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Richard A. Whiting collection

 Collection
Identifier: M209

Scope and Content of the Collection

The Richard A. Whiting Collection, 1896-2006, contains files related to Whiting's life and career as a musical composer. The bulk of the collection dates from 1950-2006 and was assembled by his widow and daughters. The collection contains the "Outline of the Whiting family" written by Eleanor Whiting, which provides a personal account of Richard Whiting's life and career. Correspondence and documents regarding the legal arrangements of PaxWin Corporation, the entity established between Whiting's widow, daughters and publisher George Paxton, are notable to the Collection. The Collection also contains an accumulation of articles, essays and book chapters showing Whiting's influence on and contributions to the early American pop music scene. Whiting family photos showing family homes, childhood photos and Whiting with colleagues constitute a significant portion of the collection.

Files are arranged alphabetically by folder title. Detailed information on material in this collection was provided by the donor. This information has been photocopied and placed in the beginning of relevant folders. All such has information has also been collected and filed together in the folder marked "Yellow Slips."

Dates

  • Creation: 1891-2006
  • Creation: Majority of material found within 1950 - 2006

Creator

Restrictions on Access

Collection is open for research use.

Terms Governing Use and Reproduction

Georgia State University is the owner of the physical collection and makes reproductions available for research, subject to the copyright law of the United States and item condition. Georgia State University may or may not own the rights to materials in the collection. It is the researcher's responsibility to verify copyright ownership and obtain permission from the copyright holder before publication, reproduction, or display of the materials beyond what is reasonable under copyright law. Researchers may quote selections from the collection under the fair use provision of copyright law.

Biography of Richard A. Whiting

Richard A. Whiting was a prominent music composer for Hollywood and Broadway productions from the 1920s-1930s. Whiting was born in Peoria, Illinois in 1891. During his childhood, Whiting's parents moved to Los Angeles, California. Whiting became a skilled pianist at a young age and later toured the country with Marshall Neilan in a vaudeville act. After the vaudeville act disbanded, Whiting worked for a short time in the Detroit office of music publisher Jerome Remick but left this job to concentrate on writing music. Whiting's first hit "It's Tulip Time in Holland" marked the beginning of his progressive climb in the popular music industry where hardly a year passed without at least two Whiting-composed song successes. In 1918, Whiting won a war-time song contest with "Till We Meet Again," (Ray Egan, lyricist) which subsequently sold six million copies and became very popular among soldiers. Whiting married Eleanore Youngblood in 1923. The couple had two daughters, pop vocalist Margaret Whiting and singer/actress Barbara Whiting.

Over his career on Broadway and in Hollywood, Whiting collaborated with many of the music industry's most celebrated lyricists including Gus Kahn, Ray Egan, Buddy DeSylva, Leo Robin, Oscar Hammerstein II, and Johnny Mercer. He wrote for the Broadway musicals Toot Sweet (1919) and Take a Chance (1932). In Hollywood, Whiting produced over 50 hits in less than a decade. His best known works include: "Ain't We Got Fun?" (1921, lyrics by Ray Egan/Gus Khan), "She's Funny That Way" (1928, lyrics by Neil Moret), "Beyond the Blue Horizon" (1930, lyrics by W. Franke Harling/Leo Robin), "One Hour with You" (1932, lyrics by Leo Robin), "On the Good Ship Lollipop" (1934, lyrics by Sidney Clare), "Too Marvelous for Words" (1937, lyrics by Johnny Mercer) and "Hooray for Hollywood" (1938, lyrics by Johnny Mercer). Whiting passed away on February 10, 1938 in Beverly Hills, California at the age of 46.

Extent

1.63 Linear Feet (in 3 boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract:

Richard A. Whiting was a prominent music composer for Hollywood and Broadway productions from the 1920s-1930s. The Richard A. Whiting Collection, 1896-2006, contains files related to Whiting's life and career as a musical composer including correspondence, photographs, periodicals and sheet music.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged alphabetically.

Off-Site Storage

Collection is stored offsite. Allow at least 2 working days for retrieval.

Acquisition Information

Donated by Margaret Whiting, 2006 and Debi Whiting, August 2010.

Separated Materials:

During processing various materials were separated to other Popular Music and Culture Music Collections. Consult the University Library's online catalog or contact Special Collections for access to sheet music.

