Harold Richard Atteridge (July 9, 1886 – January 15, 1938) was an American lyricist and librettist, primarily for musicals and revues. He wrote the book and lyrics for over 20 musicals and revues for the Shubert family, including several iterations of The Passing Show.
Biography Atteridge was born in Lake Forest, Illinois, the only child of Richard H. Atteridge and Ann T. O'Neill."Harold Atteridge, Broadway Author," New York Times, January 17, 1938, p. 19. He attended North Division High School,"Harold Atteridge a Rapid-Fire Librettist," New York Times, June 14, 1914, p. X8. followed by college at the University of Chicago, where he was a member of the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity. In 1907 he wrote the Varsity show for the Black Friar's Club, and graduated with a Bachelor of Philosophy degree. His obituary quoted him on experience: "If my success at this work illustrates anything it marks the importance of making an early start at one's profession. ... All during college I was developing a revue and musical show technique in my work for a college organization called the Black Friars. By the time I received my Bachelor of Philosophy degree I was a fairly proficient librettist."
His professional career began in Chicago as a lyricist for a music publishing firm. He first gained attention by writing the lyrics for two songs in the Chicago production of Madame Sherry. Producer George Lederer showed enthusiasm and advised Atteridge to move to New York."Harold Atteridge Makes new Record as a Librettist," New York Review, Sept. 2, 1915. He did so in September 1910.His scrapbooks, located in the Billy Rose Theatre Division of the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, indicate his address as: 612 West 112 Street. He met with Jesse Louis Lasky who engaged him for a show at the New York Folies Bergère.New York Sun, October 21, 1917. When that venue closed, and with a letter of introduction to J. J. Shubert, Atteridge auditioned some of his songs and was engaged to write for the Shuberts' productions. Over the next two decades, he wrote dozens of shows, often writing both book and lyrics, for Broadway, including many starring Al Jolson, and several reviews in the successful series called The Passing Show.
Atteridge married his first wife, Laura, in 1912. He married his second wife, Mary Teresa Corless, on May 1, 1923.Who's Who in New York, Who's Who Publications, 1929.
By 1930 he was working in Hollywood, writing film continuities.The 1930 United States Federal Census, available on Ancestry.com, shows he was living at 257 South Canon Drive, Beverly Hills, California. Later he wrote radio continuities for Al Jolson and Ed Wynn.
Atteridge died on January 15, 1938, of cirrhosis of the liver in Lynbrook, New York. He was survived by his wife.
Working methods In a 1914 interview, Atteridge spoke of the process of writing a revue.
Recalling the creation of one of the songs for which he is best known, he said, "Coming downtown on the subway the other evening I scribbled on the back of an envelope the lyrics of a one-step, 'By the Beautiful Sea', and handed them that night to Harry Carroll. ... Carroll immediately wrote a melody for the words and now the tune is proving a favorite at local dance palaces, cabarets, and restaurants. Which goes to show that one can accomplish things of real value during otherwise idle moments."
List of works
Stage works for Broadway
The Orchid (1907) additional lyrics contributed for Broadway production Madame Sherry (1910) lyrics The Happiest Night of His Life (1911) lyrics Vera Violetta (1911) book and lyrics A Night with the Pierrots / Sesostra / The Whirl of Society (1912) lyrics Two Little Brides (1912) lyrics (From) Broadway to Paris (1912) book and lyrics The Man with Three Wives (1913) book and lyrics The Honeymoon Express (1913) lyrics The Passing Show of 1913 (1913) book and lyrics The Whirl of the World (1914) book and lyrics The Passing Show of 1914 (1914) book and lyrics Dancing Around (1914) book and lyrics Maid in America (1915) book and lyrics The Peasant Girl (1915) lyrics The Passing Show of 1915 (1915) book and lyrics Hands Up (1915) additional lyrics The Blue Paradise (1915) additional lyrics A World of Pleasure (1915) book and lyrics Ruggles of Red Gap (1915) lyrics Robinson Crusoe, Jr. (1916) lyrics The Passing Show of 1916 (1916) book and lyrics The Show of Wonders (1916) book and lyrics The Passing Show of 1917 (1917) book and lyrics Doing Our Bit (1917) book and lyrics Over the Top (1917) book Sinbad (1918) book and lyrics Follow the Girl (1918) additional lyrics The Passing Show of 1918 (1918) book and lyrics Monte Cristo, Jr. (1919) book and lyrics Shubert Gaieties of 1919 (1919) book The Passing Show of 1919 (1919) book and lyrics The Little Blue Devil (1919) book and lyrics Cinderella on Broadway (1920) book and lyrics The Passing Show of 1921 (1920) book and lyrics The Midnight Rounders of 1921 (1921) book The Last Waltz (1921) book and lyrics (English version) The Mimic World (1921) book and lyrics Bombo (1921) book and lyrics The Rose of Stamboul (1922) book and lyrics Make It Snappy (1922) book and lyrics The Passing Show of 1922 (1922) book and lyrics The Dancing Girl (1923) book and lyrics The Passing Show of 1923 (1923) book and lyrics Topics of 1923 (1923) book and lyrics Innocent Eyes (1924) book and lyrics Marjorie (1924) book and lyrics The Dream Girl (1924) book and additional lyrics The Passing Show of 1924 (1924) book and lyrics Big Boy (1925) book Sky High (1925) book and lyrics Artists and Models (1925) book Gay Paree (1925) book and additional lyrics A Night in Paris (1926) book The Great Temptations (1926) book A Night in Spain (1927) book Ziegfeld Follies of 1927 (1927) book The Greenwich Village Follies (1928) book, additional lyrics Pleasure Bound (1929) book and lyrics Thumbs Up! (1934) book
Film work The Ladies Man (1928) story Her Golden Calf (1930) dialogue Big Boy (1930) play Poppin' the Cork (1933) dialogue
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