Louis Silvers(1889-1954)

Composed the Al Jolson hit "April Showers" in collaboration with lyricist Buddy G. DeSylva, in 1921. Prior to that worked in vaudeville as pianist, and, subsequently, as musical director for shows by impresario Gus Edwards. Wrote songs for the Paul Whiteman and Orchestra in the early 1920's. Silvers came to Hollywood in 1927, starting at Warner Brothers as composer and musical director, importantly scoring the first talkie The Jazz Singer (1927). Left Warners in 1930, free-lanced, then joined MGM in 1933; next at Columbia 1934-35. Had his best period at 20th Century Fox between 1936 and 1940, working on several A-grade features (and garnering three Oscar nominations in the process), among them In Old Chicago (1938), Suez (1938) and Jesse James (1939). Free-lanced again from the 1940's, scoring B-movies (primarily westerns and crime melodramas) for minor studios, including Republic.