Conditions Governing Use
Preferred Citation
Arrangement
Biographical / Historical
Scope and Contents
Contributing Institution:
Special Collections and Archives
Title: Jimmy McHugh Musical Scores Collection
Identifier/Call Number: MS.1989.001
Physical Description:
8 Linear Feet
Date (inclusive): 1894-1969
Abstract: The Jimmy McHugh Collection of Sheet Music consists of over 550 songs from the late 19th century to the early 1970s.
Language of Material:
English
.
Conditions Governing Use
Jimmy McHugh Musical Scores Collection is the physical property of
California State University, Los Angeles, John F. Kennedy Memorial Library,
Special Collections and Archives.
Preferred Citation
Folder title, Series, Box number, Collection title, followed by
Special Collections and Archives, John F. Kennedy Memorial Library, California
State University, Los Angeles
Arrangement
The collection is organized into three series: I. Musical and Movie Scores; II. Other Scores; III. Doucments; IV: LP Record.
Biographical / Historical
Jimmy Francis McHugh was born in Boston, Massachusetts on July 10th, 1893 and is hailed as one of the most popular Irish-American
songwriters since Victor Herbert. His father was a plumber and his mother was an accomplished pianist. His career began when
he was promoted from a office boy to a rehearsal pianist at the Boston Opera House. As his desire was to write and perform
"popular" music, he left the job in 1917 to become a pianist and song plugger in Boston with the Irving Berlin publishing
company. In 1921, he moved to New York after getting married and started working for Jack Mills Inc. where he published his
first song,
Emaline. The song was so popular that he was promoted to a professional manager, teaming up with Irving Mills to release the hit
song,
Everything is Hotsy Totsy Now – the two becoming known as the Hotsy Totsy Boys. Between the years of 1922 and 1930, McHugh wrote songs for at least nine
difference shows, and expanded out to writing for movies,
My Dream of the Big Parade. His music career took off when he partnered with Dorothy Fields, a lyricist in 1927, and produced their first hit
I Can't Give You Anything But Love, written for the all-black Blackbirds of 1928 musical. In the early 1930s, they moved into the Hollywood movie scene; however,
Fields preferred the Broadway scene and returned to New York after some years. McHugh went on to partner with Harold Adamson
to produce songs for classic 1930s movies for fifteen years. McHugh died in Beverly Hills on March 23rd, 1969 after writing
more than 280 songs. He was nominated five times for the Academy Award, but unfortunately never won. The Jimmy McHugh Collection
of Sheet Music consists of over 550 songs from the late 19th century to the early 1970s.
Scope and Contents
During June 1989, Cal State LA received the Jimmy McHugh Collection of Sheet Music from Lucille Meyers, Manager of Jimmy McHugh
Music Inc.
Series Description
Series I: Musical and Movie Scores
Inclusive Dates: 1914-1969
Arrangement: Alphabetical
This large series consists of individual sheet music pieces that are parts of larger
collections pertaining to musical and movie scores. These individual songs are
grouped with songs of the same musical or movie title.
Series II: Other Scores
Inclusive Dates: 1894 - 1969
Arrangement: Alphabetical
This series consists of books and scores that are not associated with a musical
or movie title.
Series III: Documents
Inclusive Dates: 1938
Arrangement: Alphabetical thereunder chronological
This small series consists of biogoraphical documents and correspondence.
Series IV: LP Record
Inclusive Dates: u.d.
Arrangement: Alphabetical
This series consists of the collection's single LP record, A Symphonic Portrait of
Jimmy McHugh.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Music--United States
Sheet music