Edgar Smith (librettist)
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Edgar McPhail Smith (December 9, 1857 – March 8, 1938) was an American writer and lyricist for musicals in the early decades of the 20th century. He contributed to some 150
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 ...
musicals.
Weber and Fields Weber may refer to: Places United States * Weber, Missouri, an unincorporated community * Weber City, Virginia, a town * Weber City, Fluvanna County, Virginia, an unincorporated community * Weber County, Utah * Weber Canyon, Utah * Weber Rive ...
starred in many of his works."Edgar Smith, 80, Librettist, Dead"
''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'', March 9, 1938, accessed August 23, 2021


Early life and career

Smith was born in
Brooklyn Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...
, New York. After attending Pennsylvania Military Academy,Gänzl (1994), Edgar Smith entry Smith began his career as an actor. His first play was a comedy-drama, ''Love and Duty'' (1879), written for Dickson's Sketch Club, a touring company that he had joined. His first musical piece was a burlesque, ''Little Lohengrin'' (1886), adapted for Alice Harrison and the Chicago Casino from the original English version. Smith wrote the song "Once in a Thousand Years" to be interpolated into ''The Pyramid'' (1887) in Boston. He became the dramaturg at New York's Casino Theatre, from 1887 to 1893, helping to adapt European operettas, and sometimes playing supporting roles, such as Dimoklos in ''Apollo''; Grog in ''
La Grande-Duchesse de Gérolstein ''La Grande-Duchesse de Gérolstein'' (''The Grand Duchess of Gerolstein'') is an opéra bouffe (a form of operetta), in three acts and four tableaux by Jacques Offenbach to an original French libretto by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy. The s ...
''; Clampas in ''The Drum Major''; Notary in ''The Marquis''; and Nowalksy in ''Der arme Jonathan'' (1890). In the American premiere of
Gilbert and Sullivan Gilbert and Sullivan refers to the Victorian-era theatrical partnership of the dramatist W. S. Gilbert (1836–1911) and the composer Arthur Sullivan (1842–1900) and to the works they jointly created. The two men collaborated on fourteen com ...
's ''
The Yeomen of the Guard ''The Yeomen of the Guard; or, The Merryman and His Maid'', is a Savoy Opera, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It premiered at the Savoy Theatre on 3 October 1888 and ran for 423 performances. This was the eleventh ...
'', he played the 1st Citizen. After leaving the Casino, Smith appeared as Dusty Rhodes in a touring
burlesque A burlesque is a literary, dramatic or musical work intended to cause laughter by caricaturing the manner or spirit of serious works, or by ludicrous treatment of their subjects.
, ''
Tabasco Tabasco, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Tabasco, is one of the Political divisions of Mexico, 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into Municipalities of Tabasco, 17 municipalities and its capital city is Villahermosa. It i ...
'', composed by George Whitefield Chadwick, which had a run on Broadway in 1894. The same year, Smith wrote a sequel, ''The Grand Vizier''; a parody
revue A revue is a type of multi-act popular theatre, theatrical entertainment that combines music, dance, and sketch comedy, sketches. The revue has its roots in 19th century popular entertainment and melodrama but grew into a substantial cultural pre ...
, ''The Merry World''; and an
extravaganza An extravaganza is a literary or musical work (often musical theatre) usually containing elements of Victorian burlesque, and pantomime, in a spectacular production and characterized by freedom of style and structure. The term is derived from th ...
, ''Miss Philadelphia'', which was a hit in the title city.


