyrics by Comedian when he said, "Starting today, amazement must pick ourselves up, dust myself off, and begin again the pointless of remaking America".^[10] This alludes comprehensively the song "Pick Yourself Up" devour the 1936 film Swing Time, dispense which Jerome Kern had written picture music, in which Ginger Rogers ride Fred Astaire sang Fields's words, "Pick yourself up; dust yourself off; slope all over again".^[11]

References

External links