Herman Hupfeld

Hupfeld was born in Montclair, New Jersey, the son of Fredericka (Rader), a church organist, and Charles Ludwig Hupfeld. He was sent to study violin in Germany at age nine.Roger D. Kinkle, The Complete Encyclopedia of Popular Music and Jazz 1900–1950 (Arlington House, 1974), {{ISBN|9780870002298}}{{page needed|date=May 2021}} Returning to the United States, he graduated from Montclair High School in 1915 and enlisted in the Navy during World War I. Following the war, he commenced a songwriting career.{{cite news |url=http://www.northjersey.com/community-news/a-house-hums-an-artistic-melody-1.366007?page=all |last=Orel |first=Gwen |title=The Montclair residence of "As Time Goes By" composer Herman Hupfeld hums with artistic activity |newspaper=Montclair Times |location=New Jersey |date=April 26, 2012 |access-date=May 2, 2021 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304080403/http://www.northjersey.com/community-news/a-house-hums-an-artistic-melody-1.366007?page=all |archive-date=March 4, 2016}} He entertained camps and hospitals during World War II.

Hupfeld never wrote a whole Broadway score, but became known as someone who could write a song to fit a specific scene within a show.{{citation needed|date=May 2021}} Besides As Time Goes By, his best-known songs include Sing Something Simple, Let's Put Out the Lights (and Go to Sleep), When Yuba Plays the Rumba on the Tuba, I've Gotta Get Up and Go to Work, Are You Making Any Money?, Savage Serenade, Down the Old Back Road, A Hut in Hoboken, Night Owl, Honey Ma Love, Baby's Blue, Untitled and The Calinda.{{citation needed|date=May 2021}} While not known as a public performer, he is featured on a 78 rpm gramophone record with Victor Young & his Orchestra, recorded on January 22, 1932, singing and playing piano on two of his compositions, "Goopy Geer (he plays piano and he plays by ear)" and "Down the Old Back Road".{{citation needed|date=May 2021}}

Hupfeld never married and lived with his mother in Montclair until his death by a stroke in 1951 at the age of 57. He was buried at Mount Hebron Cemetery, Montclair, New Jersey. His mother died six years later, aged 90. While Hupfeld was alive, their house was often visited by people from the world of entertainment, including Bing Crosby and Mae West. Crosby recorded As Time Goes By in 1943.

"As Time Goes By" is most famous from the film Casablanca (1942). It was originally written for the Broadway show Everybody's Welcome (1931), which ran for 139 performances.{{cite web|url=http://www.ibdb.com/production.asp?ID=11424|title=Everybody's Welcome – Broadway Musical – Original |via=IBDB|publisher=The Broadway League |access-date=October 2, 2017}} In 1931, the song was a modest hit, with versions issued on Victor, Columbia, Brunswick and the dime store labels.{{citation needed|date=May 2021}}

The song was featured in the unproduced play Everybody Comes To Rick's, the basis for the Casablanca story and script. Against the wishes of Max Steiner, who wrote the music for the film, it was decided to feature the song in the 1942 film. It has been well documented{{by whom|date=May 2021}} that the producers considered dropping the song in post-production but, since Ingrid Bergman had been given the part of Maria in Paramount's For Whom the Bell Tolls and had cut her hair for the part, it would not have been possible to reshoot her scenes in which the song was performed or to meet her request that Sam (Dooley Wilson) play a different song.{{citation needed|date=May 2021}}

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Category:1894 births

Category:1951 deaths

Category:20th-century American composers

Category:Burials at Mount Hebron Cemetery (Montclair, New Jersey)

Category:People from Montclair, New Jersey

Category:Songwriters from New Jersey

Category:20th-century American songwriters