Research Catalog

Title

Jay Gorney scores, 1916-1975 (bulk 1924-1961)

Author

Gorney, Jay, 1896-1990.

Supplementary Content

Finding Aid

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Additional Authors

• Harburg, E. Y. (Edgar Yipsel), 1896-1981.
• Murphy, Owen, 1893-1965.
• Myers, Henry, 1893-

Description

17 linear ft. (33 boxes)

Summary

The Jay Gorney scores consist of published scores from his earliest student works, original and published scores of his theatrical, motion picture, and television works, and scores and score fragments from student workshop productions.

Subject

• Gorney, Jay, 1896-1990
• Composers > United States > 20th century
• Musical films
• Musical theater
• Television musicals

Genre/Form

Scores.

Biography (note)

• Versatile composer, Jay Gorney (1896-1990), wrote for the stage, screen, and television from the mid-1920s through the late 1960s.

Indexes/Finding Aids (note)

• Finding aid available in repository and on internet.

Call Number

JPB 04-33

OCLC

NYPG05-A10014

Author

Gorney, Jay, 1896-1990.

Title

Jay Gorney scores, 1916-1975 (bulk 1924-1961)

Biography

Versatile composer, Jay Gorney (1896-1990), wrote for the stage, screen, and television from the mid-1920s through the late 1960s. In a long and flourishing career, Gorney got his start by writing songs for Broadway shows and revues including, Earl Carroll's Sketch Book (1929), the Ziegfeld Follies (1931), and Merry-Go-Round (1927). In 1932, Gorney, working with lyricist E. Y. (Yip) Harburg, penned the music to the song that became a Depression-era anthem, Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?, as part of the revue, Americana. During the early 1930s, he also became involved with the motion picture industry when he was was hired by Paramount Pictures' New York office. In 1933, Gorney went to Hollywood, where he worked for the Fox and Columbia studios, adding Hollywood screenplays to his working repertoire and "discovering" Shirley Temple, who introduced one of Gorney's tunes, Baby, Take a Bow, with James Dunn, in the film, Stand Up and Cheer (1934). In addition to Harburg, Gorney collaborated with Henry Myers, Edward Eliscu, Sidney Clare, Howard Dietz, and Jean and Walter Kerr as lyricists in film and stage productions.

As a Jew who had experienced anti-Semitisim firsthand, Gorney was very aware and supportive of human rights and social justice issues and joined in with the artistic and intellectual community's group efforts to improve conditions in these areas. He was very active in several associations, including the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP). It was this aspect of his life that produced songs like, the Bill of Rights, These Are The Times, and Are You Backing up your Commander-in-Chief? Gorney's involvement with these causes also led to his being called in front of the House Committee on Un-American Activities (HUAC) in 1955 and being blacklisted, effectively ending his motion picture career. Gorney returned to New York in 1947 to work on a theater production and he also began to teach, becoming the chairman of the Department of Musical Playwriting at the Dramatic Workshop of the New School (1948-51). He ran his own Jay Gorney School of Musical Comedy and later taught for the American Theatre Wing's Professional Training Program, teaching sketch writing and leading a student production company that developed and performed student work. In the early 1960s, Gorney tried his hand at television writing, directing, and producing. Gorney died in New York on June 14, 1990.

Indexes

Finding aid available in repository and on internet.

Connect to:

Request Access to Music & Recorded Sound Division Special Collections material

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Finding Aid

Occupation

Composers.

Added Author

Harburg, E. Y. (Edgar Yipsel), 1896-1981.

Murphy, Owen, 1893-1965.

Myers, Henry, 1893-

Research Call Number

JPB 04-33