Monte Carlo (composer)

Hans von Holstein, better known as Monte Carlo (14 July 1883 — 9 June 1967), was a Danish-born American Broadway composer and author.^[1]

Life

Von Holstein was born in Skamlingsbanken,^[1] Gravenstein,^[2] Denmark, on 14 July 1883.^[2]

He came to the U.S. in 1906 to avoid studying medicine.^[1] He changed his name to Hans Carlo, and soon began using Monte Carlo as his name. He became a naturalized US citizen in 1914. He received pre-medical training in Chicago, with songwriting as chief avocation. He started writing music with Alma Sanders, whom he met at Jerome H. Remick's music publishing firm.^[1] She eventually became his wife.^[3] They collaborated on a number of shows and a large number of songs.^[2] He joined the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers in 1923.^[4]

In 1930, he was living with his wife at 10 Williams Avenue in Mount Vernon, New York.^[5] In 1942, he was living at 145 West 55th Street, New York.^[6]

After the death of his wife in 1956, he moved to Houston, Texas.^[7] There he became vice-president of Carsen Music Publishing, founded by his step-son, Edward C. Benjamin Sr.^[4] He died in Houston on June 9, 1967.^[4][8]

Songs with music or lyrics by Monte Carlo

"Little Town in the old County Down"
"Dinny Danny; The Irish Yacki Hula"
"That Tumble-Down Shack in Athlone"
"Every Tear Is a Smile in an Irishman's Heart"
"By the waters of Killarney"
"Just a bit of Irish lace"
"Two Blue Eyes, One Little Green Isle"
"My Home in the County Mayo"
"The Hills of Connemara"
"The Old Wooden Bridge in Athlone"^[2][9]

Several songs became very popular after being recorded by John McCormack in the early 1920s.

Shows

• The Voice of McConnell by George M. Cohan, (1918; supplied songs)^[10]
• Tangerine (1921)
• Elsie (1923)
• The Chiffon Girl (1924)
• Bye Bye Barbara (1924)
• Princess April (1924)
• Oh! Oh! Nurse (1925)
• Houseboat on the Styx (1928; supplied songs)
• Mystery Moon (1930)
• Louisiana Lady (1947)