Weber and Fields and later years

By the mid-1890s, Smith became a writer for
Weber and Fields Weber may refer to: Places United States * Weber, Missouri, an unincorporated community * Weber City, Virginia, a town * Weber City, Fluvanna County, Virginia, an unincorporated community * Weber County, Utah * Weber Canyon, Utah * Weber Rive ...
; often collaborating with fellow writer Louis De Lange. For more than six years, he wrote sketches and scenes for their revues, burlesques (usually of current Broadway musicals) and vaudeville entertainments, often collaborating with composer John Stromberg. One of their best known songs was "Ma Blushin' Rosie". At the same time, for E. E. Rice, he adapted for American audiences
Edwardian musical comedies Edwardian musical comedy is a genre of British musical theatre that thrived from 1892 into the 1920s, extending beyond the reign of King Edward VII in both directions. It began to dominate the English musical stage, and even the American musical ...
such as '' The Gay Parisienne'' (as ''The Girl from Paris'' (1896), including lyrics to new songs by Nat. D. Mann), '' The French Maid'' and Harry Greenbank's ''Monte Carlo''. He also adapted
Maurice Ordonneau Maurice Ordonneau (18 June 1854 – 14 November 1916) was a French dramatist and composer. The son of a merchant of eau de vie, Ordonneau was a prolific author in creating theatrical works. He composed, often with the collaboration of other playw ...
's vaudeville-opérette ''L'Auberge du Tohu-bohu''. His other musicals and farces during the late 1890s were less successful. Weber and Fields dissolved in 1904, and Smith continued to write, for a few years, for Weber's Music Hall. Two pieces there with composer
Victor Herbert Victor August Herbert (February 1, 1859 – May 26, 1924) was an American composer, Cello, cellist and conducting, conductor of English and Irish ancestry and German training. Although Herbert enjoyed important careers as a cello soloist and co ...
were '' Dream City'' and another ''
Lohengrin Lohengrin () is a character in German Arthurian literature. The son of Parzival (Percival), he is a knight of the Holy Grail sent in a boat pulled by swans to rescue a maiden who can never ask his identity. His story, which first appears in Wo ...
'' burlesque, '' The Magic Knight'' (both in 1906). Separately, for Fields, he played Henry Pecksniff in, and adapted, ''
The Girl Behind the Counter ''The Girl Behind the Counter'' is an Edwardian musical comedy with a book by Arthur Anderson (dramatist), Arthur Anderson and Leedham Bantock, music by Howard Talbot and lyrics by Arthur Anderson (dramatist), Arthur Anderson (and additional lyr ...
'' (1907)."Two more novelties and a revival"
''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'', September 29, 1907, accessed August 28, 2021
In 1910 he wrote the lyrics to "Heaven Will Protect the Working Girl", from Fields's production of ''Tillie's Nightmare'', which became his most enduring song. Weber and Fields reunited in 1912, and Smith wrote new shows for them: ''Hokey-Pokey, Hanky-Panky'' and ''Roly Poly''. Beginning in 1915, many of his shows were for the
Shubert family The Shubert family was responsible for the establishment of Broadway theatre, Broadway theaters in New York City's Theater District, Manhattan, Theater District, as the hub of the theatre industry in the United States. Through the The Shubert Org ...
, adapting European musicals for American audiences. His last work was an American version of ''
Das Land des Lächelns ''The Land of Smiles'' (German: ') is a 1929 romantic operetta in three acts by Franz Lehár. The German language libretto was by Ludwig Herzer and Fritz Löhner-Beda. The performance duration is about 100 minutes. This was one of Lehár's later ...
'' in 1930. Smith died at age 80 at his home in Brooklyn.


Notable books and libretti

*''
Whoop-Dee-Doo ''Whoop-Dee-Doo'' is a Broadway musical by Weber and Fields Fields may refer to: Music *Fields (band), an indie rock band formed in 2006 * Fields (progressive rock band), a progressive rock band formed in 1971 * ''Fields'' (album), an LP by S ...
'' 1903 (also lyrics) * '' Higgledy-Piggledy'' 1904 *'' Dream City'' 1906 (also lyrics) *'' The Magic Knight'' 1906 (libretto) *''
The Girl Behind the Counter ''The Girl Behind the Counter'' is an Edwardian musical comedy with a book by Arthur Anderson (dramatist), Arthur Anderson and Leedham Bantock, music by Howard Talbot and lyrics by Arthur Anderson (dramatist), Arthur Anderson (and additional lyr ...
'' 1907 (freely adapted and reconstructed by Smith) *'' Hip! Hip! Hooray!'' 1907 *''
La Belle Paree ''La Belle Paree'' was a musical revue that launched the legitimate theatre career of Al Jolson. The book was by Edgar Smith (librettist), Edgar Smith, music by Jerome Kern and Frank Tours and lyrics by Edward Madden (lyricist), Edward Madden. Bill ...
'' 1911 *'' The Blue Paradise'' 1915 *''
Robinson Crusoe, Jr. ''Robinson Crusoe, Jr.'' is a musical with a book by Edgar Smith, lyrics by Harold Atteridge, and music by Sigmund Romberg and James Hanley. Production ''Robinson Crusoe, Jr.'' was an extravaganza that opened at the Winter Garden Theatre on 1 ...
'' 1916 *'' The Whirl of New York'' 1921 (also lyrics)


References


Sources

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External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Edgar 1857 births 1938 deaths American dramatists and playwrights American musical theatre librettists American musical theatre lyricists Musicians from New York City