Monroe Rosenfeld
At the urging of music publisher Frank Harding, Monroe left his hometown of Cincinnati, OH, in 1880, and traveled to New York City. He began to write small articles for newspapers, and then found a number of other jobs such as short story writer, press agent, arranger and composer. He often sold song ideas to other composers and publishers.

Rosenfeld's character was interesting. A teetotaler, he could take or leave women. He was a chronic horse bettor - and chronic bet-loser. To support this hobby, he would sell his songs for just a few dollars apiece; - just enough to place a couple of bets at the track.

With no incoming cash, he could be driven to extremes. Once, he passed a worthless check, and had to jump out a second-story window when the police came calling. He managed to elude arrest, but permanently injured his leg in the jump. He acquired a permanent limp and wore bell-bottom trousers the rest of his life to cover the deformity.

He was the type of composer who was not above 'lifting' someone else's melody, nor was he above selling the same melody to several different publishers.Monroe's 'song-selling' technique was somewhat unique. He would interest some publisher in a song idea, accepting, say, a $25.00 advance.Whereupon, he would give half the advance to some other writer to compose the tune.

Among his songs are:
1884
"Up The Golden Stairs", a hit in the Minstrel Shows.
"Good-by, My Boy, Good-by"

1886 "Johnny, Get Your Gun"
George M. Cohan apparently liked the line well enough to use it in his hit "Over There", at the start of WW1.Rosenfeld had 'lifted' the phrase from an earlier song called "Johnny, Cut Your Hair".

1888 "With All Her Faults I Love Her Still"
Rosenfeld pilfered this tune from a song originally written (in Germany) by Theodore Metz. Rosenfeld had heard Metz playing the song at Wilson's Pavillion in Harlem (New York). One can only surmise Metz's response when, as head of the Primrose and West Minstrels, he was handed 'Rosenfeld's' song. Never-the-less, the minstrels made it a hit when Dick Jose sang it.

1894 "And Her Golden Hair Was Hanging Down Her Back", his big Hit! Rosenfeld 'graciously' took credit for writing this tune, but the melody was actually the work of composer Felix McGlennon. Rosenfeld was just the arranger.

1897 "Take Back Your Gold".
This song listed one of the leading Minstrel performers, Louis W. Pritzkow, as lyricist, but Rosenfeld actually wrote the lyric. He had bribed Pritzkow to use the song in his act, by paying him cash and listing him as lyricist. (Emma Carus always sang the song in her act, as thanks to Rosenfeld setting her on a career in vaudeville.)

1897 "I Don't Care If You Never Come Back".
Vaudevillian Bert Williams made the tune popular while still a part of the Williams and Walker act.

1897 "Just For The Sake of Our Daughter"
One of the great 'sentimental ballads'of the 1890's.
1898 "Gold Will Buy Most Anything"
1899 "She Was Happy Till She Met You"
1905 "Down Where the Silv'ry Mohawk Flows".
Rosenfeld's last song for which he wrote only the lyrics.

  Leonard Rosenman
Currently no information available.
Among the music that Rosenman composed was the theme for film "East of Eden", starring James Dean. Rosenman and Dean had both lived in the same New York City building (Carnegie Hall Apartments) in their youth. One day, they both got into a car and drove to Hollywood.) Along with his other work, Rosenman did the scoring for the film 'The Big Broadcast of 1938', which had the Robbins and Rainger tune "Thanks For The Memory" that later became Bob Hope's theme song.

  William Roy
b. Detroit, Mich., May 28, 1928.
Overview
A child actor in films, Roy received his stage education at the Hollywood Professional School, after which he went on to study music with such instructors as Arthur Laage, Joseph Achron, Edw. Kilenyi, Eada Rubinstein, and Rina Larson. This pianist and composer's work includes Julius Monk night club revues, as well as the Broadway stage score for 'Maggie', that included his songs:
"How Do I Love The"
"This Little Rose"
"Charm"
"What Every Woman Knows"
"You Become Me"
"My Mind's on You"
"Bargain Day"
"Farewell"
"The Fifth of July"
"Billy's Blues"

1950 saw the revue 'Four Below Strikes Back', presented at New York's Downstairs At The Upstairs club, with music, lyrics and sketches by various composers.
The revue included songs by William Roy.
Charlie Chan, w/m William Roy.
Four Seasons, by Louis Botto and William Roy
Man Tan, by WIlliam Roy and Ronny Graham
Payola, by Bruce Williamson and William Roy

On September 22, 1950, the revue 'Dressed To The Nines' withmusic, lyrics and sketches by various, opened in New York City's ' Upstairs at the Downstairs' club.
Songs by William Roy:
"Dressed to the Nines"
"Four Seasons", with Louis Botto collaborating.
"Billy's Blues",
"Ft. Lauderdale", with Michael McWhinney collaborating.

