Who's Who in Musicals: Additional Bios XVI
by John Kenrick
(Copyright 2004)

Ring, Blanche
Actress, singer
b. Apr. 24, 1877 (Boston, MA) - d. Jan. 17, 1961 (NYC)
This small but energetic performer spent years in stock and vaudeville, where she was famous for encouraging audiences to sing along with her. Ring made her Broadway debut in The Defender (1902), introducing her vaudeville hit, "In the Good Old Summertime." As audiences cheered and sang with gusto, Ring began her four decade reign as one of Broadway's top musical comediennes. She usually sang with a pronounced brogue, delighting Irish-American listeners. She appeared in more than 20 stage musicals, introducing some of the most popular hit songs of the early 20th Century -- including "Come Josephine In My Flying Machine." Ring caused such a sensation singing "I've Got Rings On My fingers" in The Midnight Sons (1909) that she had to reprise the song in her next show, The Yankee Girl (1910).

Taking over the lead in The Merry Widow Burlesque (1908), Ring interpolated her popular "Yip-I-Addy-I-Ay," and made several appearances in silent films. She introduced "The Where Has My Hubby Gone Blues" in the pre-Broadway tour of No, No, Nanette (1925) -- but walked out of that show before the New York opening. Ring had a featured role in Strike Up the Band (1930), and made her final musical appearance in the short-lived Right This Way (1938). She appeared in a few sound films, including If I Had My Way (1940), but was unable to make much impact on screen. Married four times, her final union with actor Charles Winninger ended after a prolonged separation in 1952.

Rounseville, Robert Field
Singer
b. Mar. 25, 1914 (Attleboro, MA) - d. Aug. 6, 1974 (NYC)
A classically trained tenor, Rounseville appeared in the Broadway ensembles of Babes in Arms (1937), Knickerbocker Holiday (1938), and Higher and Higher (1940), then took the featured role of Camille in a hit revival of The Merry Widow (1943). After appearing as Andrew Munroe in Up in Central Park (1945), Rounseville alternated between grand opera and regional theatre, making big screen appearances in the title role of The Tales of Hoffman (1951) and Mr. Snow in Carousel (1956). Back on Broadway, he originated the title role of Candide (1956), introducing Leonard Bernstein's "Make This Garden Grow." Rounseville was the original Padre Perez in Man of La Mancha (1965), introducing "To Each His Dulcinea." He died of a heart attack at age 60.

Rupert, Michael
(b. Michael Ruppert)
Actor, singer, composer
b. Oct. 23, 1951 (San Marino, CA)
At age 16, Rupert made an impressive Broadway debut as Bibi in The Happy Time (1968), sharing the showstopper "A Certain Girl" with co-stars Robert Goulet and David Wayne -- and earning his first Tony nomination. Unlike many child performers, his talent and looks only improved with time. After several years in TV and film, Rupert took over the title role in the long-running Pippin (1976). He created the pivotal role of Marvin in William Finn's March of the Falsettoes (1981), and served double duty as composer and co-star of the Off-Broadway hit Three Guys Naked From the Waist Down (1985). Rupert won a well-deserved Tony playing the manic Oscar in a revival of Sweet Charity (1986). After composing and starring in the short-lived Mail (1988), he played Marvin again in Falsettoland (1990), and led the cast when Finn's two one acts came to Broadway as the surprise hit Falsettoes (1992). He appeared in the 2004 Paper Mill revival of Baby.

Ryskind, Morrie
Librettist, lyricist
b. Oct. 20, 1895 (New York City) - d. Aug. 24, 1985 (Washington DC)
After providing lyrics and skits to revues, Ryskind unleashed his gift for zany comedy co-authoring (with George S. Kaufman) the libretto for the Marx Brothers vehicle Animal Crackers (1928). When the Marx quartet went to Hollywood, Ryskind came along to adapt their stage hits for the screen, as well as pen a series of original films that included My Man Godfrey (1936) and Stage Door (1936).

