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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 51-75 of 278 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor [Pre-matrix A-]1667 7-in. 10/8/1902 Gypsy love song Herbert Goddard Baritone vocal solo lyricist  
Victor [Pre-matrix B-]3123 10-in. 2/20/1901 Brown October ale J. W. Myers Male vocal solo, with piano lyricist  
Victor [Pre-matrix B-]3131 10-in. 2/21/1901 The armorer's song J. W. Myers Male vocal solo, with piano lyricist  
Victor [Pre-matrix B-]3315 10-in. 5/3/1901 Just for to-day Harry Macdonough Male vocal solo lyricist  
Victor [Pre-matrix B-]3555 10-in. 9/10/1901 The wedding of the Reuben and the maid Harry Macdonough Male vocal solo lyricist  
Victor A-648 7-in. 11/6/1903 Just for today Harry Macdonough Male vocal solo, with piano lyricist  
Victor B-702 10-in. 11/13/1903 Plain Mamie O'Hooley Harry Macdonough Male vocal solo, with piano lyricist  
Victor A-702 7-in. 11/13/1903 Plain Mamie O'Hooley Harry Macdonough Male vocal solo, with piano lyricist  
Victor B-1113 10-in. 3/15/1904 Plain Mamie O'Hooley Harry Macdonough Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Victor A-1113 7-in. 3/15/1904 Plain Mamie O'Hooley Harry Macdonough Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Victor B-1944 10-in. 11/17/1904 The turnkey's song William F. Hooley Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Victor A-1944 7-in. 11/17/1904 The turnkey's song William F. Hooley Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Victor C-3115 12-in. 2/15/1906 Gypsy love song Eugene Cowles Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Victor B-3116 10-in. 2/15/1906 The armorer's song Eugene Cowles Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Victor E-4445 8-in. 4/29/1907 Kiss, kiss, kiss Ada Jones ; Billy Murray Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra lyricist  
Victor B-4445 10-in. 4/29/1907 Kiss, kiss, kiss Ada Jones ; Billy Murray Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra lyricist  
Victor B-4465 10-in. 5/7/1907 Roll around Harry Tally Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Victor B-4712 10-in. 7/25/1907 Farewell to the King's Highway John A. Finnegan Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Victor B-6649 10-in. 12/8/1908 Mephisto's soliloquy Ralph Herz Recitation author  
Victor B-8386 10-in. 11/18/1909 Won't you be my playmate Metropolitan Trio Mixed vocal trio, with orchestra lyricist  
Victor CVE-8444 12-in. 8/24/1926 Gems from Robin Hood Victor Light Opera Company Vocal chorus and soloists, with orchestra lyricist  
Victor C-8444 12-in. 12/10/1909 Gems from Robin Hood Victor Light Opera Company Vocal chorus and soloists, with orchestra lyricist  
Victor B-9488 10-in. 9/28/1910 I'm fancy free Inez Barbour Female vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Victor C-9678 12-in. 11/30/1910 Gems from The serenade Victor Light Opera Company Vocal chorus and soloists, with orchestra lyricist  
Victor C-10244 12-in. 4/28/1911 Ah, yes, I love you Mr. and Mrs. Wheeler Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra lyricist  
(Results 51-75 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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