On September 24, 1959, at New York's Upstairs at the Downstairs club, the revue 'Pieces of Eight' with music, lyrics and sketches by various, was staged with a cast that included Ceil Cabot, Del Close, Jane Connell, Gordon Connell, Gerry matthews, Estelle Parsons with William Roy and Carl Norman at the Plural Pianos.
Songs by William Roy:
"And Then I Wrote", by William Roy and David Davenport
"Farewell", by William Roy
"M'Lady Chatterley", by William Roy and Bruce Williamson

On October 11, 1961, at New York's Upstairs at the Downstairs club, the revue 'Seven Come Eleven' opened with music, lyrics and sketches by various. Cast included Philip Brums, Ceil Cabot Rex Robbins, Steve Roland, Donna Sanders, Mary Louise Wilson.William Roy and Carl Norman at the pianos.

Song by William Roy
"Seven Come Eleven"
William Roy did some incidental collaboration on:
"Neutrality (A Change of Tune)" by William F. Brown
"The Princess and the Toad" by William F. Brown

On February 1, 1962, The musical 'New Faces of 1962' ran for 28 performances in New York's Alvin Theatre. The music and lyrics were by June Carroll, Arthur Siegel, David Rogers, Marc Bucci, Jack Holmes, Ronny Graham and others. New York, It included a Song by William Roy:
"Collective Beauty", by William Roy and Michael McWhinney

On August 13, 1962, the Musical 'La Belle Helene' - an adaptation of Jacques Offenbach's "La Belle Helene" opened at the Schubert Theater in New York City, after it's Philadelphia tryout.The book was by Brendan GIll with libretto by Bill Hoffman, and the music was by William Roy with lyrics by Marshall Barer. Among the songs heard were:
1."It Isn't the Way You Play the Game"
2."How Will I Know?"
3."I 'm Called the King"
4."There Is no Such Thing as Love"
5."Play nice"
6,"The Golden Crowns of Greece"
7."Vengeance" (Ballet)
8."Go to the Mountains"
9."This Is the Night"
10. "Transformation"
11. "Oh! What a Ball!"
12. "The Canard"
13. "Night Music"
14. "No One Is Perfect"
15. "I Give Up"
16. "I'll Fall in Love Again"
17. "No Sad Songs for Me"
18. "A Peaceful Place (cut)"

In New York, on October 18, 1962, the revue 'Dime A Dozen' with music, lyrics and sketches by various writers, played at the Plaza 9 club for 728 performances. Songs by William Roy were:
"Dime a Dozen", by William Roy and William Brown
"Bless This School", by William Roy and Maxwell Edward Siegel.

1972 saw the revue 'Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Cole Porter' (based on words and music of Cole Porter). The original cast included Bobby Short, Julie Wilson. The orchestra was conducted by Billy Roy.

1976 saw the musical 'Scandal' open in Los Angeles, with music by William Roy. Lyrics and book were by Christopher Gore.
1."A Madrigal for Menials"
2."A Maiden No More"
3."The Ways of a Woman"
4."Flowers Forever"
5."When I Wave This World Goodbye"
6."Make a Merry Bed"
7."Scandalmongers Minuetto"
8."Scandalmongery"
9."A Private Party"
10. "I Won't Be Bored"
11. "Lazy London Afternoon"
12. "I Love Your Ladyship"
13. "Scandals"
14. "Requiem for Sir Peter"
15. "I Beg Your Pardon"

On September 20, 1980, in Lauderdale Lakes, FL, at the Oakland West Dinner Theatre 'Special Delivery' (Or 'Just a Revue') with Music, lyrics and sketches by various- a show devised by Roderick Cook - was staged with a cast that included Roderick Cook, Ruth Berger, Dalton Cathey, Gloria Rossi, and orchestra conducted by William Roy.
Songs by William Roy
"Happiness Is", by Rod Warren, William Roy and Roderick Cook
"Hellow, Little Dolly", by William Roy and Roderick Cook
"IBM A Go Go", by William Roy and Roderick Cook (medley of "I" songs)
"Masterwork Television", sketch and song by William Roy and Roderick Cook
"Red Rose", by William Roy and Roderick Cook
"The Band Number", by William Roy and Roderick Cook< br>"Happiness Was", by Rod Warren, William Roy and Roderick Cook
The BigBands Database thanks Mr. Reg Fulton, who graciously supplied these notes on William Roy.

