Michael Elder Rourke (14 July 186726 August 1933), who assumed the pen name Herbert Reynolds in 1913, was an Irish-American

lyricist A lyricist is a writer who writes lyrics (the spoken words), as opposed to a composer, who writes the song's music which may include but not limited to the melody, harmony, arrangement and accompaniment. Royalties A lyricist's income derives ...

. Reynolds wrote the lyrics to

Jerome Kern Jerome David Kern (January 27, 1885 – November 11, 1945) was an American composer of musical theatre and popular music. One of the most important American theatre composers of the early 20th century, he wrote more than 700 songs, used in over ...

's first big hit, "

They Didn't Believe Me "They Didn't Believe Me" is a song with music by Jerome Kern and lyrics by Herbert Reynolds. First introduced in the 1914 musical '' The Girl from Utah'' it was one of five numbers added to the show by Kern and Reynolds for its Broadway debut ...

", interpolated into the 1914 American version of '' The Girl from Utah'', produced by

Charles Frohman Charles Frohman (July 15, 1856 – May 7, 1915) was an American theater manager and producer, who discovered and promoted many stars of the American stage. Frohman produced over 700 shows, and among his biggest hits was '' Peter Pan'', both ...

. The show had a successful run of 140 performances at the Knickerbocker Theatre, opening on August 14, 1914. Frohman had hired the young Kern to write five new songs for the score together with Reynolds to strengthen what he felt was a weak first act.

Julia Sanderson Julia Sanderson (born Julia Ellen Sackett; August 27, 1887 – January 27, 1975) was a Broadway actress and singer. In 1887, she was born in Springfield, Massachusetts, to parents Albert H. Sackett (also a Broadway actor) and Jeanette Elvira San ...

and

Donald Brian Donald Brian (February 17, 1877 – December 22, 1948) was an actor, dancer and singer born in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, St. John's, Colony of Newfoundland, Newfoundland (now Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada). In 1907, he sta ...

starred in the production. He shared the lyric writing with

P. G. Wodehouse Sir Pelham Grenville Wodehouse ( ; 15 October 1881 – 14 February 1975) was an English writer and one of the most widely read humorists of the 20th century. His creations include the feather-brained Bertie Wooster and his sagacious valet, Je ...

in ''

Miss Springtime Miss (pronounced ) is an English-language honorific typically used for a girl, for an unmarried woman (when not using another title such as "Doctor" or "Dame"), or for a married woman retaining her maiden name. Originating in the 17th century, i ...

'' (1916), with additional music by Kern. Reynolds went on to collaborate with Kern and several other lyricists on the

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street ** Broadway Theatre (53rd Stre ...

musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the Character (arts), charac ...

Very Good Eddie ''Very Good Eddie'' is a musical with a book by Guy Bolton and Philip Bartholomae, music by Jerome Kern, and lyrics by Schuyler Greene, with additional lyrics by Elsie Janis, Herbert Reynolds, Harry B. Smith, John E. Hazzard, Ring Lardner and J ...

'' with a book by

Guy Bolton Guy Reginald Bolton (23 November 1884 – 4 September 1979) was an Anglo-American playwright and writer of musical theatre, musical comedies. Born in England and educated in France and the US, he trained as an architect but turned to writing. B ...

and

Philip Bartholomae Philip Bartholomae (July 3, 1880 - January 5, 1947) was an American playwright, lyricist, screenwriter, and theatre director. He wrote many plays and musicals which were staged on Broadway in the 1910s and 1920s, several of which were adapted int ...

, and again in ''

Rock-a-Bye Baby "Rock-a-bye baby on the tree top" (sometimes "Hush-a-bye baby on the tree top") is a nursery rhyme and lullaby. It has a Roud Folk Song Index number of 2768. Words The rhyme exists in several versions. One modern example, quoted by the Nationa ...

'' (1918).

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Reynolds, Herbert American musical theatre lyricists 1933 deaths 1867 births