Harry Archer

Harry Archer (February 21, 1888 – April 23, 1960) was an American composer and orchestra leader. He is best remembered for six Broadway shows from the 2nd and 3rd decades of the 20th-century, but also made several popular recordings in the 1920s for Brunswick Records.

Biography Harry Archer was born as Harry Auracher on February 21, 1888 in Creston, Iowa. He received his high-school education at Michigan Military Academy,

Archer’s compositions had appeared in plays as early as 1911, This show was a huge success, and was not only staged on Broadway but also as far afield as Germany and Hungary. The breakout song was "I Love You", which was the biggest hit of Archer’s career. Often the same recording would be used on both labels, but a pseudonym of The Vanderbilt Orchestra was used on the Vocalion label. In 1926 his recording of "Sweet and Low-Down" (Brunswick 3096) is listed at #10. "When Day Is Done" (Brunswick 3399) from 1927 is listed at #14. His last recording session took place on January 23, 1928, but a final #20 hit from March, 1928 "Thinking of You" (Brunswick 3704) was to follow.

Shows 1912 – Pearl Maiden 1919 – Love for Sale 1921 – Peek-a-boo 1922 – Paradise Alley 1923 – Little Jessie James 1924 – Paradise Alley (revival) 1924 – My Girl 1925 – Merry Merry 1926 – Twinkle Twinkle 1928 – Just a Minute 1945 – Entre Nous

Selected compositions “Alone In My Dreams” “Anything Your Heart Desires” from Just a Minute – 1928 “Before the Dawn” from My Girl – 1924 “The Break-Me-Down” from Just a Minute – 1928 “Desert Isle” from My Girl – 1924 “Ev’ry Little Note” “Find a Girl” from Twinkle, Twinkle – 1925 “From Broadway to Main Street” from Little Jesse James – 1923 “Get a Load of This” from Twinkle, Twinkle – 1925 “A Girl Like You” from My Girl – 1924 “Heigh-Ho Cheerio” from Just a Minute – 1928 “I Love You” from Little Jesse James – 1923 “I Was Blue” from Merry, Merry – 1925 “I’d Rather Be the Girl in Your Arms” – 1926 “I’m Goin’ to Dance with the Guy What Brung Me” “It Must Be Love” from Merry, Merry – 1925 “Little Jesse James” from Little Jesse James – 1923 “My Home Town in Kansas” from Little Jesse James – 1923 “My Own” “Pretty, Petite and Sweet” from Just a Minute – 1928 “Rainbow” “Suppose I Had Never Met You” “Sweet and Low” – 1930 “The Sweetest Girl This Side of Heaven” “Twinkle, Twinkle” from Twinkle, Twinkle – 1925 “Where the Golden Daffodils Grow” – 1930 “White Sails” – 1939 “You and I” from My Girl – 1924 “You Know, I Know” from Twinkle, Twinkle – 1925