- physdesc
-
{"format"=>"structured", "physdesc_components"=>[{"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"17 linear feet", "unit"=>"linear feet"}, {"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"33 flat boxes", "unit"=>"containers"}], "supress_display"=>true}
- unitid
-
{"value"=>"JPB 04-33", "type"=>"local_call"}
{"value"=>"20314", "type"=>"local_mss"}
- unitdate
-
{"value"=>"1916-1975", "type"=>"inclusive", "normal"=>"1916/1975"}
{"value"=>"1924-1961", "type"=>"bulk", "normal"=>"1924/1961"}
- date_inclusive_start
-
1916
- date_inclusive_end
-
1975
- keydate
-
1916
- unittitle
-
{"value"=>"Jay Gorney scores"}
- repository
-
{"value"=>"<span class=\"corpname\">The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. <span class=\"subarea\">Music Division.</span></span> <div class=\"address\"> <span class=\"addressline\">New York, New York</span></div>"}
- abstract
-
{"value"=>"Jay Gorney was a composer, writing for the stage, screen, and television from the mid-1920s through the late 1960s, and a teacher and lecturer in musical comedy and theater. This collection consists of published scores from his earliest student works (University of Michigan), original and published scores of his theatrical, motion picture and television works, and scores and score fragments from student workshop productions from both Harvard's Hasty Pudding Theatricals and the American Theatre Wing training program."}
- langmaterial
-
{"value"=>"English"}
- prefercite
-
{"value"=>"<p>Jay Gorney Scores, JPB 04-33, Music Division, The New York Public Library.</p>"}
- origination
-
{"value"=>"Gorney, Jay, 1896-1990", "type"=>"persname"}
- bioghist
-
{"value"=>"<p>Jay Gorney (née A.J. Gornetsky, and later Daniel Jason Gorney) was born on December 12,1896 in Bialystok, Russia, eventually emigrating to Detroit with his family at age 6, after escaping a Russian pogrom. His musical abilities emerged at an early age during piano lessons. Eventually, he led his high school orchestra, and earned extra money on weekends by playing the piano for the local silent movie theaters.</p> <p>He attended University of Michigan, working his way through by writing school songs and leading school bands. He also studied basic music theory, counterpoint and orchestration in the school's music department. Despite his musical talent, his father strongly urged him to study medicine or law. Gorney pursued and completed his law degree, but after one year of practice, he gave it up to pursue songwriting in the mid 1920s.</p> <p>He enjoyed a long flourishing career, that started by writing songs for Broadway shows and revues including <span class=\"title\">Earl Carroll's Sketch Book</span>(1929), the<span class=\"title\"> Ziegfeld Follies</span>(1931), <span class=\"title\">Touch and Go</span> (1949), <span class=\"title\">Merry-Go-Round</span> (1927), <span class=\"title\">Meet the People</span> (1941), and <span class=\"title\">Sweetheart Time</span> (1925). In 1932 Gorney, working with lyricist <span class=\"name\">E.Y. (Yip) Harburg</span>, penned the music to the tune that became a Depression-era anthem, <span class=\"title\">Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?</span>as part of the revue, <span class=\"title\">Americana</span>.</p> <p>During 1929-30 Gorney was hired by Paramount Pictures' New York office. In 1933, he went to Hollywood, where he worked for the Fox and Columbia studios, adding Hollywood screenplays to his working repertoire. Gorney's motion picture credits include,<span class=\"title\"> Jimmy and Sally</span> (1933), <span class=\"title\">Moonlight and Pretzels</span> (1933), <span class=\"title\">Wild Gold</span>(1934), <span class=\"title\">Lottery Lover</span> (1934), <span class=\"title\">Redheads on Parade</span> (1935),<span class=\"title\"> The Heat's On</span> (1943) and <span class=\"title\">Hey Rookie!</span> (1943).</p> <p>Gorney is also responsible for introducing an American legend to the silver screen. In 1934 while walking through the lobby of the Fox-Ritz Theatre he noticed a little girl, \"doing some jiggling dance steps\" while waiting for her mother. The girl was <span class=\"name\">Shirley Temple</span>, who was offered a part in <span class=\"title\">Stand Up and Cheer</span>, singing one of Gorney's tunes, <span class=\"title\">Baby, Take a Bow</span>, (lyrics by Lew Brown) with James Dunn. The film was a hit and Temple was rewarded with a seven-year film contract. In addition to Harburg and Brown, Gorney collaborated with <span class=\"name\"> Henry Myers</span>, <span class=\"name\">Edward Eliscu</span>, <span class=\"name\">Sidney Clare</span>, <span class=\"name\">Howard Dietz</span> and <span class=\"name\">Jean and Walter Kerr</span> in film and stage productions.</p> <p>As a Jew who experienced and escaped anit-Semitisim as a child, Gorney was very aware and supportive of human rights and social justice issues and joined in with the artistic and intellectual community's group efforts to improve conditions in these areas. He was very active in several unions, including the Songwriter's Guild, Actor's Guild, and ASCAP. It was this aspect of his life that produced songs like, <span class=\"title\">The Bill of Rights</span>, and <span class=\"title\">These Are the Times</span>, setting to music words from our founding fathers, and <span class=\"title\">Are You Backing up Your Commander-in-Chief?