Michael Grace

Michael Grace's production of John Murray Anderson's Almanac premiered there in 1953. Michael Paul Grace ll (August 6, 1917 – April 1, 1995) was the producer of the Broadway shows King of Friday's Men (1951) and John Murray Anderson's Almanac (1953).

Grace was the lyricist and composer of some of the music for the Almanac show and was the author/co-author of a variety of copyrighted music in the recording industry. In the 1950s, he was the assignor for a variety of patented technologies.

He later became an oil and gas producer as well as becoming involved in mining industry applications of oil and gas technology by means of what is called solutions mining. He made philanthropic donations to create several professorships at Notre Dame University.

Early life Michael P. Grace II was born on August 6, 1917. His father was Joseph P. Grace, the former chairman of W. R. Grace and Company. His siblings were Janet Maureen Grace, Charles M. Grace and J. Peter Grace, who was also the former chairman of W. R. Grace and Company. His grandfather was William Russell Grace, the first Roman Catholic mayor of New York City and the founder of W. R. Grace and Company. His great uncle was an industrialist and chairman of the board of the directors of W. R. Grace, Michael P. Grace.

He attended Harvard University, the University of Notre Dame, and Fordham School of Law.

Theatre and music career Sean McClory was in Grace's production of King of Friday's Men as Rory Commons. Seen here with Nan Leslie in the television show The Californians (1957-1959)

King of Friday's Men He first produced King of Friday's Men in 1951 on Broadway in New York City. It was a comedy set in the 18th century Ireland by Irish playwright Michael Joseph Molloy, and had been directed by David Alexander.

The cast members for the show were:

Sean McClory: Rory Commons

Maggie McNamara: Una Brehony

Walter Macken: Bartley Dowd

Both his grandfather, William R. Grace, and his great uncle, Michael P. Grace, had been born in Ireland.

However, the show closed after two days and four performances.

John Murray Anderson's Almanac Mike Grace's production of John Murray Anderson's Almanac was conceived and staged by John Murray Anderson, seen here in an image from approximately 1918.

Grace then produced with Stanley Gilky and Harry Rigby the Broadway production of the musical revue John Murray Anderson's Almanac, which opened on December 10, 1953, and continued until June 26, 1954. The show ran for 229 performances.

John Murray Anderson's Almanac was a music and comedy revue and consisted of cast members Billy De Wolfe, Orson Bean, Tina Louise, Hermione Gingold, Harry Belafonte, Polly Bergen, Carleton Carpenter, and Monique van Mooren. The show was conceived and staged by John Murray Anderson, and Henry Sullivan was one of the composers. Both had worked together in John Murray Anderson's Almanac (1929), as well as on part of the soundtrack for The Greatest Show on Earth (1952). Michael P. Grace II, along with being one of the producers, wrote some of the music and lyrics for the show as well. Singer and actress Hermione Gingold, originally from England, started her Broadway career as well with this show. She and fellow cast member Billy de Wolfe would go on to win the 1954 Donaldson Award for Male and Female Debut in a Musical. In the same award ceremony, Harry Belafonte won Best Supporting Actor in a Musical. thumb Hermione Gingold, seen here in publicity image for I've Got a Secret, began her career on Broadway as well as in US cinema with Mike Grace's production John Murray Anderson's Almanac. +Examples of music talent management:Before John Murray Anderson's Almanac (1953)After the 1953 ShowJohn Murray Anderson & Henry Sullivan had written part of the soundtrack for The Greatest Show on Earth (1952)Richard Adler and Jerry Ross, who had written a majority of the music, would go on to write music for The Pajama Game (1954) and Damn Yankees (1955). Billie Holiday starred in the Jazz Under the Stars concert. Image from 1947

Concert productions In 1953, the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, with Alfonso D'Artega as conductor, performed the musical composition co-written by Grace, Helmy Kresa, and Maestro D'Artega, in the Summer Pops Concert at Kleinhans Music Hall in Buffalo, New York. The composition, titled Space Taxi Selections, was described by the Buffalo Courier-Express as "musical impressionism with a jive tempo". The newspaper also reported how the selections "brought a burst of applause from the audience".

In 1957, Grace and Chris F. Anderson presented Jazz Under the Stars at the Wollman Memorial Theatre in New York City's Central Park. It was produced by Grace in association with Monte Kay and Pete Kameron. Kay and Kameron would later go on to create FM Records. The show starred Billie Holiday, the Jerry Mulligan Quartet, Dinah Washington, Buddy Rich, Stan Getz, and Jo Jones. Commentary was provided by Al "Jazzbo" Collins and Sean Shepherd.

Composer and lyricist Grace, along with having created some of the music and lyrics to his Broadway production, had written a variety of copyrighted songs for the recording industry as well. He wrote/co-wrote the music for Teeny, Weeny Martini (1953) and Cradled in the Arms of Love (1953) with Sammy Gallup and Helmy Kresa. He and John Rox, a fellow lyricist and composer from the Almanac show, wrote Let a Little Time Go By (1954). He also did musical collaborations with Clay Boland and Alfonso D'Artega. (See Discography below).

