Monte Carlo (composer)

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Hans von Holstein, better known as Monte Carlo (14 July 1883 — 9 June 1967), was a Danish-born American Broadway composer and author.[1]

Life[edit]

Von Holstein was born in Skamlingsbanken,[1] Gravenstein,[2] Denmark, on 14 July 1883.[2]

He came to the U.S. in 1906 to avoid studying medicine.[1] He changed his name to Hans Carlo, and soon began using Monte Carlo as his name. He became a naturalized US citizen in 1914. He received pre-medical training in Chicago, with songwriting as chief avocation. He started writing music with Alma Sanders, whom he met at Jerome H. Remick's music publishing firm.[1] She eventually became his wife.[3] They collaborated on a number of shows and a large number of songs.[2] He joined the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers in 1923.[4]

In 1930, he was living with his wife at 10 Williams Avenue in Mount Vernon, New York.[5] In 1942, he was living at 145 West 55th Street, New York.[6]

After the death of his wife in 1956, he moved to Houston, Texas.[7] There he became vice-president of Carsen Music Publishing, founded by his step-son, Edward C. Benjamin Sr.[4] He died in Houston on June 9, 1967.[4][8]

Songs with music or lyrics by Monte Carlo[edit]

"Little Town in the old County Down"
"Dinny Danny; The Irish Yacki Hula"
"That Tumble-Down Shack in Athlone"
"Every Tear Is a Smile in an Irishman's Heart"
"By the waters of Killarney"
"Just a bit of Irish lace"
"Two Blue Eyes, One Little Green Isle"
"My Home in the County Mayo"
"The Hills of Connemara"
"The Old Wooden Bridge in Athlone"[2][9]

Several songs became very popular after being recorded by John McCormack in the early 1920s.

Shows[edit]

  • The Voice of McConnell by George M. Cohan, (1918; supplied songs)[10]
  • Tangerine (1921)
  • Elsie (1923)
  • The Chiffon Girl (1924)
  • Bye Bye Barbara (1924)
  • Princess April (1924)
  • Oh! Oh! Nurse (1925)
  • Houseboat on the Styx (1928; supplied songs)
  • Mystery Moon (1930)
  • Louisiana Lady (1947)

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d "In the Shifting Broadway Scene: Who Are Carlo and Sanders?," New York Times (Jan. 20, 1929), p. X4.
  2. ^ a b c d ASCAP 1952 (2006). "Music, songs, composers". The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Retrieved 2008-08-10.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  3. ^ Suskin, Steven. Show Tunes, 2000. ISBN 978-0-19-512599-3. p. 360
  4. ^ a b c "Monte Carlo," Variety (Jun. 21, 1967).
  5. ^ 1930 United States Federal Census for Mount Vernon, New York.
  6. ^ U.S. World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942, available on Ancestry.com.
  7. ^ Alma's obit from 1956 indicates they were still living on 55th Street.
  8. ^ The Social Security Death Index, 080-28-6640 gives the date as just "June 1967."
  9. ^ "The World's Largest Library Catalog". WorldCat.org. Retrieved 2013-03-31.
  10. ^ "The official source for Broadway Information". IBDB. Retrieved 2013-03-31.