Ryskind re-teamed with Kaufman for the biting political satire Strike Up the Band (1930), which had a score by George and Ira Gershwin. The same authors re-teamed for the Pulitzer-Prize winning hit Of Thee I Sing (1931), and its short-lived sequel Let 'Em Eat Cake (1933). Ryskind had somewhat gentler fun with corrupt politicians in Louisiana Purchase (1940). After directing the ill-fated The Lady Comes Across (1942), he worked for several years in Hollywood until he was blacklisted for his leftist views. Ryskind eventually veered to the political right, serving as the first editor of The National Review.

Saidy, Fred
(b. Fareed Milhelm Saidy)
Librettist
b. Feb. 11, 1907 (Los Angeles) - d. May 14, 1982 (Santa Monica, CA)
A journalist and screenwriter, Saidy wrote revue sketches before co-authoring the book for Bloomer Girl (1944) with Sig Herzig. Saidy had a solo triumph with the libretto to Finian's Rainbow (1947). The big business satire Flahooley (1951) came and went quickly, but the Lena Horne vehicle Jamaica (1957 had a healthy run. After The Happiest Girl in the World (1961) closed quickly despite some strong positive reviews, Saidy retired.

Sanderson, Julia
(b. Julia Sackett)
Actress, singer
b. Aug. 20, 1887 (Springfield, MA) - d. Jan. 27, 1975 (Springfield, MA)
Born into an acting family, this talented lady was encouraged in her theatrical ambitions from an early age. Making her New York debut as a teenager in the chorus of A Chinese Honeymoon (1902), this small and attractive soprano had her first featured Broadway role in a revival of Wang (1904). She followed this with similar roles in The Tourists (1906), The Dairymaids (1907), and the London production of The Hon'ble Phil (1908), leading to her first star billing in the title role of Broadway's Kitty Grey (1909).

At five foot three, with blue eyes and light brown hair, Sanderson embodied the Edwardian era's ideal of petite beauty. After heading the London cast of The Dashing Little Duke (1909), Sanderson played Eileen in the New York run of The Arcadians (1910). She then co-starred in The Siren (1911) with Donald Brian -- beginning their reign as Broadway's most popular musical stage duo of the 1910s.

Photos verify Sanderson's beauty, while recordings reveal a voice of limited range but audible charm. In The Sunshine Girl (1913), Sanderson introduced "Honeymoon Lane." In The Girl From Utah (1914), she re-teamed with Brian to introduce " They Didn't Believe Me," the Jerome Kern song that helped define the sound of American popular music. The duo co-starred one more time in Sybil (1916), a now-forgotten musical that delighted audiences of that time. After Rambler Rose (1917), The Canary (1918), and Hitchy-Koo (1920), Sanderson scored personal successes in Tangerine (1921) and Moonlight (1924). A favorite in vaudeville, she also starred in the national tours of No, No, Nanette (1925) and Oh, Kay! (1927). She retired from the stage with her third (and long-lasting) husband Frank Crumit. Soon bored with inactivity, they co-hosted a weekly radio series that lasted from 1929 until Crumit's death in 1943.

Schneider, Hortense Catherine
Singer, actress
b. April 30, 1833 (Boreaux, France) - d. May 5, 1920 (Paris)
The first important star in musical theatre history, Schneider made her Paris debut in Le Violoneux (1855), a one act operetta by composer Jacques Offenbach. Over the next ten years, she built her resume with his competitors, and lead such a scandalous private life that she was openly referred to as "le passage des Princes." Petite and attractive, Schneider originated the title role of La Belle Helene (1864), the first in a quartet of Offenbach super hits. Barbe-blue (1866) was followed by the title role in Grande Duchesse de Gerolstein (1867), where Schneider introduced "Dites-lui" and the showstopping "Sabre Song." She also starred as the street singer in La Pericole (1868). She repeated most of these roles during brief runs in London.

