Con Conrad
Con Conrad, born Conrad K. Dober on June 18, 1891, in New York City, was a prominent American songwriter and producer. He began his musical career by publishing his first song, "Down in Dear Old New Orleans," in 1912. The following year, he produced the Broadway show "The Honeymoon Express," starring Al Jolson. By 1918, Conrad had formed a partnership with publisher Henry Waterson and achieved his first major hit with the song "Margie" in 1920.
Throughout the 1920s, Conrad composed numerous songs that became standards, including "Palesteena," "Singin' the Blues," "You've Got to See Mama Ev'ry Night," "Come on Spark Plug," "Barney Google," "Memory Lane," "Lonesome and Sorry," and "Ma! He's Making Eyes at Me." His work extended to Broadway, where he wrote scores for shows such as "The Greenwich Village Follies," "Moonlight," "Betty Lee," "Kitty's Kisses," and "Americana."
In 1929, after losing his fortune on unsuccessful Broadway shows, Conrad relocated to Hollywood. There, he contributed to films like "Fox Movietone Follies," "Palmy Days," "The Gay Divorcee," and "Here's to Romance." He achieved significant recognition in 1934 when he received the first Academy Award for Best Song for "The Continental," a collaboration with Herb Magidson.
Con Conrad passed away on September 28, 1938, in Van Nuys, California, at the age of 47. He was posthumously inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970. Conrad was married twice, first to actress Francine Larrimore and later to Leona Rebecca Zadeck. His legacy endures through his contributions to American music and his influence on subsequent generations of songwriters.
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