Michael Paul Grace ll (August 6, 1917– April 1, 1995)[1] was the producer of the Broadway shows King of Friday's Men (1951)[2] and John Murray Anderson's Almanac (1953).[3]
He was the lyricist and composer of some of the music for the Almanac show and was the author/co-author of a variety of copyrighted music in the recording industry.[4] In the 1950s, he was the assignor for a variety of patented technologies.
He later became an oil and gas producer as well as becoming involved in mining industry applications of oil and gas technology by means of what is called solutions mining. He made philanthropic donations to create several professorships at Notre Dame University.
Michael P. Grace II was born on August 6, 1917. His father was Joseph P. Grace, the former chairman of W. R. Grace and Company,[5] and his siblings were Janet Maureen Grace, Charles M. Grace and J. Peter Grace, who was also the former chairman of W. R. Grace and Company.[6] His grandfather was William Russell Grace, the first Roman Catholic mayor of New York City and the founder of W. R. Grace and Company. His great uncle was industrialist and chairman of the board of the directors of W. R. Grace, Michael P. Grace.
He attended Harvard University, University of Notre Dame, and Fordham School of Law.
He first produced King of Friday's Men in 1951 on Broadway in New York City. It was a comedy set in the 18th century Ireland by Irish playwright Michael Joseph Molloy, and had been directed by David Alexander.[7]
The cast members for the show were:
Rory Commons
Una Brehony
Bartley Dowd
Both his grandfather, William R. Grace, and his great uncle, Michael P. Grace, had been born in Ireland.
However, the show closed after two days and four performances.[8] [9]
He then produced with Stanley Gilky and Harry Rigby the Broadway production of the musical revue John Murray Anderson's Almanac, which opened on December 10, 1953, and continued until June 26, 1954. The show ran for 229 performances.[10]
John Murray Anderson's Almanac was a music and comedy revue and consisted of casts members Billy De Wolfe, Orson Bean, Tina Louise, Hermione Gingold, Harry Belafonte, Polly Bergen, Carleton Carpenter, and Monique van Mooren. The show was conceived and staged by John Murray Anderson, and Henry Sullivan was one of the composers. Both had worked together in Murray Anderson's Almanac (1929)[11] as well as on part of the soundtrack for The Greatest Show on Earth (1952).[12] Michael P. Grace II, along with being one of the producers, wrote some of the music and lyrics for the show as well.[13] Richard Adler and Jerry Ross, who wrote most of the music and lyrics, started their careers in Broadway theatre with this show, going on to write songs for The Pajama Game and Damn Yankees over the course of the next two years (1954–1955).[14] [15] Singer and actress Hermione Gingold, originally from England, started her Broadway career as well with this show. She and fellow cast member Billy de Wolfe would go on to win the 1954 Donaldson Award for Male and Female Debut in a Musical. In the same award ceremony, Harry Belafonte won Best Supporting Actor in a Musical.[16]
| John Murray Anderson & Henry Sullivan had written part of the soundtrack for The Greatest Show on Earth (1952) | Richard Adler and Jerry Ross, who had written a majority of the music, would go on to write music for The Pajama Game (1954) and Damn Yankees (1955). |
In 1957, Grace and Chris F. Anderson presented Jazz Under the Stars at the Wollman Memorial Theatre in New York City's Central Park. It was produced by Grace in association with Monte Kay and Pete Kameron. Kay and Kameron would later go on to create FM Records. The show starred Billie Holiday, the Jerry Mulligan Quartet, Dinah Washington, Buddy Rich, Stan Getz, and Jo Jones. Commentary was provided by Al "Jazzbo" Collins and Sean Shepherd.[17]
Grace, along with having created some of the music and lyrics to his Broadway production, had written a variety of copyrighted songs for the recording industry as well. He wrote/co-wrote the music for Teeny, Weeny Martini (1953) and Cradled in the Arms of Love (1953) with Sammy Gallup and Helmy Kresa.[18] [19] He and John Rox, a fellow lyricist and composer from the Almanac show, wrote Let a Little Time Go By (1954).[20] He also did musical collaborations with Clay Boland and Alfonso D'Artega. (Please See Discography Below).
