Rodgers and Hart
A publicity handout for Rodger's and Hart's breakthrough Broadway hit, The Garrick Gaieties.

Rodgers, Hart and Fields had been working on a book musical based on an actual incident that took place during the American Revolution. At the request of George Washington, a New York housewife entertains a group of British commanders "by every means" – allowing the Americans time to make a strategic retreat. Filled with gentle sexual innuendo, this project was rejected by producers until the success of the Gaieties. Dearest Enemy (1925 - 286) received a lavish production, and made it clear that this new creative team was not just a flash in the pan.

The original sheet music cover for "My Heart Stood Still" one of the hit songs introduced in Rodgers and Hart's A Connecticut Yankee.

Rodgers, Hart and Fields achieved even greater success with A Connecticut Yankee (1927 - 418). Based on Mark Twain's tale of a modern American who dreams that he has been transported to King Arthur's legendary court, it featured amusing combinations of neo-medieval speech and 1920s slang ("Methinks yon damsel is a lovely broad"). The score included "My Heart Stood Still" and the scintillating "Thou Swell." William Gaxton won acclaim in the central role, beginning his long reign as Broadway's most popular musical comedy leading man.

Rodgers and Hart's early shows were lighthearted romps, but some of their songs had surprising, bittersweet undertones. No lyricist ever eclipsed Larry Hart's gift for capturing the heartbreak of hopeless love. Since romantic frustration plagued his private life, this was not altogether surprising.

As the stock market crash of 1929 led to tough times on Broadway, Rodgers and Hart suffered a series of frustrating near hits and outright flops. When Paramount Pictures offered them a generous contract to create screen musicals, they took their talents out West. They would return to Broadway in the mid-1930s to create a string of outstanding musical comedies. (Their story continues in an upcoming chapter.)

Cole Porter
Composer-lyricist Cole Porter inherited a fortune, so he had little financial incentive to pursue a theatrical career. His remarkable talents won attention at both Harvard and Yale. After the failure of Porter's first musical -- See America First (1916 - 15) -- he set composing aside and lived the high life in Europe for several years.

Things changed in the 1920s when he placed his career in the hands of agent Louis Schurr. Within a year Porter was working on a succession of worthwhile projects. The modest success of Paris (1928 - 195) with its daring song hit "Let's Do It," led to to the delightful musical comedy Fifty Million Frenchmen (1929 - 254), featuring "You've Got That Thing" and "You Do Something to Me." Porter's melodies ranged from bright to sensual, and his witty lyrics featured witty rhymes and daring sexual innuendo. The first Broadway lyricist to openly discuss sex in his songs, Porter would rise to fame in the 1930s.

The Gershwins
Fred and Adele Astaire are featured on a publicity flyer for the Gershwin hit Lady Be Good (1924).

Those who say they love "a Gershwin song" often forget that Ira Gershwin's ingenious rhymes are just as important as his brother George Gershwin's unique blend of jazz and neo-classical melody. 

Both men occasionally collaborated with others. George's rousing melody to "Swanee" (lyrics by Irving Caesar) won little attention in a mediocre Broadway revue, but then Al Jolson made it an international sensation. George quickly became one of the hottest musical talents in New York, and teamed with Ira on nine 1920s stage scores. Most of these shows were produced by the team of Alex Aarons and Vinton Freedley, including these memorable hits –

–Lady Be Good (1924 - 330) brought Broadway stardom to Fred Astaire and his sister Adele as a pair of impoverished dancing siblings who try to masquerade their way into a fortune. The title tune and "Fascinating Rhythm" became major hits. The show and the Astaires triumphed again in London, where a 326 performance 1926 run ended only because the theatre was slated for demolition.

–Oh Kay! (1926 - 256) was a comedy about a millionaire who doesn't realize that Prohibition rum runners are using his Long Island mansion as a smuggling station. It featured Gertrude Lawrence singing "Someone To Watch Over Me" and the catchy "Do, Do, Do."

–Funny Face (1927 - 263) featured Adele Astaire as a girl trying to get back her diary from her guardian (Fred), opening the way for a series of mishaps. The score included "S'Wonderful," "My One And Only," and the title tune.

The librettos to these shows were little more than amusing excuses to get from song to song, something George and Ira would work to change in the next decade. For now, the effervescent songs mattered most.

Schwartz & Dietz
Composer Arthur Schwartz began writing specialty numbers for Broadway shows in the mid 1920s, but he got his first taste of top rank success when he collaborated with lyricist (and longtime MGM publicity director) Howard Dietz on the score for The Little Show (1929 - 321). This was the first American revue to give wit precedence over spectacle. Comedian Fred Allen won acclaim with his sardonic banter, torch singer Libby Hollman smoldered in "Moanin' Low," and future movie star Clifton Webb introduced "I Guess I'll Have to Change My Plan." Schwartz and Dietz would cement their reputations with several more intimate revues in the 1930s. There is more on this team in the pages ahead.

We've saved three of the biggest Broadway events of the 1920s for last: Good News, Al Jolson, and Show Boat. And yes, Jolson was not just a person – he was an event.