Irving Caesar

Irving Caesar (July 4, 1895 – December 18, 1996) was an American lyricist and theater composer who wrote lyrics for "Swanee," "Sometimes I'm Happy," "Crazy Rhythm," and "Tea for Two," one of the most frequently recorded tunes ever written. He was born and died in New York.

Caesar, the son of Morris Keiser, a Romanian Jew, was born Isidor Keiser. His older brother Arthur Caesar was a successful Hollywood screenwriter. The Caesar brothers spent their childhood and teen years in Yorkville, the same Manhattan neighborhood where the Marx Brothers were raised. Caesar knew the Marx Brothers during his childhood. He was educated at Chappaqua Mountain Institute in Chappaqua, New York.

Broadway credits

Note: All productions are musicals unless otherwise stated.

• La La Lucille (1919) - additional lyrics
• Kissing Time (1920) - adaptation of an earlier version of this musical - co-lyricist
• Pins and Needles (1922) - revue - co-lyricist
• The Greenwich Village Follies of 1922 (1922) - revue - co-lyricist and co-bookwriter
• The Greenwich Village Follies of 1923 (1923) - revue - co-lyricist
• The Greenwich Village Follies of 1924 (1924) - revue - co-lyricist
• Betty Lee (1924) - co-lyricist
• No, No, Nanette (1925) - co-lyricist
• Charlot Revue (1925) - revue - featured lyricist for "Gigolette" and "A Cup of Coffee, a Sandwich and You"
• Sweetheart Time (1926) - co-lyricist
• Ziegfeld's Revue "No Foolin'" (1926) - revue - co-lyricist
• Betsy (1926) - co-bookwriter
• Talk About Girls (1927) - lyricist
• Yes, Yes, Yvette (1927) - story originator
• Here's Howe (1928) - lyricist
• Americana of 1928 (1928) - revue - co-lyricist
• Polly (1929) - co-composer and co-lyricist
• George White's Scandals of 1929 (1929) - revue - co-composer and co-lyricist
• Ripples (1930) - co-lyricist
• Nina Rosa (1930) - lyricist
• The Wonder Bar (1931) - play - co-playwright/adaptor of the original German
• George White's Scandals of 1931 (1931) - revue - co-bookwriter
• George White's Music Hall Varieties of 1932 (1932) - revue - co-composer and lyricist
• Melody (1933) - lyricist
• Shady Lady (1933) - reviser
• Continental Varieties (1934) - revue - dialogue-writer
• The White Horse Inn (1936) - English-version lyricist
• My Dear Public (1943) - co-composer, co-lyricist, and co-bookwriter

Post-retirement credits:

• The American Dance Machine (1978) - dance revue - featured lyricist
• Up in One (1979) - revue - featured songwriter
• Big Deal (1986) - featured English-version lyricist for "Just a Gigolo"
• Sally Marr...and her escorts (1994) - play - featured lyricist for "Tea for Two"

External links

• Official website
• Irving Caesar at the Internet Broadway Database
• New York Times obituary