Eric Maschwitz

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Albert Eric Maschwitz (born June 10, 1901 in Birmingham , Great Britain , † October 27, 1969 in London ) was a British entertainer, lyricist, author and television producer. Maschwitz often used the stage name Holt Marvell .

Life and work

Eric Maschwitz was a 6th generation descendant of Johann Gottlob Maschwitz, who was born in Züllichau / Silesia in 1729 . He wrote his first drama at the age of 13 and then studied at various colleges in Cambridge . In the early 1920s he began a career as a stage entertainer and as a writer, initially mainly writing short stories and working as a ghostwriter . In 1926 he went to the BBC , where he hosted a radio show ("In Town Tonight") and later a television show ("The Black and White Minstrel Show"). From 1927 he was editor of the program guide "Radio Times" - a position he gave up when he rose to the position of Variety Director at the BBC in 1933 .

Eric Maschwitz achieved his greatest fame as a lyricist. For "Spread It Abroad", a London revue, he wrote the lyrics for the song " These Foolish Things " together with Jack Strachey in 1936 . The verses set to music by Harry Link were then sung by Dorothy Dickson , who at the time was one of the most famous musical stars in Europe. In 1944 Frank Sinatra added the song to his repertoire and made it world famous. In 1940 the second internationally important song came out, for which Maschwitz had written the lyrics: "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square". The music was by Manning Sherwin, and the song was first used for the musical "New Faces", where it was sung by Judy Campbell (the mother of Jane Birkin ). The song was later popularized by Vera Lynn's interpretation. Soon afterwards the song found its way into the repertoire of Nat King Cole , Glen Miller , Harry Connick Jr. and Sonny Collins , later also from The Manhattan Transfer Entrance. In addition, Maschwitz wrote the libretti and songs for numerous other musicals, of which "Zip Goes a Million" (1951) was the most successful.

In 1939 Maschwitz went to Hollywood , where MGM signed him as a screenwriter. Together with RC Sherriff and Claudine West , he wrote the book for the fateful film "Goodbye, Mr. Chips" (1939) directed by Sam Wood , which earned the authors an Oscar nomination. In the same year MGM produced the musical "Balalaika" under the direction of Reinhold Schünzel , for whose script Maschwitz had provided the template.

During World War II , Eric Maschwitz served in the Intelligence Corps of the British Army and became Chief Broadcasting Officer in the 21st Army Group. He later left the army in the rank of lieutenant colonel .

In 1958 Maschwitz returned to BBC television, where he took over the management of the entertainment department and tried to implement his conviction that the job of the BBC was not cultural education but the entertainment of the audience. In 1963 he left the BBC and went to the private television ITV .

Eric Maschwitz was married from 1926 to 1940 (according to other sources: until 1945; divorce) to the British actress Hermione Gingold and the second marriage to the American actress Phyllis Gordon . From 1931 to 1938 he had a relationship with Anna May Wong .

Works and publications by Eric Maschwitz (selection)

Musicals (libretti and lyrics):

  • 1932 - Good Night, Vienna
  • 1933 - The Gay Hussar / Balalaika
  • 1938 - paprika
  • 1940 - New Faces
  • 1942 - Waltz Without End
  • 1943 - Flying Colors
  • 1946 - Evangeline
  • 1947 - Starlight Roof
  • 1948 - Carissima
  • 1949 - Belinda Fair
  • 1951 - Zip Goes a Million
  • 1952 - Love From Judy
  • 1954 - Happy Holiday / The Ghost Train
  • 1955 - Romance in Candlelight
  • 1956 - Summer Song

Various:

  • The Passionate Clowns. The Story of a Modern Witch, (Duckworth) 1927 (novel)
  • (with Val Gielgud :) Death at Broadcasting House, 1931 (detective novel)
  • No Chip on My Shoulder, London (Herbert Jenkins) 1957 (autobiography)
  • Thirteen for Dinner (Comedy)

Filmography

  • 1927 - Croquette / Croquette, une histoire de cirque / Monkeynuts - script template
  • 1932 - Good Night, Vienna / Magic Night - script, lyrics
  • 1932 His Lordship - Lyrics
  • 1934 Death at Broadcasting House screenplay
  • 1935 - Invitation to the Waltz - script template
  • 1935 - Royal Cavalcade / Regal Cavalcade - script template
  • 1936 - Land Without Music / Forbidden Music - screenplay (additional dialogues)
  • 1937 - Cafe Colette / Danger in Paris - screenplay
  • 1937 - King Solomon's Mines - lyrics
  • 1939 - Magyar Melody (TV movie) - Lyrics
  • 1939 - Goodbye, Mr. Chips - screenplay
  • 1939 - Balalaika - script template
  • 1945 The True Glory - screenplay
  • 1946 - Gaiety George / Showtime - lyrics
  • 1946 Carnival screenplay
  • 1949 - Tokyo Joe - Lyrics: These Foolish Things
  • 1953 Little Red Monkey (TV movie) - screenplay
  • 1955 Little Red Monkey script template
  • 1957 Destination Downing Street (TV series) production
  • 1957 The Little Hut - Lyrics: Theme song
  • 1990 - Daddy Nostalgie - Lyrics: These Foolish Things
  • 1993 - In the Line of Fire - Lyrics: These Foolish Things
  • 1994 - Clean Slate - Lyrics: These Foolish Things

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Daily Telegraph obituary
personal data
SURNAME Maschwitz, Eric
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Maschwitz, Albert Eric (full name); Marvell, Holt
BRIEF DESCRIPTION British entertainer, lyricist, writer and television producer
DATE OF BIRTH June 10, 1901
PLACE OF BIRTH Birmingham
DATE OF DEATH October 27, 1969
Place of death London