Sam H. Stept


Samuel Howard Stept was an American songwriter who wrote for Broadway, Hollywood and the big bands. He became known simply as Sam Stept or Sam H. Stept – he rarely used his full middle name.

Family

Born in Odessa, Ukraine, Stept came to the United States at the age of three and grew up in Pittsburgh. Sam was the son of Solomon and Clara Stept, who were married around 1895, in Russia. Sam Stept married Jessie E. Stept ''. Jessie was the daughter of George B. McBride and Ada F. McBride of Pittsburgh. Sam also had a daughter with Jessie's sister Ruth.

Career

Early in his music career, Stept worked for a local publishing house as staff pianist, then in vaudeville as accompanist to performers that included Anna Chandler, Mae West, and Jack Norworth.
During the early 1920s, Stept lived in Cleveland, Ohio, where he led a dance band. Within the next few years, he began composing with lyricist Bud Green. Their first hit came in 1928 with vocalist Helen Kane's rendition of "That's My Weakness Now," and the duo would collaborate on tunes through the early 1930s.
Stept worked with many other lyricists through his career, including Sidney Mitchell and Ned Washington, Lew Brown, Charles Tobias, and Eddie DeLange.
Some of his popular tunes for the big screen are "Laughing Irish Eyes" for the 1936 film of the same name, "Sweet Hearts" for Hit Parade of 1937 and for the 1942 movie Private Buckaroo, "Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree" and "Johnny Get Your Gun." Stept's output slowed down in the late 1940s, and by the late 1950s, he was concentrating fully on his music-publishing business.
Songs written by Stept have been recorded by many other big names in pop and jazz, including, Sarah Vaughan, Glenn Miller, Fats Waller, Louis Armstrong, as well as by Henry "Red" Allen, Bunny Berigan, Count Basie, Fletcher Henderson, and Josephine Baker.

Death

He died at age 67 in Los Angeles, California.

Selected songs

Broadway shows

Shady Lady, co-composerYokel Boy, co-composer and co-lyricist, starring Judy Canova, Buddy Ebsen, and Phil SilversMichael Todd’s Peep Show, Michael ToddMusic Hall Varieties and

Recordings and performers

Film, TV, and theater

Applause, directed by Rouben Mamoulian, Nothing But the Truth Syncopation Syncopation Mother's Boy Mother's Boy Lucky in Love Lucky in Love Lucky in Love Lullaby of Broadway Big Boy, with Al Jolson Playing Around Playing Around Playing Around Showgirl in Hollywood Showgirl in Hollywood Showgirl in Hollywood The Naughty Flirt Music Hall Varieties The Organ Grinder Buddy's Show Boat Baby Take a Bow w/Shirley Temple Hop-Along Cassidy Bar 20 Rides Again The Eagle's Brood Dancing Feet Dancing Feet Let It Be Me The Phantom Rider Oh, Susanna! ) The Big Show The Big Show Red River Valley, w/Gene Autry Ride Ranger Ride Hit the Saddle Laughing Irish Eyes Laughing Irish Eyes Sitting on the Moon Happy-Go-Lucky Happy-Go-Lucky Hit Parade Hit Parade Having a Wonderful Time w/Ginger Rogers and Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. Having a Wonderful Time w/Ginger Rogers and Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. Having a Wonderful Time w/Ginger Rogers and Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. Hours Leave Night Spot The Women That's Right – You're Wrong Hullabaloo Yokel Boy Yokel Boy Yokel Boy Crash Dive Presenting Lily Mars The Yankee Doodle Mouse Thousands Cheer A Guy Named Joe )Johnny Doughboy Syncopation, RKO Syncopation, RKO Private Buckaroo When Johnny Comes Marching Home, When Johnny Comes Marching Home, Happy-Go-Nutty Stars on Parade Li'l Abner Holiday In Mexico Interrupted Melody ) One Froggy Evening Carol for Another Christmas All My Life The Dirty Dozen The Troy Cory Evening Show, sung by, father and daughter duo Priscilla Cory and Troy Cory 1974Falling in Love Again Everyone Says I Love You The Rage: Carrie 2 The Story of Us Chain of Fools Son of the Mask The Sopranos Eurydice, a play by Sarah Ruhl