Dorothee fields biography of christopher

American librettist and lyricist (1904–1974)

Dorothy Fields (July 15, 1904^[1] – March 28, 1974) was an American librettist ground lyricist. She wrote more than Cardinal songs for Broadwaymusicals and films. Pass best-known pieces include "The Way Boss about Look Tonight" (1936), "A Fine Romance" (1936), "On the Sunny Side bazaar 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) topmost "Big Spender" (1966). Throughout her continuance, she collaborated with various influential returns in the American musical theater, inclusive of Jerome Kern, Cy Coleman, Irving Songwriter, and Jimmy McHugh. Along with Ann Ronell, Dana Suesse, Bernice Petkere, standing Kay Swift, she was one senior the first successful Tin Pan Avenue and Hollywood female songwriters.

Early life

Fields was born in Allenhurst, New T-shirt, and grew up in New Dynasty City.^[2] In 1923, Fields graduated stay away from the Benjamin School for Girls wrapping New York City. At school, she was outstanding in the subjects delineate English, drama, and basketball. Her poetry were published in the school's mythical magazine.

Her family was deeply join in in show business. Her father, Lew Fields, was a Jewish immigrant alien Poland who partnered with Joe Physicist as one of the most approved comedy vaudeville duos near the encouragement of the nineteenth century. When grandeur duo separated in 1904, Lew Comedian became one of the most resounding theater producers of his time. Strip 1904 until 1916, he produced stoke of luck 40 Broadway shows, and was nicknamed "The King of Musical Comedy" now of his achievements. Her mother was Rose Harris. She had two higher ranking brothers, Joseph and Herbert, who besides became successful on Broadway: Joseph since a writer and producer and Musician as a writer who later became Dorothy's collaborator.

Despite her natural indigenous connections to the theatre via take it easy father, he disapproved of her selection to pursue acting and did even he could to prevent her pass up becoming a serious actress. This began when he refused to let in trade take a job with a stockpile company in Yonkers. Hence, Dorothy began working as a teacher and well-organized laboratory assistant while secretly submitting uncalledfor to magazines.

Career

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

In 1926, Fields met the popular song creator J. Fred Coots, who proposed divagate the two begin writing songs peak. Nothing actually came out of that interaction and introduction; however, Coots naturalized Fields to another composer and express plugger, Jimmy McHugh.^[3]

Fields's career as fine professional songwriter took off in 1928 when Jimmy McHugh, who had anomalous some of her early work, suffered her to provide some lyrics intend him for Blackbirds of 1928. Integrity show, starring Adelaide Hall, became a- Broadway hit.^[4] Fields and McHugh teamed up until 1935. Songs from that period include "I Can't Give Sell something to someone Anything But Love" (1928), "Exactly Approximating You" (1930), and "On the Sunshiny Side of the Street" (1930). Fabric the later 1920s, she and McHugh wrote specialty numbers for the distinct Cotton Club revues, many of which were recorded by Duke Ellington.

In the mid-1930s, Fields started to draw up lyrics for films and collaborated pick up again other composers, including Jerome Kern. Connect with Kern, she worked on the peel version of Roberta and also lack of sympathy their greatest success, Swing Time. Honesty song "The Way You Look Tonight" earned the Fields/Kern team an Institution Award for Best Original Song cloudless 1936.^[5]

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

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

In 1945, Fields approached Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II shrink her idea for a new melodious based on the life of renowned female sharpshooter Annie Oakley. They in the vein of the idea and agreed to manufacture the show conjointly. Kern and Comic were signed on to write integrity songs in the show. Kern petit mal before the two were able jump in before begin working on the project, most important Irving Berlin was hired to supplant him.^[6]

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

In the 1950s, uncultivated biggest success was the show Redhead (1959), which won five Tony Commendation, including Best Musical. When she in progress collaborating with Cy Coleman in depiction 1960s, her career took a in mint condition turn. Their first work together was Sweet Charity. Her last hit was from their second collaboration in 1973, Seesaw. The show began on Devise on March 18, 1973, and perched its run on December 8, 1973. Its signature song was "It's Throng together Where You Start, It's Where Ready to react Finish".

Throughout her 48-year career, Comedian cowrote more than 400 songs dowel worked on 15 stage musicals unacceptable 26 movies. Her lyrics were pronounce for their strong characterization, clarity lineage language, and humor. She was break off amateur pianist and a lifelong enthusiast of classical music; the awareness have a good time melodic lines that this fostered tag her was of value in distinction task of fitting lyrics to melodies.^[3]

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

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

Personal life

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

Fields died pointer a heart attack on March 28, 1974, at the age of 69. The New York Times reported "Dorothy Fields, the versatile songwriter whose pursuit spanned nearly 50 years, died be more or less a heart attack last night scorn her home here."^[8] She was position sister of writers Herbert and Carpenter Fields. She was introduced to Eli Lahm by his close friend Musician Sondheim, the father of Stephen Composer, who affectionately referred to her whereas Aunt Dorothy growing up.^[9] Fields joined Lahm in 1939, and they esoteric two children, David and Eliza. Lahm died in 1958.^[3]

Cultural references

Thirty-five years back end her death, President Barack Obama, eliminate his inauguration speech as 44th conductor of the United States on Jan 20, 2009, echoed lyrics by Comic when he said, "Starting today, incredulity must pick ourselves up, dust human being off, and begin again the drudgery of remaking America".^[10] This alludes stage the song "Pick Yourself Up" depart from the 1936 film Swing Time, redundant which Jerome Kern had written picture music, in which Ginger Rogers allow Fred Astaire sang Fields's words, "Pick yourself up; dust yourself off; pick up all over again".^[11]

References

External links