Dorothy Fields facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dorothy Fields
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Dorothy Fields working with Arthur Schwartz on A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (1951)
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| Background information | |
| Born | July 15, 1904 Allenhurst, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Died | March 28, 1974 (aged 69) New York City, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Lyricist |
| Associated acts |
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Dorothy Fields (born July 15, 1904 – died March 28, 1974) was an American writer. She wrote the words for songs (called a lyricist) and the stories for musicals (called a librettist). She created over 400 songs for Broadway musicals and movies.
Some of her most famous songs include "The Way You Look Tonight" (1936), "A Fine Romance" (1936), and "On the Sunny Side of the Street" (1930). She worked with many famous musicians like Jerome Kern, Cy Coleman, Irving Berlin, and Jimmy McHugh. Dorothy Fields was one of the first successful female songwriters in Tin Pan Alley and Hollywood.
Early Life of Dorothy Fields
Dorothy Fields was born in Allenhurst, New Jersey. She grew up in New York City. In 1923, she finished school at the Benjamin School for Girls in New York. She was very good at English, drama, and basketball. Her poems were even printed in the school's magazine.
Her family was very involved in show business. Her father, Lew Fields, was a Jewish immigrant from Poland. He was part of a very popular comedy team called Weber and Fields. They performed in vaudeville shows. After their team split up, Lew Fields became a very important theater producer. He produced about 40 Broadway shows between 1904 and 1916. People even called him "The King of Musical Comedy."
Dorothy's mother was Rose Harris. She had two older brothers, Joseph and Herbert. They also became successful in Broadway. Joseph was a writer and producer. Herbert was a writer and later worked with Dorothy.
Even though her family was in theater, her father did not want Dorothy to be an actress. He tried to stop her from acting. So, Dorothy worked as a teacher and a lab assistant. But she secretly sent her writings to magazines.
Dorothy Fields' Career in Music
Early in her career, Dorothy Fields performed on stage. She appeared with English actress Sylvia Ashley. They were called "Silly and Dotty" in a show called "Midnight Follies" in London.
In 1926, Fields met a songwriter named J. Fred Coots. He suggested they write songs together. Nothing came from that, but Coots introduced her to Jimmy McHugh. McHugh was a composer and song promoter.
Dorothy's career as a professional songwriter began in 1928. Jimmy McHugh had seen her early work. He asked her to write lyrics for his show Blackbirds of 1928. This show, starring Adelaide Hall, became a big hit on Broadway. Fields and McHugh worked together until 1935. Songs from this time include "I Can't Give You Anything But Love" (1928) and "On the Sunny Side of the Street" (1930). They also wrote special songs for the Cotton Club shows. Many of these songs were recorded by Duke Ellington.
In the mid-1930s, Fields started writing lyrics for movies. She worked with other composers, like Jerome Kern. With Kern, she worked on the movie Roberta. Their biggest success was the movie Swing Time. The song "The Way You Look Tonight" from this movie won an Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1936.
She also wrote song lyrics for the 1936 movie The King Steps Out. This movie was about the early life of Empress Elisabeth of Austria.
Dorothy Fields later returned to New York. She worked on Broadway shows again, but this time as a librettist (writing the story for the musical). She first worked with Arthur Schwartz on Stars In Your Eyes. They worked together again in 1951 on A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. In the 1940s, she teamed up with her brother Herbert Fields. They wrote the stories for three Cole Porter shows: Let's Face It!, Something for the Boys, and Mexican Hayride.
In 1945, Fields had an idea for a new musical. It was based on the life of the famous sharpshooter Annie Oakley. She shared her idea with Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. They liked it and agreed to produce the show. Kern and Fields were supposed to write the songs. But Kern died before they could start. So, Irving Berlin was hired instead.
Dorothy and her brother Herbert wrote the story for Annie Get Your Gun. Irving Berlin wrote all the music. The show, starring Ethel Merman, was a huge success. It ran for 1,147 performances.
In the 1950s, her biggest hit was the show Redhead (1959). It won five Tony Awards, including Best Musical. In the 1960s, she started working with Cy Coleman. Their first show together was Sweet Charity. Her last big hit was from their second show in 1973, Seesaw. The show's most famous song was "It's Not Where You Start, It's Where You Finish".
During her 48-year career, Dorothy Fields helped write over 400 songs. She worked on 15 stage musicals and 26 movies. Her lyrics were known for their strong characters, clear language, and humor. She played the piano as a hobby and loved classical music. This helped her fit words perfectly to melodies.
Dorothy Fields worked for a very long time in the music business. This was rare for songwriters back then. She was able to do this because she was imaginative and willing to try new things in musical theater.
Dorothy Fields is a member of the American Theater Hall of Fame. She was added to the Hall of Fame in 1988, after she had passed away.
Personal Life
Dorothy Fields had very organized work habits. She would spend about eight weeks researching a project. She would discuss ideas and take notes. Then, she would follow a daily work routine from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Dorothy Fields died from a heart attack on March 28, 1974. She was 69 years old. The New York Times newspaper reported her death. It said she was a "versatile songwriter whose career spanned nearly 50 years." She was the sister of writers Herbert and Joseph Fields.
She married Eli Lahm in 1939. They had two children, David and Eliza. Eli Lahm passed away in 1958.
See also
In Spanish: Dorothy Fields para niños
