Howard Dietz
Born September 8, 1896
Origin New York City, U.S.
Died July 30, 1983 (aged 86)
New York City, U.S.
Occupation(s) Publicist, lyricist, and librettist
Dietz was born in New York City. He attended Columbia College and then studied journalism at Columbia University. He also served as publicist/director of advertising for Goldwyn Pictures and later MGM and is often credited with creating Leo the Lion, its lion mascot, and choosing their slogan Ars Gratia Artis. In 1942, he was made MGM’s Vice President in Charge of Publicity. He held that position until his retirement in 1957.
He began a long association with composer Arthur Schwartz when they teamed up for the Broadway revue The Little Show in 1929. They would continue to work on and off over the next 30 or so years. Dietz served in the US Navy in World War I and became editor of their magazine, Navy Life. During World War II, he assisted the U.S. Treasury Department with the publicity and promotion of War Bonds and created stage shows for the Coast Guard with composer Vernon Duke. He appears as a recurring character in the mystery novels of John Dandola which involve a sleuthing MGM publicity girl.
Dietz saved copies of every document relating to his career, as well as relating to the publicity campaigns of every MGM film he publicized. After his death, this vast trove of artifacts was donated to the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. The archive on Dietz constitutes its single largest archive on any person or subject.
In 1972, Howard Dietz was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. And, in 1981, he was inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame.
Personal life
Dietz was married three times. He married Elizabeth Bigelow Hall in 1917, and they divorced in 1936. He married Tanis Guinness Montagu on January 25, 1937, and had a daughter; they divorced 14 years later, in 1951. Later that year, he married the costume designer Lucinda Ballard. He died in New York City of Parkinson’s disease.
Broadway credits
Dear Sir — 1924 (music by Jerome Kern)
Merry-Go-Round — 1927 (music by Henry Souvaine and Jay Gorney)
The Little Show — 1929 (music by Schwartz)
The Second Little Show — 1930 (music by Schwartz)
Three’s a Crowd — 1930 (music by Schwartz)
The Band Wagon — 1931 (music by Schwartz)
Flying Colors — 1932 (music by Schwartz)
Revenge with Music — 1934 (music by Schwartz)
At Home Abroad — 1935 (music by Schwartz)
Between the Devil — 1937 (music by Schwartz)
Keep Off the Grass — 1940 (Dietz contributed three songs with music by Jimmy McHugh)
Jackpot — 1944 (music by Vernon Duke)
Sadie Thompson — 1944 (music by Duke)
Inside U.S.A. — 1948 (music by Schwartz)
The Gay Life — 1961 (music by Schwartz)
Jennie — 1963 (music by Schwartz)