Discography + Title Year Words Music Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder 1947 Michael Grace, George Tonak, Nola Hooper, & Dale Wood Michael Grace, George Tonak, Nola Hooper, & Dale Wood Are You Really in Love 1947 Michael Grace & Charlie Beal Michael Grace & Charlie Beal Brooklyn, USA 1947 Michael Grace Michael Grace Darling 1947 Michael Grace & Dale Wood Michael Grace & Dale Wood Did You Know I Love You 1947 Michael Grace & Dale Wood Michael Grace & Dale Wood FATIMA-Lady of Love 1947 Michael Grace & Carl Tucker Michael Grace & Carl Tucker GEE, I'd Like to Fall in Love 1947 Michael Grace Michael Grace Hangin' 'Round 1947 Michael Grace, George Tonak, & Dale Wood Michael Grace, George Tonak, & Dale Wood I Dare to Dream 1947 Michael Grace, George Tonak, & Dale Wood Michael Grace, George Tonak, & Carl Tucker GO FOR YOU 1947 Michael Grace & Dale Wood Michael Grace & Dale Wood If Love Can Happen 1947 Michael Grace & Dale Wood Clay Boland I am Just a Hillbilly Boy 1947 Michael Grace Michael Grace I'm Tired of Being the Fall Guy 1947 Michael Grace & Carl Tucker Michael Grace & Carl Tucker Isn't Love a Funny Thing 1947 Michael Grace & Clay Boland Michael Grace & Clay Boland Personality Tune 1947 Michael Grace & Carl Tucker Michael Grace & Carl Tucker Pourquoi 1947 Michael Grace, Carl Tucker, & Dale Wood Michael Grace, Carl Tucker, & Dale Wood Roses Sprinkled With Stardust 1947 Michael Grace, William Sullivan, Dale Wood, & Phil Venegas Mike Grace, William Sullivan,

Dale Wood, & Phil Vanegas Santa Mater Ecclesia 1947 Michael Grace & Carl Tucker Michael Grace & Carl Tucker Song of the East 1947 Michael Grace & Dale Wood Clay Boland The Yankee Polka 1947 Michael Grace Michael Grace Smiling through the Tears 1948 James Cassin & Marin Bierne Michael Grace & Dale Wood That's Why My Heart Feels So Gay 1948 Michael Grace & Maureen Grace Michael Grace & Maureen Grace (his sister) Pourquoi 1948 Michael Grace & Carl Tucker Michael Grace & Carl Tucker Marry Me 1948 Michael Grace Michael Grace Calling All Cars

Police, secours 1949 English Version: Michael Grace French Version: Michael Emer Michael Emer Baby 1949 Michael Grace Michael Grace I Never Saw So Much Love as I See in Your Eyes 1952 Jack Scholl Michael Grace & Helmy Kresa Miracle of Fatima 1952 Michael Grace Helmy Kresa Astral Ballet 1953 Michael Grace & Alfonso D'Artega Act I, Opening Act (John Murray Anderson's Almanac) 1953 Michael Grace Are They Really In Love? 1953 Michael Grace Michael Grace I'm Not Walking, I'm Dancing 1953 Sammy Gallop Michael Grace Midnight in New York 1953 Sammy Gallop Michael Grace & Helmy Kresa Christmas Holiday 1953 Michael Grace Michael Grace I Dare to Dream 1953 Sammy Gallop Michael Grace & Carl Tucker Fall in Love 1953 Michael Grace Michael Grace Teeny, Weeny Martini 1953 Sammy Gallop Michael Grace & Helmy Kresa Cradled in the Arms of Love 1953 Michael Grace Michael Grace Let a Little Time Go By Iris Flores 1953 Michael P. Grace Perfume Vial Christy M. Del Mas 1953 Michael P. Grace Sandwich and Hors D'oeuvers Christy M. Del Mas 1953 Michael P. Grace Finger Ring for Holding Perfume Christy M. Del Mas 1953 Michael P. Grace Holder for Razors and Blades Christy M. Del Mas 1953 Michael P. Grace Harmonica Ring Christy M. Del Mas 1953 Michael P. Grace Toothbrush Christy M. Del Mas 1953 Michael P. Grace Doll (ornamental design) Christy M. Del Mas 1954 Michael P. Grace Combined Whistle and Holder Christy M. Del Mas 1954 Michael P. Grace Display Carrying Case Christy M. Del Mas 1955 Michael P. Grace Pouring Lid for Cans Christy M. Del Mas 1955 Michael P. Grace Dispensing Closure for Collapsible Tubes Christy M. Del Mas 1956 Michael P. Grace Articulated Figure Toy Christy M. Del Mas 1956 Michael P. Grace

Oil industry In 1965, Grace started a new career as an oil and gas producer. He operated wells mostly in New Mexico and was based in Carlsbad, New Mexico.

Wells produced or with participatory interest by Michael P. Grace in New Mexico Humble Grace (1970) Tracy B (1974) Grace Atlantic #001 (1973) Airport Grace (1973)

Philanthropy

According to the NPR (National Public Radio) article about Billie Holiday, Billie Full Of Grace: How Billie Holiday Learned to Sing at the House of the Good Shepherd, Grace, a fellow Catholic, stepped up to pay for her funeral in 1959.

He provided the charitable contributions for the Michael P. Grace Chair in Medieval Studies at the University of Notre Dame in the US. The professorship is a part of scholarly work in medieval research. A good example of the professorship's success was its encouragement for the writing of the book Aquinas on Human Action: A Theory of Practice by Ralph McInerny, Michael P. Grace Professor of medieval studies in the department of philosophy at the University of Notre Dame. His charitable contribution also created a professorship and assistant professorship in economics at the university.

Personal life Michael Grace and Corinne Bissette were married at the Sacred Heart Chapel on the University of Notre Dame campus in 1954. Notre Dame was Grace's alma mater. While his Almanac'' musical was on stage on Broadway, Michael Grace married Corinne Bissette, an actress and graduate from the Women's College at the University of North Carolina. The wedding was held at Michael Grace's alma mater, the University of Notre Dame at the university's chapel of the Sacred Heart. The wedding took place on April 26, 1954. At the time of the wedding, Grace was president of Fatima Charities in New York City.