Harry Ruby
Harry Ruby, born Harry Rubenstein on January 27, 1895, in New York City, was a prominent American pianist, composer, songwriter, and screenwriter. After an early aspiration to become a professional baseball player did not materialize, Ruby turned to music, touring the vaudeville circuit as a pianist with groups such as the Bootblack Trio and the Messenger Boys Trio. He worked as a pianist and song plugger for the Gus Edwards and Harry Von Tilzer publishing firms, where he crossed paths with notable figures like Walter Winchell.
Between 1917 and 1920, Ruby collaborated with songwriters Edgar Leslie, Sam Lewis, Joe Young, and George Jessel, producing several hit songs. His most enduring success came from his partnership with lyricist Bert Kalmar, with whom he formed a successful songwriting duo lasting nearly three decades until Kalmar's death in 1947. This partnership was celebrated in the 1950 MGM musical "Three Little Words," starring Fred Astaire and Red Skelton.
Ruby was also a close friend of Groucho Marx and appeared on Marx's television program "You Bet Your Life." Marx often performed Ruby's songs, including during his 1972 Carnegie Hall concert.
Ruby's notable works include film scores for "Animal Crackers" (1930), "Horse Feathers" (1932), and "Duck Soup" (1933), as well as screenplays for films like "The Kid from Spain" (1932) and "Lovely to Look At" (1952). He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970.
Harry Ruby was married to silent film actress Eileen Percy from 1936 until her death in 1973. He passed away on February 23, 1974, in Woodland Hills, California, at the age of 79.
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