Although Harry Archer (1888-1960) was very successful in his day, surprisingly information about him is scarce. Fortunately, I found one more detailed article in The Des Moines Register: "The successful bandleader and Broadway composer wrote the American standard "I Love You," his best-known song: (...) Archer - the original name was Auracher - was born in Creston, and little is known about his days in Iowa except that his mother taught him music in their home. (...) He later worked his way through Michigan Military Academy by playing the trombone, then studied music at Knox College in Galesburg, Ill., and Princeton University. He had his own dance orchestra in Chicago, and later played for Paul Whiteman. He even appeared, as an actor, in a few silent movies from 1916 to 1921. Archer's first show in New York was the comic opera "Pearl Maiden," which opened in 1912. His biggest Broadway hit was "Little Jessie James," written with Harlan Thompson, who wrote the book and lyrics. The musical was a bedroom farce set in a New York apartment. Opening Aug. 15, 1923, at the Longacre theater, "Jessie" ran well over 400 performances and introduced two hit songs, "I Love You" and "It Must Be Love." The show was later taken on the road by four touring companies, then exported to Europe and Australia, where it played eight months. In London, it was called "Lucky Break" and played 198 performances in 1934 and 1935. Also in collaboration with Thompson, Archer created "My Girl" in 1924, which ran six months on Broadway. The New York Times described it as "the snappy little musical comedy at the Vanderbilt." One review said of the song "You and I" that "all the feet in the auditorium were set tapping." The next year, the same team produced "Merry Merry," a backstage musical, followed in 1926 by "Twinkle Twinkle." Archer also did the scores for "Peek-a-Boo" (1921), "Paradise Alley" (1924) and "Just a Minute" (1928). One of his last shows was "Strip Girl" (1935). Archer's shows were often the springboard for up-and-coming stars of the period. Comedian Joe E. Brown, for instance, all but stole "Twinkle Twinkle" from the leads. Archer's other hit songs of the era included "White Sails," "Alone in My Dreams," "You Know I Know" and "On a Desert Isle," a huge hit and a favorite of recording companies. He also wrote "Suppose I Had Never Met You," "I Was Blue" and "I'm Goin' to Dance With the Fellow Wot Brung Me." In 1953, curiously, "I Love You" was chosen for an extended scene in the movie "Stalag 17," in which American servicemen held prisoner in Germany during World War II dance with one another at a Christmas party in their barracks. Archer was married for many years to actress Ruth Gillette (...). This outstanding record was made in 1927. Vocal by the Bonnie Laddies.