  Harry Ruby
b. Jan. 27, 1895, New York, NY, USA.
d. Feb. 23, 1974, Woodland Hills, CA, USA.
né:Harry Rubinstein
Overview
Harry was already playing in trios at the New Jersey Resort hotels while still a teenager. He next worked as a song plugger in music publishing houses, and later worked as an accompanist for various vaudeville acts, including 'The Messinger Boys'. Harry teamed with Bert Kalmar in the early 1920's, and together, they wrote some of America's best known hits.

The fourth of six children, Harry's childhood passion was baseball. That love stayed with him throughout his lifetime.As a child, he detested his school studies, but did manage to finish elementary school and a part of high school, while teaching himself to play the paino. His father wanted him to study medicine, but Ruby knew he was no scholar.

Ruby tried to attend the High School of Commerce, and then the Mount Morris High School, but both schools dropped him after just a few weeks due to his complete disinterest in studying. He tried two different business schools after that, with the same results.That was the end of his education. Later in his life, Ruby was a passionate reader of books on science and literature.

By age 16, he was already supporting himself working in a trio, playing in a New Jersey resort. After leaving school, the Gus Edwards Music Publishing company hired him as song plugger and staff pianist. One of his co-workers at Edwards' place was the young Walter Winchell, who was also a song plugger.Ruby's job was to visit all the F. W. Woolworth 5 and 10 Cent stores plugging the firm's songs.

Following the Gus Edwards job, he had a succession of different jobs; he became a song plugger for the Harry Von Tilzer Company; played the piano for illustrated song slides; appeared in vaudeville as part of the Messenger Boys act, and also worked in Nickelodeons as part of the Edwards and Ruby Act. The "Edwards" in the act later became the Hollywood mogul, Harry Cohn.

He next got a job with the publishing firm of Kalmar and Puck. Bert Kalmar was a successful vaudevillian who also wrote lyrics on the side. Kalmar and Ruby became friends, and when a knee injury forced Kalmar off the stage, he and Ruby formed a full time songwriting team. Their first song, performed in vaudeville, by Belle Baker, was "He Sits Around".

But between 1917 and 1920, Ruby was working with other lyricists writing such songs as:
    " What'll We Do Saturday Night When the Town Goes Dry", his own lyric.
     "When Those Sweet Hawaiian Babies Roll Their Eyes", Edgar Leslie's lyric
     "Come on Papa", lyric by Edgar Leslie
     "Daddy Long Legs", lyric by Sam Lewis and Joe Young
     "And He'd Say Oo-La-La Wee Wee", lyric by George Jessel

After 1920, the Kalmar and Ruby team went into high gear. Some of the songs they wrote include:
     "So Long Oo Long"
     "Timbuctoo"
     "She's Mine All Mine"
     "Where Do They Go When They Row Row Row"
     "The Vamp From East Broadway". Written in collaboration with Irving Berlin. It was interpolated into the Ziegfeld Follies of 1920, where Fanny Brice sang it.
     "My Sunny Tennessee"
     "I Gave You Up Just Before You Threw Me Down".This 1923 hit had music by Fred Ahlert, with the lyrics by Kalmar and Ruby.
     Who's Sorry Now". Another 1923 hit had music by Ted Snyder, to Kalmar and Ruby Lyrics.

Their first Broadway shows were:
1925 'Helen of Troy', with songs such as
     "I Like a Big Town"
     "It Was Meant To Be"
     "What Makes a Business Man Tired"
1926 'The Ramblers'
     "All Alone Monday"
1927 'Five O'Clock Girl'
     "Up in the Clouds"
     "Thinking of You"
     "Happy Go Lucky"
1928 'Good Boy'
     "I Wanna Be Loved By You", a smash hit for Helen Kane.
1928 'Animal Crackers', with the Marx Brothers.
     "Who's Been Listening to My Heart"
     "Watching the Clouds Roll By"
     "Hooray For Captain Spaulding", later Groucho's theme song.

In 1930, Ruby went to Hollywood, and wrote:
For film, 'Check and double Check'
For film, 'The Cuckoos"
For film, 'Horsefeathers'
For film, 'The Strip'
For film, 'Wake Up and Dream'
For film, 'Do You Love Me'
For film, 'Carnival in Costa Rica'

With Johnny Scott's music, Ruby wrote the lyrics for "Maybe It's Because I Love You".This Tin Pan Alley number was on the Hit Parade for 10 weeks.

1941Ruby and Kalmar scored the Broadway Show, 'High Kickers', starring Sophie Tucker and George Jessel

They then wrote several original screen plays, among which were:
'Look For The Silver Lining' an original screen biography of Marilyn Miller for the Warner Brothers studios.
'The Kid From Spain', starring Eddie Cantor
'Bright Lights', starring Joe E. Brown
'Duck Soup', starring the Marx Brothers.

