Bert Kalmar

Bert Kalmar (February 10, 1884 – September 18, 1947) was an American songwriter. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970. He was also a screenwriter.

Biography Kalmar was born on February 10, 1884 in New York City to Kopel (Charles) Kalvarinsky and Julia Kalvarinsky. He left school at an early age and began working in vaudeville. By this time, he had earned enough to start a music publishing company, Kalmar and Puck, where he collaborated with a number of songwriters, including Harry Puck and Harry Ruby. The publishing firm also operated under the name Kalmar, Puck, Abrahams, Consolidated, Inc., the other named partner being Maurice Abrahams (1883–1931), husband of Belle Baker. Success at songwriting By 1918, Kalmar and Ruby had formed a permanent songwriting team. Their first success was a tune co-written with Irving Berlin and sung by Fanny Brice in the Ziegfeld Follies of 1920. After they moved to Hollywood in 1930, Kalmar also worked as a screenwriter for Look for the Silver Lining and Bright Lights as well as Duck Soup.

Kalmar and Ruby also collaborated on several other screenplays including The Kid from Spain (1932), starring Eddie Cantor; Bright Lights (1935), starring Joe E. Brown; and Look for the Silver Lining (1949), a biopic of Marilyn Miller. Jessie, born Jessica, debuted as a specialty dancer in 1907 and went on to toe dancing. She danced with husband Bert Kalmar in Nurseryland (1916) and other acts before retiring in the late 1910s. She was portrayed by Vera-Ellen in the film, Three Little Words. She died in January 1985 in Sherman Oaks, California.

Broadway Ziegfeld Follies of 1920 (1920) - revue - featured co-songwriter for "I'm a Vamp from East Broadway" Helen of Troy, New York (1923) - co-composer and co-lyricist with Harry Ruby Ziegfeld Follies of 1923 (1923) - revue - featured lyricist for "Society Bud" No Other Girl (1924) - co-composer and co-lyricist with Harry Ruby Holka Polka (1925) - book-editor The Ramblers (1926) - co-composer, co-lyricist, and co-bookwriter with Harry Ruby Lucky (1927) - co-writer with Otto Harbach, Harry Ruby and Jerome Kern The Five O'Clock Girl (1927) and (1981 revival) - lyricist with composer Harry Ruby She's My Baby (1928) - co-bookwriter with Harry Ruby Top Speed (1929) - co-writer and co-producer with Harry Ruby and Guy Bolton High Kickers (1941) - co-composer, co-lyricist with Harry Ruby and co-bookwriter with Ruby and George Jessel The Corn is Green (1943) - actor in the role of "Will Hughes" Fosse (1999) - revue - featured lyricist for "Who's Sorry Now?"

Notable songs

"Who's Sorry Now?" (1923), Kalmar and Ruby's first big hit "I Wanna Be Loved by You" (1928), a hit for Helen Kane, known as the "Boop-boop-a-doop girl", and sung by Marilyn Monroe in the film Some Like It Hot "Hooray for Captain Spaulding" from Animal Crackers (1928): became Groucho Marx's signature tune. "I Love You So Much" (1928) "Three Little Words" (1930), their biggest hit. "Nevertheless" (1931), a hit for both Bing Crosby and Rudy Vallée, later done by The Mills Brothers and Frank Sinatra "I'm Against It", "I Always Get My Man" and "Everyone Says I Love You" from Horse Feathers (1932) "Hail, Hail Freedonia" from Duck Soup (1933) "What a Perfect Combination" (1932), lyrics by Kalmar and Irving Caesar, music by Ruby and Harry Akst, written for the Broadway show The Kid, starring Eddie Cantor "A Kiss to Build a Dream On" (1935), their last hit "Show Me a Rose" (1952), Groucho Marx recording "The Real McCoys" (1957-1963), television theme (words & music by Harry Ruby)