Arthur Schwartz is a renowned American composer and film producer, whose illustrious career spans multiple decades. As a child, he taught himself to play the harmonica and piano, and began performing for silent films at the tender age of 14. He went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from New York University and a Master of Arts degree in the same subject from Columbia University.
However, Schwartz's father, an attorney, insisted that he pursue a career in law, and he was eventually admitted to the bar in 1924. To support himself during his law studies, Schwartz taught English in the New York school system and also worked on songwriting, publishing his first song, "Baltimore, Md., You're the Only Doctor for Me," with lyrics by Eli Dawson, by 1923.
Despite his success as a lawyer, Schwartz's acquaintances, including the likes of Lorenz Hart and George Gershwin, encouraged him to pursue his passion for composing. By 1928, he had closed his law office and began collaborating with Howard Dietz, a publicist at MGM. Their first songs together were featured in the Broadway revue The Little Show in 1929, which included the hit song "I Guess I'll Have to Change My Plan."
Schwartz's career as a composer and songwriter was launched, and by 1930, he had contributed songs to six shows, three in London and three in New York, including the successful musical Three's a Crowd, which featured the hit song "Something to Remember You By." He also began writing songs for motion pictures, starting with "I'm Afraid of You" in Queen High in 1930.
In addition to his work as a composer and songwriter, Schwartz also worked as a producer for Columbia Pictures, producing notable films such as the musical Cover Girl in 1944 and the Cole Porter biographical film Night and Day in 1946.
Throughout his illustrious career, Schwartz received numerous accolades and honors, including his induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1972 and the American Theater Hall of Fame in 1981.
