Elias Paul "Allie" Wrubel was an American composer, songwriter, and musician, who was notable for co-writing the Academy Award-winning song, "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" with Ray Gilbert for the film, Song of the South. He also contributed to the package films: Make Mine Music and Melody Time.
Wrubel was born to a Jewish family in Middletown, Connecticut and attended Wesleyan University, where he earned his bachelor's degree in 1926. Later, he enrolled at Columbia University for graduate music studies before working in dance bands. During his college years, he roomed with close friend and actor James Cagney. Wrubel also began playing with a variety of bands in Greenwich Village with instruments, like the saxophone and clarinet.
In 1934, he moved to Hollywood to work for Warner Bros. as a contract songwriter. He wrote songs for films, such as the titular song to A Farewell to Arms, Housewife, Music for Madame, Private Buckaroo, Dames, Bright Lights, The Life of the Party, Little Big Shot, Happiness Ahead, Flirtation Walk, Sweet Music, Broadway Hostess, Radio City Revels, Never Steal Anything Small, Duel in the Sun, I Walk Alone, Tulas, Midnight Lace, and Sing Your Way Home. The lyricists with whom he collaborated included Abner Silver, Herb Magidson, Charles Newman, Mort Dixon, and Ned Washington.
Wrubel was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970. His best-known songs included "Breakin' My Back Putting Up A Front For You", "Cleanin' My Rifle (Dreamin' Of You)", "Gone with the Wind", "Rancho Pillow", "Happiness Ahead", "In Caliente", "The Lady in Red", "Let It Be Me", "I'll Buy That Dream" (another Oscar nominated song), "Flirtation Walk", The First Time I Saw You", "Mine Alone", "Music Maestro Please", and "The Masquerade Is Over".
He died in 1973 at Twentynine Palms, California.
Filmography[]
| Year | Film | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1946 | Make Mine Music | Composer: "Johnny Fedora and Alice Blue Bonnet" |
| 1946 | Song of the South | Composer: "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah" "Everybody's Got a Laughing Place" - uncredited |
| 1948 | Melody Time | Composer: "Little Toot" |