</span> (undated), and <span class=\"title\">General MacArthur's Message to the Russian Army</span> (1942) which put MacArthur's tribute to the Russian Army's successful defeat of the Nazis during World War II to music. It also led to his being called in front of the House Committee on Un-American Activities in 1955, and being blacklisted along with many other talented performers in that era and effectively ending his motion picture career.</p> <p>The Gorneys had returned to New York in 1947 to work on a theater production, and New York became their permanent home again. Gorney began to teach, offering classes in musical theater and songwriting. He became the chairman of the Department of Musical Playwriting at the Dramatic Workshop of the New School (1948-51). He ran his own Jay Gorney School of Musical Comedy, and later taught for the American Theatre Wing's Professional Training Program, teaching sketch writing and leading a student production company that developed and performed student work. His wife, Sondra Gorney, a talented musician in her own right, taught with him in these classes. He also worked with Harvard University's Hasty Pudding Theatricals in 1966.</p> <p>In the early 1960s Gorney tried his hand at television, first writing, then directing and producing several episodes of religious programming for CBS-TV (<span class=\"title\">Look up and Live</span>) and NBC-TV (<span class=\"title\">Frontiers of Faith</span>). But by this time, the Parkinson's Disease which would claim his life had become apparent and began to limit his working abilities. Friends remember Gorney as a gentle man who was kind and respectful to everyone, but especially to children. He had a quickness of invention in song writing and was always willing to sit down at a keyboard to entertain others. Among his awards are a Tony award for teaching (1962), a Yale Drama School Citation (1965), a Songwriters Hall of Fame Outstanding Song Award (1976) and the ASCAP/Richard Rodgers Award (1986).</p> <p>Gorney died on June 14, 1990 in New York City, of Parkinson's Disease. He was survived by his wife Sondra (to whom he was married for 48 years), and three children, (actress) Karen Lynn Gorney, Dr. Rod Gorney and Daniel Gorney.</p> <p> <span class=\"emph\">Sources</span>:</p> <p>Bald, Wambly. Family Therapists. <span class=\"emph\">New York Post</span>, July 9, 1950; p.18M.</p> <p>Holden, Stephen. Obituary. <span class=\"emph\">New York Times</span>, June 15, 1990.</p> <p>Obituary. <span class=\"emph\">Variety</span>, June 20, 1990.</p> <p>Advertisements, <span class=\"emph\">New York Times</span>, November 15, 1953; September 8, 1954.</p> <p><span class=\"emph\">Big Bands Database Plus</span>, biographical information on Jay Gorney. Accessed 11/15/04 at: http://nfo.net/cal/tg4.html#Gorney</p>"}
- scopecontent
-
{"value"=>"<p>The Jay Gorney scores includes original holograph manuscripts of musical works by him, published sheet music by him or other composers, arrangements of published works for student workshop productions, and photocopies of either. The collection is divided into music for the stage (including revues), motion pictures, and television, miscellaneous works and student workshop material from both the <span class=\"name\">American Theatre Wing</span> Professional Training School and Harvard's <span class=\"name\">Hasty Pudding Theatricals</span> . Occassionally written notes, typed song lyrics or song lists will be included among the scores; these are noted where applicable.</p> <p>Noteable items in the collection include several of the numbers written for the Revues of the early 1920s, including songs from <span class=\"title\">Hassard Short's Ritz Revue</span> (box 1, folder 15); five pieces written for <span class=\"title\">Earl Carroll's Sketch Book</span>, and <span class=\"title\">Earl Carroll's Vanities</span> (b.1, fs.7-11); the <span class=\"title\">Greenwich Village Follies</span> (b.1, fs.13-14); and the <span class=\"title\">Ziegfeld Follies</span> (b.26, f.1). Many of these pieces are original published sheet music with wonderful cover art, evocative of the period. Similarly colorful cover art can be found on some of the published songs Gorney wrote when he was a student at the University of Michigan between 1916 and 1921 (b.30, fs.19-25). Scores from successful stage productions such as <span class=\"title\">Meet the People</span>(1939-1941 and 1955 versions, b.10, f.12 through b.16, f.10 and the 1943 version in b.16, fs.21-32), <span class=\"title\">Merry-Go-Round</span> (b.16, fs.11-15) and Tony Award winning (for choreography) <span class=\"title\">Touch and Go</span>(b.22, f.1 through b.24, f.11) are included in this collection. <span class=\"title\">Touch and Go</span> scores include 11 songs that were dropped from the production. The score for the song that introduced Shirley Temple to the world, <span class=\"title\">Baby, Take a Bow</span>, is included, though only as published sheet music, with others from the 1934 motion picture, <span class=\"title\">Stand Up and Cheer</span> (b.26, f.45-50).</p> <p> Scores found in the Historic and Progressive Songs subseries may be of interest to researchers studying American culture and social comment. This series (b.30, fs.1-18) includes songs that comment on American life and politics from <span class=\"title\">Mister Roosevelt, Won't You Please Run Again?</span>(1939), through <span class=\"title\">Trust Captain L.B.J.</span> (1975). Unfortunately, a copy of Gorney's best known work, <span class=\"title\">Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?</span> from the revue, <span class=\"title\">Americana</span>, is not in this collection.</p>"}
