Allan Roberts (March 12, 1905 – January 14, 1966) was an American musician andsongwriter, whose songs, co-written withDoris Fisher and other writers, were successfully recorded bythe Mills Brothers,Ella Fitzgerald,the Ink Spots,Billie Holiday,the Andrews Sisters,Marilyn Monroe,Perry Como, and many others.
He was born inBrooklyn, and trained as an accountant before working as a pianist in clubs and shows on and aroundBroadway, where he met and worked with theater and film producerMike Todd. He wrote "You Opened My Eyes" for the Bill Barry Orchestra in 1935;[1] and in 1937 co-wrote, withIrving Gordon andAlvin S. Kaufman, the song "Me, Myself, and I", which was recorded byBillie Holiday,Benny Goodman and others.[2]
He met aspiring songwriterDoris Fisher, the daughter of respectedTin Pan Alley songwriter and music publisherFred Fisher, and in 1944 the two began collaborating on songs. They found immediate success with such popular songs as "You Always Hurt the One You Love", "Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall", "That Ole Devil Called Love", "Angelina (The Waitress at the Pizzeria)", and "Invitation to the Blues", which he co-wrote with Fisher andArthur Gershwin, the younger brother ofGeorge andIra Gershwin.[3] In 1945, he and Fisher were signed byHarry Cohn ofColumbia Pictures inHollywood to a seven-year contract to supply songs for films.[4] They had immediate success with the songs "Amado Mio" and "Put the Blame on Mame", written forGilda starringRita Hayworth, and in all contributed to about twenty films for the company, includingDead Reckoning andThe Lady from Shanghai.[3]
After Doris Fisher married in 1947 and retired from the entertainment industry, Roberts linked up withLester Lee, with whom he co-wrote "You're Never Too Old", "Every Baby Needs a Da Da Daddy" and other songs in the 1948 movieLadies of the Chorus starringMarilyn Monroe.[5] He and Lee then wrote the music for the 1949 Broadway showAll for Love.[6] WithRobert Allen, he also co-wrotePerry Como's 1952 hit, "To Know You (Is to Love You)".[7]
Roberts died at a Florida hospital, at age 60. A notice inBillboard indicated that the location was inHollywood,[8] whileThe New York Times obituary, which featured an age discrepancy and gave the location's name asHallandale, specified that "Allan Roberts, a lyricist, died of a heart attack today at a local hospital. He was 62 years old." The obituary further notes that "[H]is survivors include his widow, Molly, and two sons, Robert and Jeffery, all of Hollywood."[9]
Songwriter Allan Roberts died in Hollywood, Fla., Jan 14
Hallandale, Fla., Jan. 14 (UPI) Allan Roberts, a lyricist, died of a heart attack today at a local hospital.
