Edward Eliscu

US from Romanian origins lyricist, playwright, producer and actor

☆ April 2, 1902, New York City, New York, USA

✞ June 18, 1998, Newtown, Connecticut, USA

His parents, Frank and Sophia Eliscu were born in România and emigrated to US

Edward began performing in Broadway plays

In 1929, Eliscu produced his first Broadway score with composer [a=Vincent Youmans] and co-lyricist [a=Billy Rose] entitled [i]Great Day![/i]

In 1930, Eliscu began contributing songs to film scores as well as writing film screenplays

While he contributed songs to over 40 film scores, his most notable was [i]Flying Down to Rio[/i] (1934) with [a=Fred Astaire]

The song "Carioca" not only launched the partnership of Astaire and [a=Ginger Rogers], but also earned Eliscu an Academy Award nomination in 1935 for Best Song

Inducted into the Songwriter's Hall of Fame in 1975.