I Want a Cave Man Like William Hart (The Movie Star).
New York: Kendis-Brockman Music Co., Inc., 1919. Folio sheet music, 3 pp. 9 x 12 inches. Near fine with minimal wear. Item #List3653
A novelty song capitalizing on the immense popularity of silent-film Western star William S. Hart, one of the most famous movie cowboys of the 1910s. Written by James Kendis and James Brockman and published in New York in 1919, the song humorously celebrates Hart’s rugged screen persona, presenting the singer’s ideal romantic hero as a strong, frontier-style “cave man” modeled on the motion-picture star. The lyrics frame the narrator as an enthusiastic movie fan who spends her time attending picture shows and dreaming of meeting the actor she idolizes. The refrain declares her preference for a “rough man, but not a tough man.”
William S. Hart (1864–1946) was among the first major Western film actors and was known for portraying morally upright frontier heroes in silent films of the 1910s and early 1920s. His fame during this period was enormous, and his image circulated widely in fan magazines, promotional cards, and novelty items such as this song publication. An appealing example of early Hollywood celebrity culture expressed through Tin Pan Alley sheet music, reflecting the moment when film stars first became subjects of popular songs and mass-market fandom.
See the William Hart entry at the Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society: https://scvhistory.com/scvhistory/lw3617.htm.
Price: $150.00