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Otto Abels Harbach, born Otto Abels Hauerbach (August 18, 1873 – January 24, 1963) was an American lyricist and librettist of about 50 musical comedies. He was Oscar Hammerstein II's mentor and believed that librettists should integrate songs into the plot. He is considered one of the first great lyricists, and helped raise the status of the lyricist in an age concerned more with music, costumes, and stars. Some of his more famous lyrics are for "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes", "Indian Love Call" and "Cuddle up a Little Closer, Lovey Mine".

Otto Harbach
Otto Harbach.jpg
Background information
Birth nameOtto Abels Hauerbach
Born(1873-08-18)August 18, 1873
Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.
DiedJanuary 24, 1963(1963-01-24) (aged 89)
New York City, New York, U.S.
Occupation(s)Lyricist, librettist

Early life and educationEdit


He attended the Salt Lake Collegiate Institute, transferring to Knox College, in Galesburg, Illinois, where he was a friend of Carl Sandburg, joined Phi Gamma Delta fraternity, and graduated in 1895. Knox has since named its 599-seat Harbach Theatre in his honor. He obtained his master's degree in English from Whitman College[clarification needed] in Walla Walla, Washington, and attended Columbia University in New York with the goal of becoming an English professor. In the early 1900s, complaining of eye difficulties making prolonged reading uncomfortable, he became a newspaper reporter. He also worked at various advertising agencies, at an insurance firm, as a copywriter in advertising, and later as a journalist. He would have to pull out of Columbia when he could not financially support himself.

Early career (1902–1911)Edit


Their next collaboration was Madame Sherry in 1910, adapting a 1902 German operetta with Jack Gardner in the lead role. The show featured a song that was not theirs: the Albert von Tilzer and Junie McCree song "Put Your Arms Around Me, Honey" was put into the score because it was popular. They would collaborate for four more shows until Hoschna died in 1911, at the age of thirty-four.

Career (1912–1924)Edit



He would also work with composer Louis Hirsch during this time, and would score his biggest success so far in 1917 with Going Up.[2] This was his first attempt at a musical comedy, as opposed to an American operetta.[1] The show was based on the 1910 comedy by James Montgomery, who co-wrote the libretto with Harbach. The show ran for 351 performances, toured nationally, and was an even larger hit in London.

Other worksEdit


Harbach was also an inductee of the Songwriter's Hall of Fame. He died in New York City.[3]

Notable songsEdit

He was lyricist for many songs including:



  1. ^ a b Bloom, Ken (2003). Broadway: An Encyclopedia. New York: Routledge. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
  2. ^ a b Parker, Bernard S. (2007). World War I Sheet Music - Volume 1. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc. pp. 191, 230. ISBN 0-7864-2798-1.
  3. ^ "Harbach, Otto, 1873-1963 @ SNAC". Retrieved 2018-09-13.

External linksEdit