Popular Music Sheet Music Collection

  1. Adorable (lyrics by George Marion, Jr.)
  2. Ain't We Got Fun (lyrics by Gus Khan/ Ray Egan)
  3. Alma Mammy (lyrics by George Marion, Jr.)
  4. Along the Way to Waikiki (lyrics by Gus Khan)
  5. Always in All Ways (lyrics by Franke W. Harling)
  6. Aunt Jemima (lyrics by Ray Egan)
  7. The Big Red Motor and the Little Blue Limousine (lyrics by Earle C. Jones)
  8. A Bee In Your Boudoir (lyrics by George Marion, Jr.)
  9. Bimini Bay (lyrics by Gus Khan/ Ray Egan)
  10. Breezin' Along (With the Breeze) (lyrics by Haven Gillespie)
  11. Consolation (lyrics by Leo Robin)
  12. Do You Play, Madame? (lyrics by George Marion, Jr.)
  13. Don't I Do (lyrics by George Marion, Jr.)
  14. For You (lyrics by Al Lewis/ Howard Simon)
  15. Guilty (lyrics by Gus Khan/ Harry Arkst)
  16. Honey (lyrics by Seymour Simons/ Haven Gillespie)
  17. Hooray For Hollywood (lyrics by Johnny Mercer)
  18. Horses (lyrics by Byron Gay)
  19. It Seems To Be Spring (lyrics by George Marion, Jr.)
  20. It's Tulip Time in Holland (lyrics by Dave Radford)
  21. I've Got a Yen For You (lyrics by George Marion, Jr.)
  22. The Japanese Sandman (lyrics by Ray Egan)
  23. Joe Jazz (lyrics by George Marion, Jr.)
  24. June Comes Around Every Year (lyrics by Johnny Mercer)
  25. Let That Be A Lesson To You (lyrics by Johnny Mercer)
  26. Louise (lyrics by Leo Robin)
  27. Mammy's Little Coal Black Rose (lyrics by Ray Egan)
  28. Mighty Blue (lyrics by Ray Egan)
  29. Miss Brown To You (lyrics by Leo Robin/ Ralph Rainger)
  30. My Future Just Passed (lyrics by George Marion, Jr.)
  31. My Mad Moment (lyrics by George Marion, Jr.)
  32. My Sweeter Than Sweet (lyrics by George Marion, Jr.)
  33. On the Good Ship Lollipop (lyrics by Sidney Clare)
  34. One Hour With You (lyrics by Leo Robin)
  35. Pampa Rose (lyrics by George Marion, Jr.)
  36. A Peach of a Pair (lyrics by George Marion, Jr.)
  37. The Pick Up (lyrics by George Marion, Jr.)
  38. Precious (lyrics by Ray Egan)
  39. The Pump Song (lyrics by Sammy Lerner/ Buddy Fields)
  40. Rien Ne M'Etonne (I Could Never Be Annoyed) (lyrics by Andre Hornez/ Leo Robin)
  41. Rock-A-Bye Time (lyrics by Ray Egan/ Gene Shirley)
  42. Rosy Cheeks (lyrics by Seymour Simons)
  43. She (lyrics by Al Lewis/ Howard Simon)
  44. She Hums You a Waltz (lyrics by George Marion, Jr.)
  45. She's Funny That Way (lyrics by Neil Moret)
  46. Sleepy Time Gal (lyrics by Joseph Alden/ Ray Egan)
  47. Somebody's Wrong (lyrics by Henry I. Marshall/ Ray Egan)
  48. Sorry (lyrics by Buddy Pepper)
  49. Sweet Forget Me Not (lyrics by Gus Khan)
  50. Till We Meet Again (lyrics by Ray Egan)
  51. Tin Pan Parade (lyrics by Haven Gillespie)
  52. A Tree In the Meadow (lyrics by Billy Reid)
  53. Ukulele Lady (lyrics by Gus Khan)
  54. Waitin' At the Gate For Katy (lyrics by Gus Khan)
  55. When Did You Leave Heaven (lyrics by Walter Bullock)
  56. When Your Boy Becomes A Man (lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein)
  57. You Appeal To Me (lyrics by George Marion, Jr.)

Processing Information

Processed by Amanda Brown, February 2007. Additions added by Hilary Morrish, Spring 2016. Files are arranged alphabetically by folder title. Detailed information on material in this collection was provided by the donor.

Title
Richard A. Whiting:
Subtitle
A Guide to His Collection at Georgia State University Library
Status
Completed
Author
Georgia State University Library
Date
February 2007
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Special Collections Repository

Contact:
100 Decatur St., S.E.
Atlanta, Georgia 30303
404-413-2880
404-413-2881 (Fax)