Nacio Herb Brown

Ignacio Herbert "Nacio Herb" Brown (February 22, 1896 – September 28, 1964)^[1] was an American writer of popular songs, movie scores and Broadway theatre music in the 1920s through the early 1950s. Amongst his most enduring works are the scores for the 1952 musical film Singin' in the Rain, and the 1937 Broadway musical Babes in Arms.

Life and career[]

Ignacio Herbert Brown was born in Deming, New Mexico, United States,^[1] to Ignacio and Cora Brown.^[2][3][4] He had an older sister, Charlotte.^[2] In 1901, his family moved to Los Angeles, where he attended Manual Arts High School.^[1] His music education started with instruction from his mother, Cora Alice (Hopkins) Brown. Brown first operated a tailoring business (1916), and then became a financially successful realtor, but he always wrote and played.^[1] After his first hit "Coral Sea" (1920)^[1] and first big hit, "When Buddha Smiles" (1921), he eventually became a full-time composer. He joined The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) in 1927.

In 1928 he was hired to work in Hollywood by MGM and write film scores for the new medium of sound film. For his film work, he often collaborated with lyricist Arthur Freed.^[1] Their music is collected for the most part in Singin' in the Rain. He appeared in the MGM variety film The Hollywood Revue of 1929.^[1] Brown also worked with Richard A. Whiting and Buddy De Sylva on Broadway Musicals such as Take a Chance.^[1]

Along with L. Wolfe Gilbert, Nacio wrote the music for the popular children's television western, Hopalong Cassidy which first aired in 1949.

After an 18-month battle with cancer and a brief hospitalization at UCSF Medical Center, Brown died on September 28, 1964, in San Francisco, California at the home of his children, Nacio Jan Brown and Candace Nacio Brown.^[5]

Legacy[]

He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970, and into the New Mexico Entertainment Hall of Fame in 2012.

Marriage[]

Brown was married at least five times.

1. Ruby Porter, with whom he had one child, Nacio Herb Brown, Jr., who also became a composer. Brown and Porter divorced in 1931.^[6]
2. In 1932 he married Jeanne Borlini Lockhart.^[7]
3. In 1934 he married actress Anita Page.^[8]
4. Beffie Kellogg^{[citation needed]}
5. Georgeann Morris, to whom he was married when he died. The couple had two children together, Nacio Jan Brown and Candace Brown.^{[citation needed]}

Published songs and music[]

• "All I Do Is Dream of You"
• "Alone"
• "American Bolero"
• "Avalon Town "
• "Broadway Melody"
• "Broadway Rhythm"
• "Doll Dance"
• "Eadie Was a Lady"
• "Good Morning"
• "I've Got a Feelin’ You're Foolin"'
• "Love Is Where You Find It"
• "Make 'Em Laugh"
• "The Moon Is Low" (with Arthur Freed)
• "A New Moon Is Over My Shoulder"
• "Our Big Love Scene"
• "Pagan Love Song" (with Arthur Freed)
• "Paradise" (1931)
• "Should I"
• "Singin' in the Rain"
• "Sweetheart Darlin"'
• "Temptation"
• "Wedding of the Painted Doll"
• "When Buddha Smiles" (1921)
• "Would You"
• "You Are My Lucky Star"
• "You Stepped Out of a Dream"
• "You Were Meant For Me"

References[]

External links[]

• Nacio Herb Brown at IMDb
• Nacio Herb Brown at the Internet Broadway Database
• SHoF page on Nacio Herb Brown
• More complete list of songs on SHoF site
• Hopalong Cassidy Music
• Nacio Herb Brown at Find a Grave
• Nacio Herb Brown recordings at the Discography of American Historical Recordings.