Hart, Lorenz Milton

(1895-1943)

   Broadway lyricist Lorenz Hart was born in New York City and educated at Columbia Grammar School and Columbia University’s School of Journalism. Shortly after World War I, Hart met Richard Rodgers, and the two formed a songwriting partnership and began to write for Broadway. Their first success was in writing for the revue The Garrick Gaieties in 1925, which included their first hit, “Manhattan.” A string of successful stage productions followed, and in the early-1930s Hart and Rodgers moved to Hollywood and scored immediate hits with Love Me Tonight (1932), The Phantom President (1932), and Hallelujah, I’m a Bum (1933). They also wrote “Blue Moon” for Bing Crosby in 1934.

   Hart and Rodgers returned to Broadway in 1935, where they wrote numerous hit songs for stage musicals. Among their best known songs are, “The Most Beautiful Girl in the World” (Jumbo [1935]), “It’s Got to Be Love” (On Your Toes [1936]), “My Funny Valentine” (Babes in Arms [1937]), “Falling in Love with Love” (The Boys from Syracuse [1938]), and “I Could Write a Book” (Pal Joey [1940]). Hart’s final collaboration with Rodgers was the musical By Jupiter in 1942. He gradually succumbed to alcoholism and ill-health but did provide some of the lyrics for A Connecticut Yankee in 1943.

   See also Literature and theater; Music.