{"value"=>"<p class='list-head'>The Jay Gorney scores are arranged in five series:</p>\n<ul class='arrangement series-descriptions'>\n<li><div class='series-title'><a href='/mus/20314#c562172'>Series I. Theatrical Works</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1924-1955</div>\n<div class='series-extent'>23 boxes</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>This series contains scores from many of Gorney's early revues, like <span class=\"title\">Earl Carroll's Revue</span> and the <span class=\"title\">Ziegfield Follies</span>, to scores from the 1950 Tony Award winning <span class=\"title\">Touch and Go</span> (choreography). Most of the scores listed as having parts consist of piano scores or voice and piano sheet music for the song listed. Individual instrument parts are rare, though instrumentation can be found in the conductor's or orchestra scores that are often included.</p> <p>Two works are thought to have never been produced: <span class=\"title\">Make Mine Manhattan</span> and <span class=\"title\">The Geografoof</span>. It is possible that <span class=\"title\">Make Mine Manhattan's</span> music were written for a 1948 Broadway revue but not used.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/mus/20314#c562573'>Series II. Motion Pictures</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1933-34; 1944</div>\n<div class='series-extent'>1 box</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>Most of the included scores are piano and voice arrangements of the title listed. The majority of them are published sheet music; exceptions are noted next to the title. The title <span class=\"title\">Meet the People</span> had two films, a 1941 was a short film of meeting various celebrities. The 1944 production is the stage version adapted for film.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/mus/20314#c562645'>Series III. Television</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1958; 1961</div>\n<div class='series-extent'>1 box</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p> In the late 1950s and early 1960s, Gorney tried his hand at writing, producing and directing for television. This series documents several of the shows he worked on, which was primarily religious broadcasting. It is unknown whether or not <span class=\"title\">Kris Kringle Rides Again</span> was ever broadcast.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/mus/20314#c562653'>Series IV. Miscellaneous Works</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1916-1975</div>\n<div class='series-extent'>3 boxes</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p> This series includes dance band arrangements of popular tunes from many of his stage and screen productions, and songs written to reflect current or historical events, as well as Gorney's earliest published work, the material he wrote during his college years at University of Michigan</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/mus/20314#c562708'>Series V. Student Workshops</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>c.1954-1967</div>\n<div class='series-extent'>3 Boxes</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>This series includes original scores and new arrangements of popular show numbers created for productions of the professional training workshops of the <span class=\"name\">American Theatre Wing</span> . Many of the songs are arranged by production title, but many are miscellaneous loose pieces which were not identified with a particular production.</p> <p>Please note, the scores for the production, <span class=\"title\">Babes in Arms</span>, consisted of a several smaller folders with the titles listed, couched within a larger folder entitiled, <span class=\"title\">Babes in Arms</span>. It suggests that each smaller folder was a scene within the larger production, but there is no evidence to confirm that within this collection</p></div></li></ul>\n", "type"=>"arrangement"}
- arrangement
-
{"value"=>"<p>The Jay Gorney Scores are organized in the following series: <ul> <li>Series I. Theatrical Works, 1924-1955</li> <li>Series II. Motion Pictures, 1933-34; 1944</li> <li>Series III. Television, 1958; 1961</li> <li>Series IV. Miscellaneous Works, 1916-1975</li> <li>Series V. Student Workshops, c.1954-1967</li></ul></p>", "supress_display"=>true}
- acqinfo
-
{"value"=>"<p>Gift from Sondra K. Gorney, January 1994 to the Billy Rose Theatre Collection as the<span class=\"emph\"> Jay Gorney Papers.</span> The <span class=\"emph\">Jay Gorney Scores</span> were separated out and transferred to Music Division on February 3, 1994.</p>"}
- accessrestrict
-
{"value"=>"<p>Offsite storage; advanced notice required for retrieval.</p>"}
- userestrict
-
{"value"=>"<p>For permission to copy or publish, contact the Division Chief, Music Division, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.</p>"}
- processinfo
-
{"value"=>"<p>Compiled by Michala Biondi; machine readable finding aid created by FAKER.</p>"}
- extent_statement
-
17 linear feet (33 flat boxes)
- date_start
-
1916
- date_end
-
1975
- date_bulk_start
-
1924
- date_bulk_end
-
1961