Despite Schneider's popularity, her tantrums and walk outs made her a nightmare to work with. La Diva (1869) failed, as did Herve's La Veuve de Malabur. (1873), so Schneider turned to a revival of La Perichole before appearing in Herve's La Belle Poule (1875). When critics complained that Schneider looked old, she promptly retired from the stage. She remained a prominent and respected figure in Parisian society for the next five decades.

Secombe, Harry
Actor, singer
b. Sept. 8, 1921 (Swansea, UK) - d. April 11, 2001 (Surrey, UK)
This rotund Welsh tenor first showed his flair for comedy on British radio and television. He conceived and starred in the musical Pickwick (1963), a Dickens-inspired hit in which Secombe introduced the popular "If I Ruled the World." He repeated this role in the American production two years later, returning to London to star as a generously proportioned D'Artagnan in The Four Musketeers (1967). He won international acclaim as Mr. Bumble in the screen version of Oliver! (1968). After a featured role in the embarrassing film Song of Norway (1970), Secombe limited his musical appearances to holiday pantomimes for the next two decades. He starred in a somewhat revised Chichester Festival production of Pickwick in 1993. 

Smith, Edgar
Librettist, lyricist
b. Dec. 9, 1857 (Brooklyn) - d. Mar. 8, 1938 (Bayside, NY)
Originally an actor, this prolific writer contributed sketches, translations or original librettos to more than 60 Broadway productions from 1886 to 1930. Smith is best remembered for working burlesque musicals starring Joe Weber and Lew Fields, most notably Hurly Burly (1898), Cyranose de Bric-a-Brac (1898), Fiddle-Dee-Dee (1900), Twirly Whirly (1902) and Whoop-Dee-Doo (1903). He also wrote the much abused libretto for the Al Jolson vehicle Robinson Crusoe Jr. (1916).

Smith, Robert Bache
Lyricist, librettist
b. June 4, 1875 (Chicago) - d. Nov. 6, 1951 (NYC)
This onetime reporter graduated from writing sketches for vaudeville to penning the lyrics for Broadway's Twirly Whirly (1902) -- which included actress Lillian Russell's trademark hit, "Come Down Ma' Evenin' Star." While most of his musicals are forgotten, some of Smith's songs are still heard today. Occasionally teamed with his brother, librettist/lyricist Harry Smith, he worked frequently with composer Victor Herbert -- their score for Sweethearts (1913) included the popular title tune and "Every Lover Must Meet His Fate." After The Pajama Lady (1930) closed out of town, Smith retired.

Stein, Joseph
Librettist
b. May 30, 1912 (New York City)
After contributing to various revues, Stein wrote the libretto for Plain and Fancy (1955), Mr. Wonderful (1956), and the less successful The Body Beautiful (1958) and Juno (1959). His luck took a decided turn with Take Me Along (1959), a successful adaptation of O'Neill's Ah Wilderness. His book for Fiddler On the Roof (1964) was a true masterpiece, earning the Tony and traveling the world in countless productions and translations. Stein had continued success with the libretti for Zorba (1968) and the revival of Irene (1973). His later works were plagued with poor reviews and brief runs, including So Long, 174th Street (1976), The Baker's Wife (1976), King of Hearts (1978), Carmelina (1979) and Rags (1986) all faded quickly.

Stuart, Leslie
(b. Thomas Augustine Barrett)
Composer
b. Mar. 15, 1864 (Southport, UK) - d. Mar. 27, 1928 (Richmond, UK)
Stuart composed music hall numbers and interpolations for West End musicals before creating the score for Florodora (1899). With the memorable "Tell Me Pretty Maiden," it had long runs and frequent revivals in both London and New York. Although his later shows are not mentioned much today, several were considered successes, including The Silver Slipper (1901), The School Girl (1903), The Belle of Mayfair (1906) and The Slim Princess (1911).

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