While his Almanac musical was on stage on Broadway, Michael Grace married Corinne Bissette, an actress and graduate from the Women's College at the University of North Carolina. The wedding was held at Michael Grace's alma mater, the University of Notre Dame at the university's chapel of the Sacred Heart. The wedding took place on April 26, 1954. At the time of the wedding, he was president of Fatima Charities in New York City.[21]
| Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder[22] | 1947 | Michael Grace, George Tonak, Nola Hooper, & Dale Wood | Michael Grace, George Tonak, Nola Hooper, & Dale Wood | |
| Are You Really in Love[23] | 1947 | Michael Grace & Charlie Beal | Michael Grace & Charlie Beal | |
| Brooklyn, USA[24] | 1947 | Michael Grace | Michael Grace | |
| Darling[25] | 1947 | Michael Grace & Dale Wood | Michael Grace & Dale Wood | |
| Did You Know I Love You[26] | 1947 | Michael Grace & Dale Wood | Michael Grace & Dale Wood | |
| FATIMA-Lady of Love[27] | 1947 | Michael Grace & Carl Tucker † | Michael Grace & Carl Tucker | |
| GEE, I'd Like to Fall in Love[28] | 1947 | Michael Grace | Michael Grace | |
| Hangin' 'Round[29] | 1947 | Michael Grace, George Tonak, & Dale Wood | Michael Grace, George Tonak, & Dale Wood | |
| I Dare to Dream[30] | 1947 | Michael Grace, George Tonak,& Dale Wood | Michael Grace, George Tonak,& Carl Tucker | |
| GO FOR YOU[31] | 1947 | Michael Grace & Dale Wood | Michael Grace & Dale Wood | |
| If Love Can Happen[32] | 1947 | Michael Grace & Dale Wood | Clay Boland | |
| I am Just a Hillbilly Boy[33] | 1947 | Michael Grace | Michael Grace | |
| I'm Tired of Being the Fall Guy[34] | 1947 | Michael Grace & Carl Tucker | Michael Grace & Carl Tucker | |
| Isn't Love a Funny Thing[35] | 1947 | Michael Grace & Clay Boland | Michael Grace & Clay Boland | |
| Personality Tune[36] | 1947 | Michael Grace & Carl Tucker | Michael Grace & Carl Tucker | |
| Pourquoi[37] | 1947 | Michael Grace, Carl Tucker, & Dale Wood | Michael Grace, Carl Tucker,& Dale Wood | |
| Roses Sprinkled With Stardust[38] | 1947 | Michael Grace, William Sullivan,Dale Wood, & Phil Venegas | Mike Grace, William Sullivan, Dale Wood, & Phil Vanegas | |
| Santa Mater Ecclesia[39] | 1947 | Michael Grace & Carl Tucker | Michael Grace & Carl Tucker | |
| Song of the East[40] | 1947 | Michael Grace & Dale Wood | Clay Boland | |
| The Yankee Polka[41] | 1947 | Michael Grace | Michael Grace | |
| Smiling through the Tears[42] | 1948 | James Cassin & Marin Bierne | Michael Grace & Dale Wood | |
| That's Why My Heart Feels So Gay[43] | 1948 | Michael Grace & Maureen Grace | Michael Grace &Maureen Grace (his sister) | |
| Pourquoi[44] | 1948 | Michael Grace & Carl Tucker | Michael Grace & Carl Tucker | |
| Marry Me[45] | 1948 | Michael Grace | Michael Grace | |
| Calling All Cars Police, secours[46] | 1949 | English Version: Michael GraceFrench Version: Michael Emer | Michael Emer | |
| Baby[47] | 1949 | Michael Grace | Michael Grace | |
| I Never Saw So Much Love as I See in Your Eyes[48] | 1952 | Jack Scholl | Michael Grace & Helmy Kresa | |
| Miracle of Fatima[49] | 1952 | Michael Grace | Helmy Kresa | |
| Astral Ballet[50] †† | 1953 | Michael Grace & Alfonso D'Artega | ||
| Act I, Opening Act[51] (John Murray Anderson's Almanac) | 1953 | Michael Grace | ||
| Are They Really In Love?[52] | 1953 | Michael Grace | Michael Grace | |
| I'm Not Walking, I'm Dancing[53] | 1953 | Sammy Gallop | Michael Grace | |
| Midnight in New York[54] | 1953 | Sammy Gallop | Michael Grace & Helmy Kresa | |
| Christmas Holiday[55] | 1953 | Michael Grace | Michael Grace | |
| I Dare to Dream[56] | 1953 | Sammy Gallop | Michael Grace & Carl Tucker | |
| Fall in Love[57] | 1953 | Michael Grace | Michael Grace | |
| Teeny, Weeny Martini[58] | 1953 | Sammy Gallop | Michael Grace & Helmy Kresa | |
| Cradled in the Arms of Love | 1953 | Sammy Gallop | Michael Grace & Helmy Kresa | |
| Be Natural[59] | 1953 | Michael Grace | Michael Grace | |
| Let a Little Time Go By | 1954 | John Rox††† | Michael Grace | |
| Let a Little Time Go By | 1978 | Michael Grace |
†- Carl Tucker would later go on to write additional music in Grace's production on John Murray Anderson's Almanac[60]
††-Alfonso D'Artega & William D. Van Ness had written a screenplay for a science fiction musical fantasy in 1953.[61]
†††-John Rox and Mike Grace were both composers and lyricists in John Murray Anderson's Almanac.
