Harry Ruby (January 27, 1895 in New York City – February 23, 1974 in Woodland Hills, California) was a Jewish American songwriter and screenwriter.
After failing in his early ambition to become a professional baseball player, Ruby toured the vaudeville circuit as a pianist with the Bootblack Trio and the Messenger Boys Trio, where he met his long-time partner Bert Kalmar. Together, Ruby and Kalmar formed a successful songwriting team until the la...
more
Harry Ruby (January 27, 1895 in New York City – February 23, 1974 in Woodland Hills, California) was a Jewish American songwriter and screenwriter.
After failing in his early ambition to become a professional baseball player, Ruby toured the vaudeville circuit as a pianist with the Bootblack Trio and the Messenger Boys Trio, where he met his long-time partner Bert Kalmar. Together, Ruby and Kalmar formed a successful songwriting team until the latter's death in 1947, and this partnership is portrayed in the 1950 MGM musical Three Little Words starring Fred Astaire as Kalmar and Red Skelton as Ruby. He died in Woodland Hills, California. His interment was located at Chapel of the Pines Crematory.
Music by Ruby can be heard in the films:
Ruby also screenwrote such works as:
Ruby's works on Broadway include the following:
In his 1972 concert at Carnegie Hall, Groucho Marx presented this intro and a song of Ruby's that he liked:
I have a friend in Hollywood... I think I do, but I'm not...
less
