Edward Laska
Edward Laska (January 3, 1894 – April 27, 1959) was an American songwriter who worked as both a composer and lyricist in Tin Pan Alley. He wrote the lyrics to the hit songs "How'd You Like to Spoon With Me?" (1905) and "The Alcholic Blue" (1919). Also a playwright, his play We've Got to Have Money was staged on Broadway in 1923. He was the longtime director of the Dramatists Guild of America.
Life and career
[edit]Edward Laska was born on January 3, 1894 in New York City.[1] He was educated in New York City Public Schools and at the City College of New York.[1] He was a Tin Pan Alley songwriter[2] who sold his first song, "Tulips" in 1903.[3] He contributed the lyrics to the hit song "How'd You Like to Spoon With Me?" (music by Jerome Kern)[3] which was introduced in the Broadway musical The Earl and the Girl (1905).[4] [2] In 1914 he was a founding member of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers.[3] With Albert Von Tilzer he co-wrote the hit song "The Alcoholic Blues" (1919) which by the end of 1920 had been recorded 22 times by a variety of artists.[2]
Laska wrote the play We've Got to Have Money which was staged on Broadway at the Playhouse Theatre in 1923.[5] He was the longtime director of the Dramatists Guild of America.[1][3]
Laska died at Trafalgar Hospital in New York City on April 27, 1959 at the age of 75.[3]
References
[edit]Citations
[edit]- 1 2 3 American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers 1952, p. 294.
- 1 2 3 Muir 2024, p. 44.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Edward Laska, Songwriter, 75". The New York Times. April 29, 1959. p. 33.
- ↑ Dietz 2022, p. 322.
- ↑ Hischak 2009, p. 501.
Bibliography
[edit]- American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (1952). "Laska, Edward". In McNamara, Daniel I. (ed.). The ASCAP Biographical Dictionary of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Thomas Y. Crowell Company.
- Dietz, Dan (2022). The Complete Book of 1900s Broadway Musicals. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. ISBN 9781538168943.
- Hischak, Thomas S. (2009). Broadway Plays and Musicals: Descriptions and Essential Facts of More Than 14,000 Shows through 2007. McFarland & Company. ISBN 978-0786497546.
- Muir, Peter C. (2024). Long Lost Blues: Popular Blues in America, 1850-1920. University of Illinois Press. ISBN 9780252056048.
External links
[edit]- 1894 births
- 1959 deaths
- 20th-century American dramatists and playwrights
- 20th-century American male composers
- American male lyricists
- American male songwriters
- City College of New York alumni
- Composers from New York City
- Writers from New York City
- Dramatists and playwrights from New York City
- American male dramatists and playwrights