Leo Feist
Encyclopedia
Leopold Feist founded and ran a music publishing firm bearing his name that, in the 1920s, was among the seven largest publishers of popular music in the World.
My Blue Heaven
, written by Walter Donaldson
(music) in collaboration with George Whiting
(lyrics), became the biggest song in the history of Leo Feist, Inc. Gene Austin
recorded it (Victor
20964), selling over five million copies, and Eddie Cantor plugged
it in vaudeville
and in the Ziegfeld Follies
of 1927. It sold over five million copies of sheet music.
In 1935, five years after the death of Leo Feist, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
acquired a controlling interest in the capital stock of Leo Feist, Inc.
In a pseudo-secret ceremony, Leopold Feist married Bessie Meyer June 24, 1904.
Siblings
Felix F. Feist (15 Jul 1883 – 15 Apr 1936), Leo's brother, was a sales executive at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
. Felix Ellison Feist
(28 Feb 1910 – 2 Sept 1965) — a film and television director — was the son of Felix F. Feist. Felix Ellison Feist, as stepfather, adopted Raymond E. Feist
.
Children
Leo Feist, Inc.
As evidence of size of his firm, Leo Feist, Inc., was one of seven defendants named in a 1920 Sherman antitrust suit brought by the US Justice Department for controlling 80% of the music publishing business. The seven defendants were:- Consolidated Music Corporation – 144 W. 37th St., New York, NY
- Irving Berlin, Inc. – 1567 Broadway, New York, NY
- Leo Feist, Inc. – 231 W 40th St, New York, NY (in 1904, 134 W 37th St, New York, NY)
- T.B. Harms & Francis, Day & Hunter, Inc.T.B. Harms & Francis, Day & Hunter, Inc.T.B. Harms & Francis, Day, & Hunter, Inc., based in the Tin Pan Alley area of New York City, was, in 1920, one of the seven largest publishers of popular music in the world. As evidence of size of the firm, T.B. Harms & Frances, Day & Hunter, Inc...
– 62 W. 45th St., New York, NY - Shapiro, Bernstein & Co., Inc. – 218 W. 47th St., New York, NY
- Watterson, Berlin & Snyder, Inc.Watterson, Berlin & Snyder, Inc.Waterson, Berlin & Snyder, Inc. was, during the 1920s, one of the largest music publishers of popular sheet music in the country. The firm was based in New York City...
– 1571 Broadway, New York, NY (sold in bankruptcy to Mills Music in 1929) - M. Witmark & Sons, Inc. – 144 W. 37th St, New York, NY
My Blue Heaven
My Blue Heaven (song)
"My Blue Heaven" is a popular song written by Walter Donaldson with lyrics by George A. Whiting. It has become part of various fake book collections....
, written by Walter Donaldson
Walter Donaldson
Walter Donaldson was a prolific United States popular songwriter, composing many hit songs of the 1910s and 1920s.-History:...
(music) in collaboration with George Whiting
George Whiting
George Elbridge Whiting was an American composer of classical music.-Early life and career:Born in Holliston, Massachusetts, he founded the Beethoven Society in Hartford, Connecticut when he was fifteen years old. He moved to Boston, Massachusetts in 1862 and later to New York City. Whiting was a...
(lyrics), became the biggest song in the history of Leo Feist, Inc. Gene Austin
Gene Austin
Gene Austin was an American singer and songwriter, one of the first "crooners". His 1920s compositions "When My Sugar Walks Down the Street" and "The Lonesome Road" became pop and jazz standards.-Career:...
recorded it (Victor
Victor Talking Machine Company
The Victor Talking Machine Company was an American corporation, the leading American producer of phonographs and phonograph records and one of the leading phonograph companies in the world at the time. It was headquartered in Camden, New Jersey....
20964), selling over five million copies, and Eddie Cantor plugged
Song-plugger
A song-plugger was a piano player employed by music stores in the early 20th century to promote and help sell new sheet music, which is how hits were advertised before quality recordings were widely available. Typically, the pianist sat on the mezzanine level of a store and played whatever music...
it in vaudeville
Vaudeville
Vaudeville was a theatrical genre of variety entertainment in the United States and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s. Each performance was made up of a series of separate, unrelated acts grouped together on a common bill...
and in the Ziegfeld Follies
Ziegfeld Follies
The Ziegfeld Follies were a series of elaborate theatrical productions on Broadway in New York City from 1907 through 1931. They became a radio program in 1932 and 1936 as The Ziegfeld Follies of the Air....
of 1927. It sold over five million copies of sheet music.
In 1935, five years after the death of Leo Feist, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. is an American media company, involved primarily in the production and distribution of films and television programs. MGM was founded in 1924 when the entertainment entrepreneur Marcus Loew gained control of Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures Corporation and Louis B. Mayer...
acquired a controlling interest in the capital stock of Leo Feist, Inc.
Family
SpouseIn a pseudo-secret ceremony, Leopold Feist married Bessie Meyer June 24, 1904.
Siblings
Felix F. Feist (15 Jul 1883 – 15 Apr 1936), Leo's brother, was a sales executive at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. is an American media company, involved primarily in the production and distribution of films and television programs. MGM was founded in 1924 when the entertainment entrepreneur Marcus Loew gained control of Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures Corporation and Louis B. Mayer...
. Felix Ellison Feist
Felix E. Feist
Felix Ellison Feist was a film and television director born in New York City.Feist was the son of MGM sales executive, Felix F. Fiest , and nephew of publishing house magnate, Leo Feist. He was educated at Columbia University...
(28 Feb 1910 – 2 Sept 1965) — a film and television director — was the son of Felix F. Feist. Felix Ellison Feist, as stepfather, adopted Raymond E. Feist
Raymond E. Feist
Raymond Elias Feist is an American author who primarily writes fantasy fiction. He is best known for The Riftwar Cycle series of novels and short stories. His books have been translated into multiple languages and have sold over 15 million copies.- Biography :Raymond E...
.
Children
- Leonard S. Feist (1911–1996) – Leo and Bessie's son – was a music publisher, copyright expert, and advocate for the music publishing industry.
External links
- Leo Feist Collection, Library of CongressLibrary of CongressThe Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
, donated in 1977 by Leonard Feist - Leonard Feist papers, 1901–1991, New York Public LibraryNew York Public LibraryThe New York Public Library is the largest public library in North America and is one of the United States' most significant research libraries...