Bradford Ropes (January 1, 1905 – November 21, 1966) was an American novelist and screenwriter whose work includes the novel ''42nd Street'' that was adapted into the 1933 film of the same name, which then became a Tony Award-winning stage musical. The same year, his next novel, ''Stage Mother'', was also adapted to film, Ropes’s novels were inspired by his own experiences as a performer, and focused on the lives of gay men in show business. He also wrote many Western stories, screenplays for

Roy Rogers Roy Rogers (born Leonard Franklin Slye; November 5, 1911 – July 6, 1998), nicknamed the King of the Cowboys, was an American singer, actor, television host, and Rodeo, rodeo performer. Following early work under his given name, first as a c ...

and

Rex Allen Rex Elvie Allen Sr. (December 31, 1920 – December 17, 1999), known as "The Arizona Cowboy", was an American film and television actor, singer and songwriter; he was also the narrator of many Disney nature and Western productions. For his cont ...

, and contributed to films starring

Abbott and Costello Abbott and Costello were an American comedy duo composed of comedians Bud Abbott and Lou Costello, whose work in radio, film, and television made them the most popular comedy team of the 1940s and 1950s, and the highest-paid entertainers in t ...

as well as

Laurel and Hardy Laurel and Hardy were a British-American double act, comedy duo during the early Classical Hollywood cinema, Classical Hollywood era of American cinema, consisting of Englishman Stan Laurel (1890–1965) and American Oliver Hardy (1892–1957) ...

. Ropes wrote in 1932 that America was still waiting for the "''Uncle Tom's Cabin'' of the

chorus girl A chorus line is a large group of dancers who together perform synchronized routines, usually in musical theatre. Sometimes, singing is also performed. While synchronized dancing indicative of a chorus line was vogue during the first half of th ...

." Born in

Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

, Ropes died in the Wollaston section of Quincy, Massachusetts at the age of 61.

Works

Novels *''42nd Street'' (1932) *''Stage Mother'' (1933) *''Go Into Your Dance'' (1934) *''Mr. Tilley Takes a Walk'' (1951) Films (screenplays unless noted) *''

42nd Street 42nd Street most commonly refers to: *42nd Street (Manhattan), a major crosstown street in the New York City borough of Manhattan It may also refer to: *42nd Street (film), ''42nd Street'' (film), a 1933 American Warner Bros. musical film with lyri ...

'' (novel, 1933) *''

Stage Mother In the performing arts, a stage mother is the mother of a child actor. The term ''stage mother'' sometimes has a negative connotation, suggesting that the individual is prone to obnoxiously demanding special treatment for her child, or suggesting ...

'' (novel and screenplay, 1933) *''

Go Into Your Dance ''Go into Your Dance'' is a 1935 American musical drama film starring Al Jolson, Ruby Keeler, and Glenda Farrell. The film was directed by Archie Mayo, and is based on the novel of the same name by Bradford Ropes. It was released by Warner Br ...

'' (novel, 1935) *'' Hooray for Love'' (contributor to treatment, 1935) *''

Meet the Boyfriend ''Meet the Boyfriend'' is a 1937 American film directed by Ralph Staub. Plot summary A heartthrob singer, Tony Page, also known as "America's Boyfriend", decides to wed a Swedish actress. His manager doesn't want this because he is afraid of ...

'' (1937) *'' The Hit Parade'' (1937) *'' Circus Girl'' (1937) *''

Lord Jeff ''Lord Jeff'' is a 1938 MGM film, set in England, starring Freddie Bartholomew as a spoiled orphan who has gotten mixed up with some crooks, but gets set straight by a stint in a mercantile marine vocational school for orphaned boys. Plot Young ...

'' (story, 1938) *''

Rancho Grande Rancho Grande is a municipality in the Matagalpa department of Nicaragua Nicaragua, officially the Republic of Nicaragua, is the geographically largest Sovereign state, country in Central America, comprising . With a population of 7,14 ...

'' (1940) *''

Melody Ranch ''Melody Ranch'' is a 1940 Western (genre), Western musical film directed by Joseph Santley and starring Gene Autry, Jimmy Durante, and Ann Miller. Written by Jack Moffitt (screenwriter), Jack Moffitt, F. Hugh Herbert, Bradford Ropes, and Betty ...

'' (1940) *''

Gaucho Serenade ''Gaucho Serenade'' is a 1940 American Western film directed by Frank McDonald and starring Gene Autry, Smiley Burnette, and June Storey. Written by Betty Burbridge and Bradford Ropes, the film is about a singing cowboy who goes up against a g ...

'' (1940) *'' Melody and Moonlight'' (1940) *''

Sing, Dance, Plenty Hot ''Sing, Dance, Plenty Hot'' is a 1940 American comedy film directed by Lew Landers and written by Gordon Rigby and Bradford Ropes. The film stars Ruth Terry, Johnny Downs, Barbara Jo Allen, Billy Gilbert, Claire Carleton and Mary Lee. The film w ...

