Biographie
Otto Harbach was a songwriter known for hits like "I Won't Dance," "Yesterdays," and "The Touch of Your Hand," as well as an author. He studied at Knox College, earning a BA, MA, DHL, and serving as an honorary Board of Trustees member, and also attended Columbia University. From 1895 to 1901, he was an English professor at Whitman College, then worked as a newspaper writer in New York from 1902 to 1903, followed by employment at an advertising agency until 1910. His Broadway stage credits include scores for "Three Twins" and "Madame Sherry" (for which he also wrote the libretto), "The Firefly," "High Jinks," "Katinka," "Going Up," "Tumble In," "The Little Whopper," "The Cat and the Fiddle," and "Roberta." He co-wrote librettos for shows such as "You're In Love," "Tickle Me!," "Mary," "The O'Brien Girl," "The Blue Kitten," "Molly Darling," "Wildflower," "Rose-Marie," "No, No, Nanette," "Sunny," "Song of the Flame," "Criss-Cross," "The Desert Song," and "Golden Dawn." Harbach was the librettist for "The Crinoline Girl" and "Nina Rosa," and co-librettist for "Kid Boots," "Kitty's Kisses," "Oh, Please!," and "Good Boy." He also co-authored the play "Up in Mabel's Room." A founding member and director of ASCAP from 1920 to 1963, Harbach collaborated with composers including Herbert Stothart, Rudolf Friml, Vincent Youmans, Karl Hoschna, Jerome Kern, Louis Hirsch, George Gershwin, Sigmund Romberg, and Oscar Hammerstein II (as co-lyricist). His other popular songs include "Cuddle Up a Little Closer, Lovey Mine," "Every Little Movement Has a Meaning All Its Own," "Giannina Mia," "When a Maid Comes Knocking at Your Heart," "Love Is Like a Firefly," "Sympathy," "Something Seems Tingle-ing-eling," "Katinka," "Not Now But Later," "Allah's Holiday," "Rackety Koo," "The Tickle Toe," "Going Up," "The Love Nest," "Mary," "Cutie," "Wildflower," "Bambalina," "Rose-Marie," "The Mounties," "Indian Love Call," "Totem Tom-Tom," "No, No, Nanette," "I've Confessed to the Breeze," "Sunny," "Who?," "Two Little Bluebirds," "D'Ye Love Me?," "Cossack Love Song," "Song of the Flame," "Riff Song," "Romance," "The Desert Song," "One Alone," "One Flower Grows Alone in Your Garden," "The Night Was Made for Love," "She Didn't Say 'Yes'," "One Moment Alone," "Try to Forget," "A New Love Is Old," "I Watch the Love Parade," "You're Devastating," "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes," and "Your Dream.
