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Harry B. Smith

Harry Bache Smith (December 28, 1860 – January 1, 1936) was a writer, lyricist and composer. The most prolific of all American stage writers, he is said to have written over 300 librettos and more than 6000 lyrics. Some of his best-known works were librettos for the composers Victor Herbert and Reginald De Koven. He also wrote the book or lyrics for several versions of the Ziegfeld Follies.

Smith was born in Buffalo, New York to Josiah Bailey Smith (born 1837) and Elizabeth Bach (born 1838). According to his autobiography First Nights and First Editions (Boston: Little, Brown, 1931), Smith's actual name at birth was Henry Bach Smith. He married twice. His first wife was Lena Reed (born August 21, 1868), whom he married on October 12, 1887 in Chicago, Illinois. They had a son named Sydney Reed Smith (born July 15, 1892). Smith's second wife was the actress Irene Bentley (c. 1870 – June 3, 1940). They married on November 23, 1906 in Boston, Massachusetts, after she had been divorced on June 12, 1906 by her first husband James Thomas Sothoron, Jr. (1867–1913). Bentley retired from the stage in 1910 and died at Allenhurst, New Jersey. She is buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx, NY. While on a brief holiday in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on New Year's Day in 1936, Smith died of a heart attack in his room at the Marlborough-Blenheim Hotel.

Smith worked on many of the famous musical theatre productions of his time. His younger brother Robert Bache Smith (June 4, 1875 – November 6, 1951) was also a successful lyricist.

Harry Smith's archive is largely held at the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas at Austin.

Birth and Death Data: Born December 28, 1860 (Buffalo), Died January 1, 1936 (Atlantic City)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1894 - 1950

Roles Represented in DAHR: lyricist, arranger, songwriter, author

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 251-275 of 278 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Edison 3409 10-in. 11/5/1914 Brown October ale Thomas Chalmers Male vocal solo and vocal ensemble, with orchestra lyricist  
Edison 3425 10-in. Nov. 1914 Armorer's song Frederic Martin Bass vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Edison 3473 10-in. Dec. 1914 Dolores Grace Hoffman Soprano vocal solo and vocal ensemble, with orchestra lyricist  
Edison 3504 10-in. 1/8/1915 Who cares? Helen Clark ; Joseph A. Phillips Vocal duet (contralto and baritone), with orchestra lyricist  
Edison 3604 10-in. 2/25/1915 Same sort of girl Elizabeth Spencer ; Walter Van Brunt Vocal duet (soprano and tenor) and vocal ensemble, with orchestra lyricist  
Edison 3832 10-in. 5/28/1915 Where's the girl for me Frederick J. Wheeler Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Edison 5338 10-in. 2/2/1917 We'll see George Wilton Ballard ; Bettina Bergere Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra lyricist  
Edison 5358 10-in. 2/9/1917 I wonder why Gladys Rice Female vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Edison 5445 10-in. 3/13/1917 I wonder why Bettina Bergere Female vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Edison 6477 10-in. between 11/12/1918 and 11/27/1918 Gypsy love song Charles F. Robinson Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Edison 7210 10-in. 3/11/1920 Always do as people say you should Leeta Corder Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Edison 7215 10-in. 3/12/1920 Armorer's song Emerson Williams Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Edison 7349 10-in. 5/13/1920 Keep the love lamp burning Gladys Rice Female vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Edison 7399 10-in. 6/1/1920 I'd like to take you away Helen Clark ; Joseph A. Phillips Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra lyricist  
Edison 7756 10-in. 1/25/1921 Bright eyes George Wilton Ballard Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Edison 8145 10-in. 7/26/1921 I wonder if you still care for me Walter Scanlan Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Edison 8389 10-in. 3/22/1922 By the Sapphire Sea Herbert C. Tilley Jr. Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Edison 8404 10-in. 4/3/1922 By the Sapphire Sea Betsy Lane Shepherd ; Herbert C. Tilley Jr. Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra lyricist  
Edison 9573 10-in. 6/19/1924 Robin Hood airs no. 1 New York Light Opera Co. Mixed vocal chorus, with orchestra lyricist  
Edison 9576 10-in. 6/20/1924 Robin Hood airs no. 2 New York Light Opera Co. Mixed vocal chorus, with orchestra lyricist  
Edison 9911 10-in. 12/18/1924 The fortune teller airs no. 1 New York Light Opera Co. Mixed vocal chorus, with orchestra lyricist  
Edison 9912 10-in. 12/19/1924 The fortune teller airs no. 2 New York Light Opera Co. Mixed vocal chorus, with orchestra lyricist  
Edison 10783 10-in. 1/20/1926 I dare not love you Frank Cornwell ; Irving Aaronson Crusaders Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Edison 11737 10-in. 6/14/1927 Dear eyes that haunt me Ernie Golden ; Hotel McAlpin Orchestra Jazz/dance band lyricist  
Edison 11866 10-in. 9/1/1927 Song of the turnkey J. Lester Haberkorn Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
(Results 251-275 of 278 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Smith, Harry B.," accessed October 29, 2024, https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/103588.

Smith, Harry B.. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved October 29, 2024, from https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/103588.

"Smith, Harry B.." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 29 October 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/103588

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