About

Known credits:
30
Birthday:
1884-02-10
Place of birth:
New York City, New York, USA
Website:
N/A

Bert Kalmar

Overview

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Bert Kalmar (February 10, 1884 – September 18, 1947) was an American lyricist, who was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970.

Kalmar, a native of New York City, left school at an early age and began working in vaudeville. He appeared on stage as a magician, comedian and dancer before switching to songwriting after a knee injury ended his performing career. By this time he had earned enough to start a music publishing company, Kalmar and Puck, where he collaborated with a number of songwriters, including Harry Puck (1891–1964) and Harry Ruby. The publishing firm also operated under the name Kalmar, Puck, Abrahams, Consolidated, Inc., the other named partner being Maurice Abrahams (1883–1931)

By 1918 Kalmar and Ruby had formed a permanent songwriting team. Together, they wrote the musical score for the Marx Brothers' stage production of Animal Crackers (1928) and subsequent film version. Their songs were also featured in the Marx Brothers' films Horse Feathers (1932) and Duck Soup (1933). Kalmar's partnership with Ruby was portrayed in the 1950 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer musical Three Little Words, starring Fred Astaire and Red Skelton. Kalmar did, however, occasionally work with Oscar Hammerstein II, Ted Snyder and other songwriters.

Bert Kalmar was married to Jessie Brown, with whom he had two children. The couple were later divorced. He died in Los Angeles, California and was interred at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Glendale, California.

Known for

Writing
1937 The Life of the Party Writing Screenplay 58
Average
1936 Walking on Air Writing Lyricist 59
Average
1936 Walking on Air Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1935 Bright Lights Writing Screenplay 58
Average
1934 Kentucky Kernels Writing Screenplay 58
Average
1934 Kentucky Kernels Writing Lyricist 58
Average
1934 The Circus Clown Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1934 Hips, Hips, Hooray! Writing Story 59
Average
1934 Hips, Hips, Hooray! Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1934 Hips, Hips, Hooray! Writing Lyricist 59
Average
1933 Duck Soup Writing Lyricist 67
Fair
1933 Duck Soup Writing Story 67
Fair
1933 Duck Soup Writing Writer 67
Fair
1933 So This Is Africa Writing Lyricist 59
Average
1932 The Kid from Spain Writing Writer 59
Average
1932 Horse Feathers Writing Lyricist 61
Fair
1932 Horse Feathers Writing Screenplay 61
Fair
1931 Broadminded Writing Screenplay 58
Average
1930 The Life of the Party Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1930 Check and Double Check Writing Story 58
Average
1930 Animal Crackers Writing Theatre Play 62
Fair
1930 The Cuckoos Writing Book 59
Average
1930 The Cuckoos Writing Lyricist 59
Average

Sound
1950 Three Little Words Sound Songs 58
Average
1946 A Night in Casablanca Sound Music 61
Fair
1939 The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle Sound Songs 59
Average
1933 Duck Soup Sound Music 67
Fair
1932 The Kid from Spain Sound Songs 59
Average
1932 Horse Feathers Sound Original Music Composer 61
Fair
1930 The Cuckoos Sound Songs 59
Average