Harold Jacob "Hecky" Rome (May 27, 1908 – October 26, 1993) and graduated from Hartford Public High School. Originally, he chose to go to Trinity College, but transferred because he felt like a "townie." Rome played piano in local dance bands such as Eddie Wittstein's and was already writing music while studying architecture and law at Yale University.

In the early 1940s, Rome wrote songs for several revues and shows, but it was not until after the end of World War II that he had his next real success with Call Me Mister. His first full-fledged musical was Wish You Were Here in 1952.

Rome died of a stroke in New York City at the age of 85.

Works

Shows

  • 1937: Pins and Needles
  • 1940: The Little Dog Laughed
  • 1946: Call Me Mister
  • 1948: That's the Ticket (Phila.)
  • 1950: Bless You All
  • 1952: Wish You Were Here
  • 1954: Fanny
  • 1959: Destry Rides Again
  • 1962: I Can Get It for You Wholesale
  • 1965: The Zulu and the Zayda
  • 1939: "Who's Gonna Investigate the Man Who Investigates Me?" (first sung by Zero Mostel)
  • 1945: "(All of a Sudden) My Heart Sings" (from the French song "Ma Mie" by Henri Laurent Herpin; English lyric by Harold Rome), sung by Kathryn Grayson in the 1945 film Anchors Aweigh. Versions by Johnnie Johnston and by Martha Stewart were hits in 1945 reaching numbers 7 and 12 respectively in the Billboard chart.
  • 1962: "Miss Marmelstein" and "Who Knows?" from I Can Get It for You Wholesale

References

Sources

  • The Harold Rome Papers, Irving S. Gilmore Music Library, Yale University