Profile of Jimmy McHugh on Famous Like Me

Jimmy McHugh (July 10, 1894 - May 23, 1969), was one of the greatest and most prolific songwriters during the 1920s-1950s.

James Francis McHugh was born in Boston, Massachusetts, the son of a plumber. However, his mother was an accomplished pianist, and McHugh quickly fell in love with music.

In 1928, McHugh's music career took a fortunate turn when he met his future partner, Dorothy Fields. Fields, age 22, was the daughter of veteran vaudeville star and producer Lew Fields, and had previously been working as a schoolteacher. McHugh and Fields seemed to have a good working relationship, with Dorothy writing the lyrics and McHugh supplying the music.

The team soon became two of the United States' most celebrated songwriters when they collaborated on the score of the hit musical "Blackbirds of 1928."

In 1936, McHugh teamed with Harold Adamson. In the next fifteen years, he would write more movie songs with Adamson than he did with any other partner. Most of the movies they wrote for were minor pictures, but that didn't stop them from turning out such gems as "I Love To Whistle", "I Couldn't Sleep A Wink Last Night", and "(This Is) A Lovely Way To Spend An Evening".

In his later years he worked as a manager for Hollywood talent, including for Mamie Van Doren.

Jimmy McHugh died in Beverly Hills in 1969. During his lifetime he had written over 279 songs. He never won an Academy Award despite being nominated five times, but he left a legacy of wonderful songs that testify to his skill as one of America's great songwriters.

Broadway credits

• Blackbirds of 1928 (lyrics by Dorothy Fields)
• Hello, Daddy 1928 (lyrics by Fields)
• International Revue 1930 (lyrics by Fields)
• The Streets of Paris 1939 (lyrics by Al Dubin)
• Keep Off The Grass 1940 (lyrics by Dubin and Howard Dietz)
• As The Girls Go 1948 (lyrics by Harold Adamson)

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