Nacio Herb Brown
Encyclopedia
Nacio Herb Brown was an American
writer of popular songs
, movie scores, and Broadway theatre
music in the 1920s through the early 1950s.
. In 1901 his family moved to Los Angeles, where he attended Manual Arts High School
. His music education started with instruction from his mother, Cora Alice (Hopkins) Brown. Brown first operated a tailoring business (1916), and then became a financially successful realtor, but he always wrote and played. After his first hit "Coral Sea" (1920) and first big hit, "When Buddha Smiles" (1921), he eventually became a full-time composer. He joined The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) in 1927.
In 1928 he was hired to work in Hollywood by MGM and write movie
music for the new medium of sound film
. For his film work, he often collaborated with lyricist Arthur Freed
. This collaboration produced Singin' in the Rain
. He appeared in the MGM variety film The Hollywood Revue of 1929
. Brown also worked with Richard A. Whiting
and Buddy De Sylva
on Broadway Musicals
such as Take a Chance.
Along with L. Wolfe Gilbert
, Nacio wrote the music for the popular children's Television Western
, Hopalong Cassidy
which first aired in 1949.
Nacio Herb Brown died in San Francisco, California
, aged 68. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame
in 1970.
. This marriage was followed by another brief marriage, to Beffie Kellogg. Brown's final marriage was to Georgeann Morris, with whom he had two children.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
writer of popular songs
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...
, movie scores, and Broadway theatre
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...
music in the 1920s through the early 1950s.
Biography
Ignacio Herb Brown (some sources indicate his birth name was Ignacio Herbert Brown) was born in Deming, New MexicoDeming, New Mexico
Deming is a city in Luna County, New Mexico, United States, located 60 miles west of Las Cruces. The population was 14,116 at the 2000 census. Deming is the county seat and principal town of Luna County.-History:...
. In 1901 his family moved to Los Angeles, where he attended Manual Arts High School
Manual Arts High School
Manual Arts High School is a secondary school in Los Angeles, California. When founded, Manual Arts was a vocational high school, but later converted to a traditional curriculum.-History:...
. His music education started with instruction from his mother, Cora Alice (Hopkins) Brown. Brown first operated a tailoring business (1916), and then became a financially successful realtor, but he always wrote and played. After his first hit "Coral Sea" (1920) and first big hit, "When Buddha Smiles" (1921), he eventually became a full-time composer. He joined The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) in 1927.
In 1928 he was hired to work in Hollywood by MGM and write movie
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
music for the new medium of sound film
Sound film
A sound film is a motion picture with synchronized sound, or sound technologically coupled to image, as opposed to a silent film. The first known public exhibition of projected sound films took place in Paris in 1900, but decades would pass before sound motion pictures were made commercially...
. For his film work, he often collaborated with lyricist Arthur Freed
Arthur Freed
Arthur Freed was born Arthur Grossman in Charleston, South Carolina. He was a Jewish American lyricist and a Hollywood film producer.- Biography :Freed began his career as a song-plugger and pianist in Chicago...
. This collaboration produced Singin' in the Rain
Singin' in the Rain (song)
"Singin' In the Rain" is a song with lyrics by Arthur Freed and music by Nacio Herb Brown, published in 1929. However, it is unclear exactly when the song was written with some claiming that the song was written and performed as early as 1927. The song was listed as Number 3 on AFI's 100 Years.....
. He appeared in the MGM variety film The Hollywood Revue of 1929
The Hollywood Revue of 1929
The Hollywood Revue of 1929 is a 1929 part Technicolor Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer American musical-comedy film. It was the studio's second feature-length musical, and one of the earliest ventures into the talkie format. Produced by Harry Rapf and directed by Chuck Riesner, the film brought together some...
. Brown also worked with Richard A. Whiting
Richard A. Whiting
Richard Armstrong Whiting was a composer of popular songs including the standards, "Hooray for Hollywood", "Ain't We Got Fun?" & "On the Good Ship Lollipop"....
and Buddy De Sylva
Buddy De Sylva
George Gard "Buddy" DeSylva was an American songwriter, film producer and record executive. He wrote or co-wrote many popular songs and along with Johnny Mercer and Glenn Wallichs he founded Capitol Records.-Biography:...
on Broadway Musicals
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...
such as Take a Chance.
