Harry Revel

Harry Revel (21 December 1905 – 3 November 1958) was a British-American composer of musical theatre.

Revel was born Harry Glaser in London, England; he was the son of Russian emigrants who had settled in England, Mrs. and Mrs. Jacob Glaser. Before emigrating to the United States in 1929, Glaser, using the name Revel, wrote musicals for productions in London, Paris, Copenhagen, and Vienna.

He was the second born of four children. His older brother William Revel was a dancer, his younger sister Rene was a singer, and his youngest brother Sam was a concierge in London who later became a travel agent in the United States. They were of Jewish heritage and took the last name "Revel" to honor the French soldier of that name who helped them to flee Europe.

One of Harry Revel's earliest jobs in the US was playing the piano in an "all Hawaiian" band. He wore dark make-up on his hands and face to appear Hawaiian. His mother, Queenie Revel, often sang with the band.

Once in the US, he worked on Broadway, writing the scores for Ziegfeld Follies of 1931, Meet My Sister and Are You With It? He later moved to Hollywood. He wrote scores for the films Sitting Pretty, Broadway Through a Keyhole, We're Not Dressing, She Loves Me Not, Shoot the Works, College Rhythm, Love in Bloom, Paris in the Spring, Stolen Harmony, Two for Tonight, Collegiate, Stowaway, Poor Little Rich Girl, Ali Baba Goes to Town, Wake Up and Live, You Can't Have Everything, Head Over Heels, Love and Kisses, Four Jacks and a Jill and Love Finds Andy Hardy.

Harry Revel collaborated with lyricists Mack Gordon, Mort Greene, Paul Francis Webster, Buddy Feyne and Arnold Horwitt. In 1934 he appeared in Hollywood Rhythm, a short film purporting to show the songwriting team of Mack Gordon and Harry Revel brainstorming the score for College Rhythm.

Revel co-produced and co-wrote the score (with Webster) for the 1944 Benny Fields musical Minstrel Man. The score was nominated for an Academy Award, a first for low-budget studio Producers Releasing Corporation. He was also nominated for an Academy Award for best original song in 1943, but lost to Irving Berlin's "White Christmas".

He wrote themes for Les Baxter's 1947 theremin exotica album, Music Out of the Moon.

Revel died in New York. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970.