Playwrights, Composers, Lyricists and Authors

Jack Perry was born in Chicago.  As a lad, on cold winter nights, he taught himself to play piano.  As a young man, he studied singing with Chicago voice teacher, Mrs. Metger.  Under her direction, he sang the tenor in eight grand operas.

Later on Broadway, Perry was a member of the original cast of OKLAHOMA!  He performed in other New York musicals, revues and road shows, once traveling to South America.

Perry moved to Los Angeles, California and studied Bel Canto (beautiful singing) under the famous voice coach and teacher Lady Rosa St. Amber.  Jack Perry became a voice teacher, too.

It was at this time he met Robert Neil Porter and they began to write and produce musicals.  Perry could sing, teach and perform in grand opera, musical comedy, jazz, blues and country.  This gave him a great advantage as a composer.  He knew what notes to write for singers so they would sound (and perform) at their best.

Jack Perry once submitted one of his musicals, later published by Pioneer Drama Service, to the prestigious Los Angeles Civic Light Opera Association.  It came back with a note attached:  "You couldn't possibly have written all of these different numbers.  You must have copied them from another source."

Jack Perry did write all of those different songs...  and he could also perform them at a professional performance level!

Jack Perry passed away in 1984.