The Sheik of Araby

In 1921, the release of the moving picture The Sheik, starring the great lover Rudolph Valentino, was a milestone in the motion-picture industry. Women in the audience were said to have swooned when they were carried away by the masculinity of the image on the screen. Leading men in movies have tried ever since to capture the romanticisim of the Italian-born hero of this motion picture.

Words by Harry B. Smith who was active writing at the turn of the century (1900). Harry Smith may be America's most prolific lyricist-librettist. In the years before 1920, he wrote over 120 Broadway musical plays. Harry was still active in the 1920's and even into the thirties.

In 1921, for the Broadway show, 'Make It Snappy', he wrote "The Sheik of Araby", Francis Wheeler was co-lyricist, and Ted Snyder wrote the music.

Francis Wheeler was also active writing at the turn of the century (1900). He and co-lyricist Harry B. Smith are perhaps best known for their lyric to Ted Snyder's 1921 "The Sheik of Araby".

Music by Ted Snyder is the person who gave Irving Berlin his start by hiring him in 1909 as staff pianist for his publishing company. But Snyder is also recalled for composing such hits as "The Sheik of Araby" (1921) (Song was inspired by the Rudolph Valentino film.) and "Who's Sorry Now?" (1923).

The Sheik of Araby