'' (1940) *''

Hit Parade of 1941 ''Hit Parade of 1941'' is a 1940 American film written by Bradford Ropes, F. Hugh Herbert and Maurice Leo and directed by John H. Auer. It was nominated for the Oscar for Best Song at the 13th Academy Awards with the song "Who Am I?", with mus ...

'' (1940) *'' Hullabaloo'' (idea, 1940) *''

Angels with Broken Wings ''Angels with Broken Wings'' is a 1941 American comedy film directed by Bernard Vorhaus and starring Jane Frazee and Binnie Barnes. The screenplay was written by George Carleton Brown and Bradford Ropes. It was released by Republic Pictures. Pl ...

'' (1941) *''

Glamour Boy "Glamour Boy" is a song written by Burton Cummings and performed by The Guess Who, and was featured on their 1973 album, '' #10''. The song was produced by Jack Richardson. It was inspired by David Bowie and reached #14 in Canada in 1973. The ...

'' (1941) *'' Ridin' on a Rainbow'' (1941) *''

Ice-Capades Revue ''Ice-Capades Revue'' is a 1942 American comedy film directed by Bernard Vorhaus, and written by Bradford Ropes and Gertrude Purcell. The film stars Ellen Drew, Richard Denning, Jerry Colonna, Barbara Jo Allen, Harold Huber and Marilyn Hare. T ...

'' (1942) *'' Joan of Ozark'' (additional dialogue, 1942) *'' Ship Ahoy'' (story, 1942) *''

True to the Army ''True to the Army'' is a 1942 American comedy film directed by Albert S. Rogell, written by Art Arthur, Bradford Ropes, Edmund L. Hartmann and Val Burton, and starring Judy Canova, Allan Jones, Ann Miller, Jerry Colonna, Clarence Kolb, Ed ...

'' (1942) *'' The Man from Music Mountain'' (1943) – starring

*'' Hands Across the Border'' (1944) – starring

*''

Hi, Good Lookin'! ''Hi, Good Lookin'!'' is a 1944 American comedy film directed by Edward C. Lilley and written by Paul Gerard Smith, Bradford Ropes and Eugene Conrad. The film stars Harriet Nelson, Eddie Quillan, Kirby Grant, Betty Kean, Roscoe Karns, Vivian Aust ...

'' (1944) *'' The Cowboy and the Senorita'' (story, 1944) – starring

*'' Swing in the Saddle'' (1944) *'' Steppin' in Society'' (adaptation and screenplay, 1945) *'' Sunbonnet Sue'' (story, 1945) *'' Why Girls Leave Home'' (1945) *''

Song of Arizona A song is a musical composition performed by the human voice. The voice often carries the melody (a series of distinct and fixed pitches) using patterns of sound and silence. Songs have a structure, such as the common ABA form, and are usually ...

'' (story, 1946) – starring

*''

The Time of Their Lives ''The Time of Their Lives'' is a 1946 American fantasy comedy film directed by Charles Barton and starring the comedic duo Abbott and Costello alongside Marjorie Reynolds, Gale Sondergaard and Binnie Barnes. It was produced and distributed ...

'' (1946) *'' Nothing But Trouble'' (additional dialogue, 1947) – starring

Laurel & Hardy Laurel and Hardy were a British-American comedy duo during the early Classical Hollywood era of American cinema, consisting of Englishman Stan Laurel (1890–1965) and American Oliver Hardy (1892–1957). Starting their career as a duo in the ...

*''

Buck Privates Come Home ''Buck Privates Come Home'' is a 1947 American comedy film directed by Charles Barton and starring the team of Abbott and Costello. It was released by Universal-International and is a sequel to their earlier film ''Buck Privates'' (1941). This ...

'' (story, 1947) – starring

Abbott & Costello Abbott and Costello were an American comedy duo composed of comedians Bud Abbott and Lou Costello, whose work in radio, film, and television made them the most popular comedy team of the 1940s and 1950s, and the highest-paid entertainers in t ...

*'' Pirates of Monterey'' (story, 1947) *'' Flame of Youth'' (1949) *''

The Arizona Cowboy ''The Arizona Cowboy'' is a 1950 American Western film directed by R. G. Springsteen and written by Bradford Ropes. The film stars Rex Allen, Teala Loring, Gordon Jones, Minerva Urecal, James Cardwell, and Roy Barcroft. The film was released ...

'' (1950) – starring

* ''

Belle of Old Mexico ''Belle of Old Mexico'' is a 1950 American Trucolor comedy film directed by Robert G. Springsteen starring Estelita Rodriguez, Robert Rockwell and Dorothy Patrick. The film was successful at the box office, impressing the bosses at Republic Pictu ...

'' (1950) * '' Redwood Forest Trail'' (1950) – starring

References

External links

* * 1905 births 1966 deaths Novelists from Boston 20th-century American novelists American Western (genre) novelists {{US-author-stub

Works

Further reading

References

External links