Henry Blossom

Henry Martyn Blossom Jr. (May 10, 1866 – March 23, 1919) was an American writer, playwright, novelist, opera librettist, and lyricist. He first gained wide attention for his second novel, Checkers: A Hard Luck Story, which was successfully adapted by Blossom into a 1903 Broadway play, Checkers. It was Blossom's first stage work and his first critical success in the theatre. The play in turn was adapted by others creatives into two silent films, one in 1913 and the other in 1919, and the play was the basis for the 1920 Broadway musical Honey Girl. Checkers was soon followed by Blossom's first critical success as a lyricist, the comic opera The Yankee Consul (1903), on which he collaborated with fellow Saint Louis resident and composer Alfred G. Robyn. This work was also adapted into a silent film in 1921. He later collaborated with Robyn again; writing the book and lyrics for their 1912 musical All for the Ladies.

Blossom had a lengthy and fruitful partnership as a librettist for the operetta composer Victor Herbert. He began his collaboration with Herbert with Mlle. Modiste (1905). This was followed by several other operettas, of which the best known are Mlle. Modiste (1905), The Red Mill (1906), The Princess Pat (1915), and Eileen (1917). For the 1916 musical The Century Girl, both he and Herbert collaborated with composer Irving Berlin. He also collaborated with Herbert on the musicals The Only Girl (1914) and The Velvet Lady (1919). The latter work premiered shortly before Blossom's death in 1919 and marked their final collaboration. Several of their works have been adapted into films.

Blossom also wrote the lyrics and books for Broadway musicals made with composers Leslie Stuart, Raymond Hubbell, and Zoel Parenteau. He was also involved with several shows that failed to reach Broadway.

Biography Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Blossom was the son of Henry Martyn Blossom and Susan S. Blossom. He was educated at the Stoddard School in Saint Louis, His first published works were short stories in American magazines. In 1893 his first novel, Documents in Evidence, was published. His second novel, Checkers: A Hard Luck Story, was published in 1896. The plot involves a love story about a man trying to win approval of his would-be father-in-law as he faces career hurdles and tries to distance himself from gambling and horse racing. and was directed by Augustus Thomas. The work reached Broadway in 1904 and was a tremendous critical success for its star, Raymond Hitchcock, in the role of Abijah Booze. Blossom later collaborated with Robyn again on the 1912 Broadway musical All for the Ladies for which he wrote both the book and lyrics. The pair also created the "musical farce" The Only Girl, and collaborated with Irving Berlin on the 1916 musical The Century Girl. Several of their works were adapted into films, including Mlle. Modiste which was the basis for the film Kiss Me Again (1931).

Blossom was also involved with several shows that failed to reach Broadway. The Man from Cook's (1912) All for the Ladies (1912) The Only Girl (1914) The Century Girl (1916) Miss 1917 (1917) Follow the Girl (1918) The Velvet Lady (1919) Tintypes (1980; revue featuring music with lyrics by Blossom)

Novels Documents in Evidence (1893)

Plays Checkers (1903) A Fair Exchange (1905)

Operas and operettas The Yankee Consul (1903) The Red Mill - book and lyrics (1906) 1912 Broadway production) The Princess Pat - book and lyrics (1915) Eileen - lyrics (1917)