In 1947, Bert Kalmar died. Harry Ruby did very little composing after that.

In 1950, the film, 'Three Little Words' was released. It was based, loosely, on the career of Ruby and Kalmar. Even though the picture was successful, Ruby found sadness in it's triumph."Kalmar signed the contract for the movie just two days before he passed away," Ruby wrote. "My father, who waited for the movie of his son, counted the days and minutes for its release. He died the morning the picture opened in New York."

In 1961, Ruby was the subject of the radio show "This is Your Life". He appeared on TV many times since.

  Fritz Rotter
b. March 3, 1900,Vienna, Austria-Hungary (now Austria).d.April 11, 1984,Ascona, Canton Ticino, Switzerland.
Currently no information on this German composer.
He is perhpas his best known composition is "I Kiss Your Hand Madame". Listen to a realaudio file with a 1928 version of the tune played by the great Jack Hylton Orchestra, recorded with it's original title of "Fantasie Über: Ich Küsser Ihre Hand, Madame", and with the (English) vocal by Sam Browne.

As a Composer, he worked and contributed songs to the following films:
1929 Grosstadtschmetterling (aka: City Butterfly )
1929 Wenn der weisse Flieder wieder blüht
1930 Liebe im Ring(aka: Comeback, The; aka: Love in the Ring )
1936 Marie Bashkirtseff (aka USA 1938: Affairs of Maupassant -w/his song "In Paris sind die Frau'n ein Erlebnis")

1936 Hochzeitsreise zu 50% (with his songs "Wie im Roman", and "Drei kleine Worte")
1948 Emperor Waltz, The(He added some additional songs.
1952 Nachts auf den Strassen (aka Detour; aka: Mistress. with song "Schwarzer Kaffee")
1952 Illusion in Moll (with his songs "Illusionen" and "Du bist wunderbar")
1953 Ich und meine Frau (aka USA:I and My Wife)
1961 Schatten werden länger, Die (aka USA: Defiant Daughters also: Shadows Grow Longer, The)
1961 Lügner, Der (aka: Liar, The)

As a lyriciist, he worked on and contributed lyrics to the following films:
1929 Ich küsse Ihre Hand, Madame (aka USA:I Kiss Your Hand Madame)
1930 Alraune (aka USA:Daughter of Evil)
1930 Morocco (aka USA:Madame Pompadour(uncredited lyrics for song: "Ich denke nur an einen")
1930 Leutnant warst Du einst bei deinen Husaren
1931 Grosse Attraktion, Die (aka USA 1933: Big Attraction, The)
1931 Und das ist die Hauptsache(aka USA: That's All That Matters)
1932 Sch*ouml;ne Abenteuer, Das (aka USA: aka Beautiful Adventure . (lyrics for song: "Ins blaue Leben")
1932 Wenn die Liebe Mode macht (aka USA 1933: When Love Sets the Fashion )
1932 Toller Einfall, Ein (aka USA: Mad Idea, A)
1932 Melodie der Liebe (aka USA 1934: Right to Happiness)
1932 Es war einmal ein Walzer (akaUSA: Once There Was a Waltz)
1933 Sag' mir, wer Du bist (akaUSA: Tell Me Who You Are)
1933 Muss man sich gleich scheiden lassen (1933) (lyrics for songs: "Es ist nie zu spät für eine schöne Stunde" and "Muss man sich gleich scheiden lassen")

1933 Herren vom Maxim, Die (aka USA 1937: Gentlemen From Maxim's, The)
1934 Kleine Mutti (aka USA: Little Mother)
1935 Viereinhalb Musketiere
1936 Katharina, die Letzte (aka USA: Catherine the Last)
1936 Fräulein Lilli
1943 Hi, Buddy (1943) (lyric for tune: "Take Me in Your Arms")
1948 Emperor Waltz, The (had his 1912 tune: "I Kiss Your Hand Madame")
1948 Luxury Liner (lyric for song: "Spring Came Back to Vienna")
1950 Southside 1-1000 (aka UK: Forgery . lyric for tune: "Je T'aime")
1952 Illusion in Moll (aka Australia: Illusion in Moll; aka USA: Illusion in a Minor Key)
1953 Letzte Walzer, Der (aka UK/USA:Last Waltz, The)

  Gabriel Ruiz
b.March 18, 1908, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico.d. ?
No further information is currently available.
This Mexican composer was active from the 1930s to the 1970s.One of he songs for which he is well recalled is "Amor, Amor, Amor", with the original Spanish lyric by Ricardo López Méndez.Sunny Skylar added an English lyric for the 1943 film "Broadway Rhythm".