The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-09-09

whose round, full face and expen-
sive clothes give no hint Of a be-
ginning so humble that Horatio
Alger would have hesitated to start
the hero of one of those rags-to-
riches yarns so low.
Jack Robbins started small and
today, less than IS years later, he
is q millionaire and one of the
more picturesque fixtures of our
town.
NO BEATING
ABOUT THE BUSH
Robbins has his headquarters
on the third floor Of a griny build
ing on Broadway. His own ONCE
is small, but well appointed with
a massive desk and q fine grand
piano. He doesn't play, but the
piano is used for the elite of the
song world who come to ask him
to publish their scores. His man
ner is sharp and executive and
often his voice Is audible beyond
the confines of the office itself.
He rarely hedges. Sometimes, in
deed, he comes to the point with
such rapidity as to leave the caller
embarrassed.
Robbins started in the song busi-
ness as a $3-a-week clerk to q
song sheet jobber who also bought
q few tunes on the side. Jack
picked song Off the shelf one day,
decided 1t had possibilities and was
given carte blanche to see whether
he could make 1t go.
What he did with that song is
Tin Pan Alley history. 1t was
Smiles" and 1t sold hundreds Of
thousands Of copies. Jack picked
up another song and made 1t o
hit and another and another.
In those days before radio killed
the pianola and record sales q
publisher could get rich on a sim
gle song. Jack had been living in
q garnet when he clicked with
Smiles" He moved out Of 1t,
opened his own office and since
that day the graph Of his success
path has been q constantly as
cending line.
HE'S A SURE
HIT PICKER
The reputation he got then as
q picker Of hits Is still with him
today. A few years ago Richard
Rodgers and Lorenz Hart had a
song with pretty melody. They
had tried 1t with three different
lyrics but 1t didn't catch on. Rob-
bins heard 1t and advised them to
change the lyrics again with an
entirely new slant.
That's how blue Moon" O ire
mendous hit came into being.
Robbins gave two writer's the title
Thanks o Million" another ire
mendous hit. He was responsible
for publishing MY Reverie," the
pioneer rhythm arrangement Of q
Debussy work. In 1898 his firm
published the three top songs, "a
Tisket-a- Tasket"; "Ti-Pi-Tin" and
MY Reverie."
LITTLE JACK
MAKES BIG JACK
Tin Pin Alley Is an elastic thor
oughfare, In fact any place q
couple Of song writer's hang their
hats and bang out q tune. More
specifically 1t may be confined to
the Offices Of the big music pub
fishing Arms most Of which are
between 44th and 53rd street on
Broadway.
Robbins controls three OF the
biggest-Robbins Music, Feist and
Miller Music. And he is allied
with M. q. NJ, goth Century Fox,
Universal, Hall Roach and Walter
Wanger, all Of Hollywood.
This Is an imposing list Of affili-
atoms for q chap still In his early
forties. But Robbins Is no ordi-
nary man. He expends little effort
making people like him. II they
don't-and the number Is appar-
emily legion-that,s all right with
Jack. II they do like him-and
lots Of people do-that's all right,
too.
This affection may stand them
In good stead socially, for Rob-
bins Is one Of the prime spenders
Of the night life belt. But comes
business and he Is Just as apt to
blurt lousy" to tune from d
friend as he is to an unsatisfac.
tory ditty from an enemy.