Harry Rosenthal

Harry Rosenthal (15 May c. 1893 – 10 May 1953) was an orchestra leader, composer, pianist and actor.

Harry Rosenthal
Born(1893-05-15)May 15, 1893[1]
Belfast, Ireland
DiedMay 10, 1953(1953-05-10) (aged 59)
Beverly Hills, California U.S.
Occupation(s)actor, composer, pianist, orchestra leader
Years activec.1920–1949

Biography

Rosenthal was born in Belfast in 1893,[2] and by the 1920s he was in London where he had a thriving musical career as a composer, bandleader and pianist, including composing five operettas which met with great success.[3] He came to the United States by 1929, when he wrote songs for Herbert Stothart's musical Polly on Broadway,[4] and in 1930 acted in Ring Lardner and George S. Kaufman's play June Moon, which was revived in 1933.[5] After he met Edward, the Prince of Wales at a reception, he accompanied the heir to the British throne on a world tour.[3]

Rosenthal's film career began in 1931 and ended in 1948, during which time he worked on 19 films, playing pianists, orchestra leaders and also non-musical roles, as well as composing music (for The Sin of Harold Diddlebock) and conducting (on For Me and My Gal).[6] In the early 1940s, Rosenthal was part of writer-director Preston Sturges' unofficial "stock company" of character actors, appearing in all of Sturges' films from The Great McGinty (1940) through The Sin of Harold Diddlebock (1947) with the exception of Hail the Conquering Hero.[7]

Both in New York and in Hollywood, Rosenthal was often mentioned in gossip columns, surprisingly so, given the small size of the parts he played.[3] His death in 1953, from a heart attack, was similarly noted.[8]

Filmography
Year Title Role Notes
1931Merely Mary Ann
1939Tail SpinHarrison, Cafe ManagerUncredited
1939Wife, Husband and FriendBill Wilkins
1940Johnny ApolloPiano Playerperformed two songs
1940The Great McGintyLouie - The Boss' Bodyguard
1940Christmas in JulyHarry
1941The Lady EvePiano TunerUncredited
1941Unfinished BusinessPiano Player
1941Birth of the BluesPiano Player
1941Sullivan's TravelsThe Trombenick
1942The Palm Beach StoryOrchestra Leader
1942For Me and My GalOrchestra Conductor & ArrangerUncredited, also music conductor
1943Presenting Lily MarsPianistUncredited
1944The Miracle of Morgan's Creek
1944The Great MomentMr. ChamberlainUncredited
1945The Horn Blows at MidnightSherman StarrUncredited
1947The Sin of Harold DiddlebockRevelerUncredited, also composer
1948The Big ClockCharlie
1949Red, Hot and BluePiano PlayerUncredited, (final film role)

References
  1. "This day, May 15, in Jewish history". Cleveland Jewish News. Archived from the original on 2014-05-19. Retrieved 2014-05-18.
  2. Harry Rosenthal (actor) at the Internet Broadway Database
  3. Harry Rosenthal at AllMovie
  4. ​Polly​ at the Internet Broadway Database
  5. ​Moon June​ at the Internet Broadway Database
  6. Harry Rosenthal at IMDb
  7. Rosenthal appeared in The Great McGinty, Christmas in July, The Lady Eve, Sullivan's Travels, The Palm Beach Story, The Miracle of Morgan's Creek, The Great Moment, The Sin of Harold Diddlebock
  8. IMDB Bio
Archives at
LocationMusic Division, Library of Congress
SourceHarry Rosenthal collection on Franz Liszt, 1829-1886
How to use archival material
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