Along with L. Wolfe Gilbert
L. Wolfe Gilbert
Louis Wolfe Gilbert was a Russian-born American songwriter.-Biography:Born in Odessa, Russian Empire, Gilbert moved to the United States as a young man and eventually established himself as one of the leading songwriters on Tin Pan Alley.Gilbert began his career touring with John L...
, Nacio wrote the music for the popular children's Television Western
Television Westerns
Television Westerns are a sub-genre of the Western, a genre of film, fiction, drama, television programming, etc., in which stories are set primarily in the later half of the 19th century in the American Old West, Western Canada and Mexico during the period from about 1860 to the end of the...
, Hopalong Cassidy
Hopalong Cassidy
Hopalong Cassidy is a fictional cowboy hero created in 1904 by the author Clarence E. Mulford, who wrote a series of popular short stories and twenty-eight novels based on the character....
which first aired in 1949.
Nacio Herb Brown died in San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, aged 68. He was 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...
in 1970.
Personal life
Brown was married five times, each ending in divorce. His first was Ruby Porter with whom he had one child, followed by a marriage to Jeanne Lochart. In the 1930s he was briefly married to actress Anita PageAnita Page
Anita Evelyn Pomares , better known as Anita Page, was a Salvadoran-American film actress who reached stardom in the last years of the silent film era. She became a highly popular young star, reportedly at one point receiving the most fan mail of anyone on the MGM lot...
. This marriage was followed by another brief marriage, to Beffie Kellogg. Brown's final marriage was to Georgeann Morris, with whom he had two children.
Published songs and music
- All I Do Is Dream of YouAll I Do Is Dream of You"All I Do Is Dream of You" is a popular song. The music was written by Nacio Herb Brown, the lyrics by Arthur Freed. The song was published in 1934. It was originally written for a 1934 film Sadie McKee. The first recording of the song was on April 23, 1934, by Dick Robertson and Angelo...
- American Bolero
- Avalon Town
- Broadway Melody
- Broadway RhythmBroadway RhythmBroadway Rhythm is an MGM Technicolor musical film. It was produced by Jack Cummings and directed by Roy Del Ruth. The film was originally announced as Broadway Melody of 1944 to follow MGM's Broadway Melody films of 1929, 1936, 1938, and 1940. The movie was originally slated to star Eleanor...
- Doll Dance
- Eadie Was a Lady
- I've Got a Feelin’ You’re Foolin
- Love Is Where You Find It
- A New Moon Is Over My Shoulder
- Make 'Em LaughMake 'Em Laugh"Make 'Em Laugh" is a song first featured in the 1952 film Singin' in the Rain, frenetically performed by Donald O'Connor. Written by Nacio Herb Brown and Arthur Freed, the song is closely based on Cole Porter's "Be a Clown"....
- Our Big Love Scene
- Pagan Love Song
- ParadiseParadise (1931 song)"Paradise" is a 1931 song by Nacio Herb Brown, with lyrics by Nacio Herb Brown and Gordon Clifford. It was first sung by Pola Negri in RKO Pictures' 1932 film A Woman Commands, and has since been heard in many other films, including a memorable performance by Gloria Grahame , in the 1949 Nicholas...
(1931) - Singin' in the RainSingin' in the Rain (song)"Singin' In the Rain" is a song with lyrics by Arthur Freed and music by Nacio Herb Brown, published in 1929. However, it is unclear exactly when the song was written with some claiming that the song was written and performed as early as 1927. The song was listed as Number 3 on AFI's 100 Years.....
- Sweetheart Darlin
- TemptationTemptation (1933 song)"Temptation" is a popular song, published in 1933, with music written by Nacio Herb Brown and lyrics by Arthur Freed. The song was used in the film Singin' in the Rain and later in the 1983 musical based on the film, and is prominently featured in Valerio Zurlini's Violent Summer .The song was...
- Wedding of the Painted Doll
- When Buddha Smiles (1921)
- You Are My Lucky Star
- You Stepped Out of a DreamYou Stepped Out of a Dream"You Stepped Out of a Dream" is a popular song with music written by Nacio Herb Brown and lyrics by Gus Kahn that was published in 1940. The song has become a pop and jazz standard, with many recorded versions....