Anne Caldwell
Anne Caldwell, born Anne Marsh Caldwell on August 30, 1867, in Boston, Massachusetts, was a pioneering American playwright and lyricist known for her significant contributions to musical theater and popular music in the early 20th century. As one of the few female songwriters active during that time, she began her career with the Juvenile Opera Company and became a charter member of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP).
Caldwell's work primarily focused on Broadway scores from 1907 to 1928, during which she collaborated extensively with renowned composer Jerome Kern on productions such as "She's a Good Fellow," "The Night Boat," and "Sally." Her Broadway credits also include "The Canary," "The City Chap," "Pom-pom," "Chin Chin," and "Tip Top," among others. Her songwriting catalog features popular songs like "I Know That You Know," "Temple Bells," and "Left All Alone Again Blues."
In 1929, Caldwell transitioned to Hollywood, where she worked as a script doctor and lyricist for RKO Pictures, contributing to films such as "Dixiana" and "Flying Down to Rio." Her career helped pave the way for female writers in musical comedy, demonstrating that women could create works as impactful and humorous as their male counterparts.
Caldwell was married twice, first to William L. Vinal, with whom she had a daughter, Marianna Sarah "Molly" Vinal. After Vinal's death in a tragic accident, she married lyricist James J. O'Dea. Anne Caldwell passed away on October 22, 1936, in Beverly Hills, California. Her legacy was honored with her posthumous induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970.