Irving Caesar

Irving Caesar (born July 10, 1895 in New York, died December 18, 1996 in New York), was a prominent American lyricist and theater composer who wrote lyrics for "Swanee," "Sometimes I'm Happy," "Crazy Rhythm," and "Tea for Two," one of the most frequently recorded tunes ever written.

Caesar was born Isidor Keiser (10 July 1895, NYC birth certificate number 29116) and died in New York City, the son of Morris Keiser, a Romanian Jew. His older brother Arthur Caesar was a successful Hollywood screenwriter. The Caesar brothers spent their childhood and teen years in Yorkville, the same Manhattan neighborhood where the Marx Brothers were raised. Caesar knew the Marx Brothers during his boyhood in NYC.

Work for Broadway

Note: All productions are musicals unless otherwise stated.

*"Pins and Needles" (1922) - revue - co-lyricist
*"The Greenwich Village Follies of 1922" (1922) - revue - co-lyricist and co-bookwriter
*"The Greenwich Village Follies of 1923" (1923) - revue - co-lyricist
*"The Greenwich Village Follies of 1924" (1924) - revue - co-lyricist
*"Betty Lee" (1924) - co-lyricist
*"No, No, Nanette" (1925) - co-lyricist
**Revived in 1971
*"Charlot Revue" (1925) - revue - featured lyricist for "Gigolette" and "A Cup of Coffee, a Sandwich and You"
*"Sweetheart Time" (1926) - co-lyricist
*"Ziegfeld's Revue "No Foolin'" (1926) - revue - co-lyricist
*"Betsy" (1926) - co-bookwriter
*"Talk About Girls" (1927) - lyricist
*"Yes, Yes, Yvette" (1927) - story originator
*"Here's Howe" (1928) - lyricist
*"Americana of 1928" (1928) - revue - co-lyricist
*"Polly" (1929) - co-composer and co-lyricist
*"George White's Scandals of 1929" (1929) - revue - co-composer and co-lyricist
*"Ripples" (1930) - co-lyricist
*"Nina Rosa" (1930) - lyricist
*"The Wonder Bar" (1931) - play - co-playwright/adaptor of the original German
*"George White's Scandals of 1931" (1931) - revue - co-bookwriter
*"George White's Music Hall Varieties of 1932" (1932) - revue - co-composer and lyricist
*"Melody" (1933) - lyricist
*"Shady Lady" (1933) - reviser
*"Continental Varieties" (1934) - revue - dialogue-writer
*"The White Horse Inn" (1936) - English-version lyricist
*"My Dear Public" (1943) - co-composer, co-lyricist, and co-bookwriter

Post-retirement credits:

*"The American Dance Machine" (1978) - dance revue - featured lyricist
*"Up in One" (1979) - revue - featured songwriter
*"Big Deal" (1986) - featured English-version lyricist for "Just a Gigolo"
*"Sally Marr...and her escorts" (1994) - play - featured lyricist for "Tea for Two"

External links

* [http://www.ibdb.com/person.asp?ID=6455 Irving Caesar] at the Internet Broadway Database
* [http://www.friarsclub.com/Immortal%20Friars/Immortal%20Friars.htm "The Friars Club"]