Henry Sullivan (composer)

Henry Anthony Sullivan (1895–1975) was a composer, songwriter, and pianist.{{Cite web |title=Artist: Henry Sullivan {{!}} SecondHandSongs |url=https://secondhandsongs.com/artist/91378/all |access-date=2023-08-18 |website=secondhandsongs.com}}

Early life

He attended the Worcester Academy and Dartmouth College.{{Cite web |last=Williamson |first=Chet |date=2013-01-26 |title=Worcester Songwriters of the Great American Songbook : "I May Be Wrong," But I Think You're Wonderful" |url=https://worcestersongs.blogspot.com/2013/01/i-may-be-wrong-but-i-think-youre.html |access-date=2023-08-18 |website=Worcester Songwriters of the Great American Songbook}}

Career

In 1929, he wrote his first complete show, Almanac, which was later produced by John Murray Anderson as Murray Anderson's Almanac on Broadway in 1929. Some of the comedy sketches were written by Noël Coward.{{Cite web |title=Murray Anderson's Almanac (Playbill) |url=https://playbill.com/production/murray-andersons-almanac-erlangers-theatre-vault-0000004278}} From the show, I May Be Wrong, but I Think You're Wonderful was composed, with Sullivan writing the music and Harry Ruskin writing the lyrics.{{Citation |last=LESLIE HUTCHINSON |title=I MAY BE WRONG (But I Think You're Wonderful) |url=http://archive.org/details/78_i-may-be-wrong-but-i-think-youre-wonderful_leslie-hutchinson-harry-ruskin-henry_gbia3007537a |access-date=2024-03-05 |others=Internet Archive |publisher=Parlophone |language=English |last2=Harry Ruskin |last3=Henry Sullivan}}{{Cite journal |last=Sullivan |first=Henry |date=1929-01-01 |title=I May Be Wrong |url=https://scholarsjunction.msstate.edu/cht-sheet-music/7559 |journal=Sheet Music Collection}} The song would go on to become a popular song with multiple cover versions.{{Cite web |title=Internet Archive: Digital Library of Free & Borrowable Books, Movies, Music & Wayback Machine |url=https://archive.org/search?query=I+May+Be+Wrong+(but+I+Think+You%27re+Wonderful) |access-date=2024-03-05 |website=archive.org}}

With John Murray Anderson, they would write five songs for the film The Greatest Show on Earth (1952), along with other copyrighted songs as well.{{Cite web |title=Headings Results |url=https://cocatalog.loc.gov/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?SC=Author&SA=Sullivan,%20Henry&PID=YyV_k918IM_BOJHordeiBfZAiWC&BROWSE=1&HC=12&SID=5 |access-date=2023-08-18 |website=cocatalog.loc.gov}} With John Murray Anderson staging the show as well writing some of the lyrics, Sullivan wrote the music for the Broadway show Thumbs Up! (1934).{{Cite web |title=Thumbs Up! |url=https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/thumbs-up-11195}} Prior to that, Sullivan wrote the music for the British production of Bow Bells (1931) which was performed at the London Hippodrome.{{Cite web |title=Bow Bells - Revue |url=https://www.guidetomusicaltheatre.com/shows_b/bowbells.htm |access-date=2023-08-18 |website=www.guidetomusicaltheatre.com}}

Broadway Shows

class="wikitable"

!Title

!Opening

!Role

John Murray Anderson's Almanac

|1953

|Additional Music and Lyrics.{{cite web |title=John Murray Anderson's Almanac – Broadway Musical – Original {{!}} IBDB |url=https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/john-murray-andersons-almanac-2422 |website=www.ibdb.com |access-date=12 March 2024}}

Thumbs Up!

|1934

|Music{{cite web |title=Thumbs Up! – Broadway Musical – Original {{!}} IBDB |url=https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/thumbs-up-11195 |website=www.ibdb.com |access-date=12 March 2024}}

Keep Moving

|1934

|Music for A PAGE FROM JONATHAN SWIFT and COMMAND TO LOVE{{cite web |title=Keep Moving – Broadway Musical – Original {{!}} IBDB |url=https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/keep-moving-11890 |website=www.ibdb.com |access-date=12 March 2024}}

Murray Anderson's Almanac

|1929

|Music{{cite web |title=Murray Anderson's Almanac – Broadway Musical – Original {{!}} IBDB |url=https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/murray-andersons-almanac-10917 |website=www.ibdb.com |access-date=12 March 2024}}

Source: {{Cite web |title=Henry Sullivan (writer) |url=https://www.playbill.com/person/henry-sullivan-vault-0000006446}}

Discography

class="wikitable"

!Song and Authorship{{cite web |title=Music - Henry Sullivan |url=https://catalog.afi.com/Person/69568-Henry-Sullivan |website=catalog.afi.com |publisher=AFI{{!}}Catalog |access-date=12 March 2024}}

|Year

Picnic in the Park. From the film The Greatest Show on Earth.

Words: John Murray Anderson, music: Henry Sullivan.

|1951

You Can't Say Goodbye to Hawaii. From the motion picture entitled The Greatest Show on Earth.

Words: John Murray Anderson, music: Henry Sullivan.

|1951

Sing a Happy Song. From The Greatest Show on Earth.

Words: John Murray Anderson, music: Henry Sullivan.

|1952

Popcorn and Lemonade. From The Greatest Show on Earth.

Words: John Murray Anderson, music: Henry Sullivan.