| Combination Skirt, Cape, and Blouse[62] | Iris Flores | 1953 | Michael P. Grace | |
| Perfume Vial[63] | Christy M. Del Mas | 1953 | Michael P. Grace | |
| Sandwich and Hors D'oeuvers[64] | Christy M. Del Mas | 1953 | Michael P. Grace | |
| Finger Ring for Holding Perfume[65] | Christy M. Del Mas | 1953 | Michael P. Grace | |
| Holder for Razors and Blades[66] | Christy M. Del Mas | 1953 | Michael P. Grace | |
| Harmonica Ring[67] | Christy M. Del Mas | 1953 | Michael P. Grace | |
| Toothbrush[68] | Christy M. Del Mas | 1953 | Michael P. Grace | |
| Doll (ornamental design)[69] | Christy M. Del Mas | 1954 | Michael P. Grace | |
| Combined Whistle and Holder[70] | Christy M. Del Mas | 1954 | Michael P. Grace | |
| Display Carrying Case[71] | Christy M. Del Mas | 1955 | Michael P. Grace | |
| Pouring Lid for Cans[72] | Christy M. Del Mas | 1955 | Michael P. Grace | |
| Dispensing Closure for Collapsible Tubes[73] | Christy M. Del Mas | 1956 | Michael P. Grace | |
| Articulated Figure Toy[74] | Christy M. Del Mas | 1956 | Michael P. Grace |
In 1965, he started a new career as an oil and gas producer. He operated wells mostly in New Mexico and was based in Carlsbad, New Mexico.[75]
Wells produced or with participatory interest by Michael P. Grace in New Mexico
According to the NPR (National Public Radio) article about Billie Holiday, Billie Full Of Grace: How Billie Holiday Learned to Sing at the House of the Good Shepherd, Grace, a fellow Catholic, stepped up to pay for her funeral in 1959.[80]
He provided the charitable contributions for the Michael P. Grace Chair in Medieval Studies at the University of Notre Dame in the US. The professorship is a part of scholarly work in medieval research.
A good example of the professorship's success was its encouragement for the writing of the book Aquinas on Human Action: A Theory of Practice[81] by Ralph McInerny, Michael P. Grace Professor of medieval studies in the department of philosophy at the University of Notre Dame.
His charitable contribution also created a professorship and assistant professorship in economics at the university.[82]
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R602339
Marry Me, words and music by Michael P. Grace
© 1 April 1948; R602339
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Iris Flores, New York, N.Y., assignor to Michael P. Grace, New York, N.Y. Application July 14, 1953, Serial No. 25,932
PERFUME VIAL, Christy M. Del Mas, New York, N. Y., assignor to Michael P. Grace, New York, N. Y. Application September 11, 1952, Serial No. 21,422
Christy M. Del Mas, New York, N. Y, assignor to Michael F. Grace, New York, N. Y. Application December 12, 1952, Serial No. 22,682
FINGER, RING FOR HOLDING PERFUME Christy M. Del Mas, New York, N.Y., assignor to Michael P. Grace, New York, N.Y. Application May 4, 1953, Serial No. 24,831
HOLDER FOR RAZORS AND BLADES
Christy M. Del Mas, New York, N. Y., assignor to Michael P. Grace, New York, N.Y. Application May 4, 1953, Serial No. 24,836 Term of patent 14 years
HARMONICA RING
Christy M. Del Mas, New York, N.Y., assignor to Michael P. Grace, New York, N.Y. Application May 4, 1953, Serial No. 24,834
USPTO.GOV
USPTO.GOV
USPTO.GOV
COMBINED TOY WHISTLE AND HOLDER THEREFOR OR SMLAR ARTICLE Christy M. Del Mas, New York, N.Y., assignor to Michael P. Grace, New York, N.Y. Application August 19, 1952, Serial No. 21,112
USPTO.GOV
Christy M. Del Mas, New York, N.Y., assignor to Michael P. Grace, New York, N.Y. Application May 6, 1953, Serial No. 24,872
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DSPENSING CLOSURE FOR COLLAPSEBLE TUBES
Christy M. Del Mas, New York, N.Y., assignor to
Michael P. Grace, New York, N.Y.
Application June 10, 1953, Serial No. 360,767
USPTO.GOV
ARTICULATED FGURE TOY
Christy Michael Del Mas, New York, N.Y., assignor to
Michael P. Grace, New York, N.Y.
Application March 18, 1953, Serial No.343,087
USPTO.GOV