Arthur Wimperis

Arthur Harold Wimperis (3 December 1874 – 14 October 1953) was an English playwright, lyricist and screenwriter, who contributed lyrics and libretti to popular Edwardian musical comedies written for the stage. But, with the advent of talking films, he switched to screenwriting, finding even greater success in this medium.

Early in his career, Wimperis was an illustrator. For 25 years beginning in 1906, he became a lyricist and librettist for musical comedies, including the hit The Arcadians in 1909 and many others. After serving in the First World War, he resumed his career, writing for shows like Princess Charming (1926). Beginning in 1930, he moved into writing screenplays for British films, and, by 1940, for Hollywood films, contributing to dozens of screenplays. He won an Oscar for his contribution to the screenplay of Mrs. Miniver (1942) and was nominated for another Oscar for his contribution to the screenplay of Random Harvest (1942). He continued writing screenplays until his death.

Birth and Death Data: Born December 3, 1874 (London), Died October 14, 1953 (Maidenhead)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1910 - 1935

Roles Represented in DAHR: lyricist

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor C-8612 12-in. 2/8/1910 Gems from The Arcadians Victor Light Opera Company Vocal chorus and soloists, with orchestra lyricist  
Victor B-9158 10-in. 7/7/1910 The girl with a brogue Ada Jones Female vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Victor B-10003 10-in. 2/24/1911 Dear delightful women Reinald Werrenrath Male vocal solo, with chorus and orchestra lyricist  
Victor C-10033 12-in. 3/7/1911 Gems from The Balkan princess Victor Light Opera Company Vocal chorus and soloists, with orchestra lyricist  
Victor C-13775 12-in. 9/12/1913 Gems from The sunshine girl Victor Light Opera Company Vocal chorus and soloists, with orchestra lyricist  
Victor B-14507 10-in. 2/25/1914 Friend to the end Reed Miller Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Victor C-14567 12-in. 3/12/1914 Gems from The laughing husband Victor Light Opera Company Vocal chorus and soloists, with orchestra lyricist  
Victor B-17628 10-in. 5/8/1916 Somewhere in France Lewis J. Howell Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Victor B-23506 10-in. 12/1/1919 If you could care Frances Alda Soprano vocal solo, with piano, bells, and orchestra lyricist  
Victor BVE-32197 10-in. 4/2/1925 Little peach Pennsylvanians ; Fred Waring Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Victor BVE-32198 10-in. 4/2/1925 Homeland Victor Male Chorus Tenor vocal chorus, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 4420 10-in. between January and June 1910 The girl with a brogue Ada Jones Female vocal solo, with piano lyricist  
Columbia 4468 10-in. between January and July 1910 Charming weather Henry Burr ; Margaret Mayew Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 30691 12-in. ca. Jan.-May 1911 Dear delightful women Henry Burr ; Margaret Mayew Female-male vocal duet lyricist  
Columbia 49736 12-in. 1/19/1920 If you could care Henry Burr ; Prince's Orchestra Orchestra, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Columbia W140501 10-in. 4/6/1925 Homeland Shannon Four Male vocal quartet, unaccompanied lyricist  
Columbia 6467 12-in. approximately 1915 Pipes of pan Florence Smithson Female vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 6468 12-in. approximately 1915 Arcady is ever young Florence Smithson Female vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 6474 12-in. approximately 1915 My motter Alfred Lester Female vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 6484 12-in. approximately 1915 Come back to arcady Florence Smithson Female vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 6485 12-in. approximately 1915 Light is my heart Florence Smithson Female vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 74043 12-in. approximately 4/14/1920 My shy love Thorpe Bates ; Gaiety Theatre Orchestra ; Nancie Lovat ; Arthur Wood Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 74045 12-in. approximately 4/14/1920 If you only knew Thorpe Bates ; Gaiety Theatre Orchestra ; Arthur Wood Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 74046 12-in. approximately 4/14/1920 Not a scrap Gaiety Theatre Orchestra ; Evelyn Laye ; Roy Royston ; Arthur Wood Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 74047 12-in. approximately 4/14/1920 You know how much I love you Gaiety Theatre Orchestra ; Evelyn Laye ; Roy Royston ; Arthur Wood Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 74049 12-in. approximately 4/14/1920 The guards brigade Gaiety Theatre Orchestra ; Evelyn Laye ; Arthur Wood Female vocal solo, with orchestra and chorus lyricist  
