Chancellor Olcott
Encyclopedia
Chancellor "Chauncey" Olcott (July 21, 1858 – March 18, 1932) was an American
stage
actor
, songwriter
and singer.
Born in Buffalo, New York
, in the early years of his career Olcott sang in minstrel shows and Lillian Russell
played a major role in helping make him a Broadway
star. Amongst his songwriting accomplishments, Olcott wrote and composed the song "My Wild Irish Rose" for his production of A Romance of Athlone in 1899. Olcott also wrote the lyrics to "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling
" for his production of The Isle O' Dreams in 1912.
He retired to Monte Carlo
and died there in 1932. His body was brought home and interred in the Woodlawn Cemetery
in The Bronx
.
His life story was told in the 1947 Warner Bros.
motion picture My Wild Irish Rose
starring Dennis Morgan
as Olcott.
In 1970, Olcott was posthumously inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
stage
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
and singer.
Born in Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
, in the early years of his career Olcott sang in minstrel shows and Lillian Russell
Lillian Russell
Lillian Russell was an American actress and singer. She became one of the most famous actresses and singers of the late 19th century and early 20th century, known for her beauty and style, as well as for her voice and stage presence.Russell was born in Iowa but raised in Chicago...
played a major role in helping make him a Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
star. Amongst his songwriting accomplishments, Olcott wrote and composed the song "My Wild Irish Rose" for his production of A Romance of Athlone in 1899. Olcott also wrote the lyrics to "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling
When Irish Eyes Are Smiling
"When Irish Eyes Are Smiling" is a lighthearted song in tribute to Ireland. Its lyrics were written by Chauncey Olcott and George Graff, Jr., set to music composed by Ernest Ball, for Olcott's production of The Isle O' Dreams, and Olcott sang the song in the show...
" for his production of The Isle O' Dreams in 1912.
He retired to Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo is an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco....
and died there in 1932. His body was brought home and interred in the Woodlawn Cemetery
Woodlawn Cemetery, Bronx
Woodlawn Cemetery is one of the largest cemeteries in New York City and is a designated National Historic Landmark.A rural cemetery located in the Bronx, it opened in 1863, in what was then southern Westchester County, in an area that was annexed to New York City in 1874.The cemetery covers more...
in The Bronx
The Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
.
His life story was told in the 1947 Warner Bros.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
motion picture My Wild Irish Rose
My Wild Irish Rose
My Wild Irish Rose is a 1947 film directed by David Butler. It stars Dennis Morgan and Arlene Dahl. It was nominated for an Academy Award in 1948....
starring Dennis Morgan
Dennis Morgan
Dennis Morgan was an American actor-singer. Born as Earl Stanley Morner, he used the acting pseudonym Richard Stanley before adopting his professional name....
as Olcott.
In 1970, Olcott was posthumously inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame
Songwriters Hall of Fame
The Songwriters Hall of Fame is an arm of the National Academy of Popular Music. It was founded in 1969 by songwriter Johnny Mercer and music publishers Abe Olman and Howie Richmond. The goal is to create a museum but as of April, 2008, the means do not yet exist and so instead it is an online...
.
External links
- selected recordings of Chauncey Olcott
- Chauncey Olcott portraits ; University of Washington, Sayre collection
- Chauncey Olcott portraits ; NY Public Library, Billy Rose collection
- Chauncey Olcott; PeriodPaper.com c. 1910