Columbia 76244 12-in. approximately September 1918 What ho, Mr. Watten Daisy Hancox ; London Pavilion Theatre Orchestra Female vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 76245 12-in. approximately September 1918 Two little bits of Greece Daisy Hancox ; London Pavilion Theatre Orchestra ; Mona Vivian Vocal duet, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 76246 12-in. approximately September 1918 Fritz London Pavilion Theatre Orchestra ; Mona Vivian Female vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 76247 12-in. approximately September 1918 With a hey! and a ho! C. Hayden Coffin ; London Pavilion Theatre Orchestra Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 76248 12-in. approximately September 1918 Old man adam John Humphries ; London Pavilion Theatre Orchestra Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 76249 12-in. approximately September 1918 If you could care Alice Delysia ; John Humphries ; London Pavilion Theatre Orchestra Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 76250 12-in. approximately September 1918 Live for all you're worth Alice Delysia ; London Pavilion Theatre Orchestra Female vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 76251 12-in. approximately September 1918 Ninon de l'Enclos Alice Delysia ; London Pavilion Theatre Orchestra Female vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 76253 12-in. approximately September 1918 The aeroplane walk Alice Delysia ; London Pavilion Theatre Orchestra Female vocal solo, with chorus and orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 76254 12-in. approximately September 1918 Helen of Troy Alice Delysia ; London Pavilion Theatre Orchestra Female vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 76256 12-in. approximately September 1918 Potsdam London Pavilion Theatre Orchestra ; Clifford Morgan Male vocal duet, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 76257 12-in. approximately September 1918 A blighty one London Pavilion Theatre Orchestra ; Clifford Morgan Male vocal duet, with orchestra lyricist  
Brunswick 15961 10-in. 5/19/1925 Homeland Campus Quartet Male vocal quartet, with orchestra lyricist  
Brunswick E15795-E15796 10-in. 5/22/1925 Homeland Campus Quartet Male vocal quartet, with string quartet, tuba, and piano lyricist  
Brunswick E15952-E15953 10-in. 6/9/1925 Homeland Brunswick Male Chorus Male vocal chorus, with orchestra lyricist  
Brunswick E16079-E16082 10-in. June 1925 Homeland Brunswick Male Chorus Male vocal chorus, with orchestra lyricist  
Edison 7211 10-in. 3/11/1920 If you could care Leeta Corder Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Gramophone 0EA1481 10-in. 5/14/1935 Canoe song Muir Mathieson ; Paul Robeson Bass vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Gramophone 0EA1482 10-in. 5/14/1935 The killing song Muir Mathieson ; Paul Robeson Bass vocal solo, with orchestra and chorus lyricist  
Gramophone 0EA1850 10-in. 4/15/1935 Love Song Muir Mathieson ; Paul Robeson Bass vocal solo, with orchestra and vocal ensemble lyricist  
Gramophone 0EA1851 10-in. 4/15/1935 Congo lullaby Muir Mathieson ; Paul Robeson Bass vocal solo, with orchestra and chorus lyricist  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Wimperis, Arthur," accessed April 18, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/104955.

Wimperis, Arthur. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 18, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/104955.

"Wimperis, Arthur." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 18 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/104955

External Sources

Wikipedia: Arthur Wimperis

Discogs: Arthur Wimperis

IMSLP: Arthur Wimperis

IMDb: Arthur Wimperis

Linked Open Data Sources

LCNAR: Wimperis, Arthur, 1874-1953 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n85151898

Wikidata: Arthur Wimperis - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q712055

VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/64207886

MusicBrainz: Arthur Wimperis - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/c5ef775d-88c4-42c5-a914-69ed509e9a74

FAST: http://id.worldcat.org/fast/198186

Wikipedia content provided under the terms of the Creative Commons BY-SA license

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