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Buddy G. DeSylva

Producer and writer · Died July 11, 1950, aged 55 · New York City, New York, USA

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia George Gard "Buddy" DeSylva (January 27, 1895 – July 11, 1950) was an American songwriter, film producer and record executive. He wrote or co-wrote many popular songs and along with Johnny Mercer and Glenn Wallichs, he founded Capitol Records. DeSylva was born in New York City, but grew up in California and attended the University of Southern California, where he joined the Theta Xi Fraternity. His father, Aloysius J. De Sylva, was better known to American audiences as the Portuguese-born actor, Hal De Forrest. His mother, Georgetta Miles Gard, was the daughter of Los Angeles police chief George E. Gard. DeSylva's first successful songs were those used by Al Jolson on Broadway in the 1918 Sinbad production, which included "I'll Say She Does". Soon thereafter he met Jolson and in 1918 the pair went to New York and DeSylva began working as a songwriter in Tin Pan Alley. In the early 1920s, DeSylva frequently worked with composer George Gershwin. Together they created the experimental one-act jazz opera Blue Monday set in Harlem, which is widely regarded as a forerunner to Porgy and Bess ten years later. In April 1924, DeSylva married Marie Wallace, a Ziegfeld Follies dancer. In 1925, DeSylva became one third of the songwriting team with lyricist Lew Brown and composer Ray Henderson, one of the top Tin Pan Alley songwriters of the era. The team was responsible for the song Magnolia (1927) which was popularized by Lou Gold's orchestra. The writing and publishing partnership continued until 1930, producing a string of hits and the perennial Broadway favorite Good News. The popularity of this team was so great that Gershwin's mother supposedly chided her sons for not being able to write the sort of hits turned out by the trio. DeSylva joined ASCAP in 1920 and served on the ASCAP board of directors between 1922 and 1930. He became a producer of stage and screen musicals. DeSylva relocated to Hollywood and went under contract to Fox Studios. During this tenure, he produced movies such as The Little Colonel, The Littlest Rebel, Captain January, Poor Little Rich Girl and Stowaway. In 1941, he became the Executive Producer at Paramount Pictures, a position he would hold until 1944. At Paramount, he was also an uncredited executive producer for Double Indemnity, For Whom the Bell Tolls, The Story of Dr. Wassell and The Glass Key. The Paramount all-star extravaganza Star Spangled Rhythm, which takes place at the Paramount film studio in Hollywood, features a fictional movie executive named "B.G. DeSoto" (played by Walter Abel) who is a parody of DeSylva. In 1942, Johnny Mercer, Glenn Wallichs and DeSylva together founded Capitol Records, which continues to this day. He also founded the Cowboy label.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
January 27, 1895
Died
July 11, 1950 (aged 55)
From
New York City, New York, USA
Works as
Producer and writer
Titles
49 on MovieCove · 74 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 38 days to Oct 27Down 26% in 30 days

What are Buddy G. DeSylva's films like?

Across their 42 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.

Genres

Comedy26 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 77th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Adventure6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 78th percentile
: browse their Adventure movies
Crime4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 87th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Drama3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 82nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Action2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 81st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
41%
Morality
27%
Self
15%
Survival
6%
Society
4%
Power
4%
Ideas
3%
Romantic love21 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception13 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds10 titles, browse their movies with this themeDuty6 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth5 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival4 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition4 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity5 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 42 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 32 · Serious 3 · Dark 7

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 15 · Stylized 20 · Heightened 7

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 24 · Charged 14 · Intense 4

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 26 · Shifting 14 · Whiplash 2

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 10 · Some laughs 10 · Funny 22

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 15 · Even-paced 25 · Relentless 2

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 32 · Engaged 9 · Full focus 1

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 40 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Joyful
27
Warm
15
Tense
12
Romantic
16
Hopeful
8
Other
30

How their films linger

Feel-good28 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun24 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 5 with a twist

  • Happy30
  • Bittersweet11
  • Tragic1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Buddy G. DeSylva's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 12 of their 49 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (7).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Buddy G. DeSylva's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

74 credits, 49 with a MovieCove page.

  • Love Me or Leave Me(1955)

    Songs

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Good News(1947)

    Lyricist · Songs · Theatre Play

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Two Years Before the Mast(1946)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Road to Utopia(1945)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • The Stork Club (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

    Screenplay

  • Our Hearts Were Young and Gay(1944)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Hail the Conquering Hero(1944)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • The Great Moment (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1944)

    Executive Producer

  • The Story of Dr. Wassell(1944)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Ministry of Fear(1944)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • The Hitler Gang (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1944)

    Producer

  • The Uninvited(1944)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Double Indemnity(1944)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Going My Way(1944)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Practically Yours(1944)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • True to Life (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    Executive Producer

  • Riding High (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    Executive Producer

  • So Proudly We Hail!(1943)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Du Barry Was a Lady(1943)

    Theatre Play

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • For Whom the Bell Tolls(1943)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Five Graves to Cairo(1943)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • The Crystal Ball(1943)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Dixie(1943)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • The Miracle of Morgan's Creek(1943)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Road to Morocco(1942)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • I Married a Witch(1942)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • The Glass Key(1942)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • Wake Island (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    Executive Producer

  • This Gun for Hire(1942)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • My Favorite Blonde(1942)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Reap the Wild Wind(1942)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • The Lady Has Plans(1942)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Panama Hattie(1942)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • The Palm Beach Story(1942)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Louisiana Purchase (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    Short Story

  • Birth of the Blues (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    Producer

  • Nothing But the Truth(1941)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • Aloma of the South Seas(1941)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • Caught in the Draft(1941)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • The Lady Eve(1941)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • The Great Man's Lady(1941)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Christmas in July(1940)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • The Great McGinty(1940)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • The Great Victor Herbert (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    Lyricist

  • Bachelor Mother(1939)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Love Affair(1939)

    Songs

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • The Rage of Paris(1938)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • You're a Sweetheart (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    Producer

  • Merry Go Round of 1938 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    Producer

  • Danger - Love at Work(1937)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Born to Dance(1936)

    Story

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Ladies in Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    Associate Producer

  • Captain January(1936)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Poor Little Rich Girl(1936)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Sing, Baby, Sing(1936)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films

  • Stowaway(1936)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • The Littlest Rebel(1935)

    Associate Producer

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Welcome Home (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    Producer

  • Doubting Thomas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    Producer

  • The Little Colonel(1935)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Have a Heart (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    Story

  • Bottoms Up (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    Producer · Screenplay · Story

  • My Weakness (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    Dialogue · Producer · Story

  • Flying High (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    Book

  • Indiscreet(1931)

    Producer · Story · Writer

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Follow the Leader (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    Theatre Play

  • Just Imagine (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    Producer · Songs · Writer

  • Follow Thru (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    Lyricist · Musical

  • Queen High (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    Theatre Play

  • Good News (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    Lyricist

  • Hold Everything (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    Theatre Play

  • Sally(1929)

    Lyricist

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Big Boy(1930)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • Sunny Side Up (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    Producer · Story

Career shape

A full career of 59 titles from 1929 to 1955.

Biggest box office

Born to Dance (1936)

$942K worldwide

Highest rated

Double Indemnity (1944)

Midcredits 99th

By role

only this rolewith another role
Writing19 of 59: 14 only writing, 5 with another role · typical Midcredits score65thProducing42 of 59: 38 only producing, 4 with another role · typical Midcredits score82ndOther crew4 of 59: 2 only other crew, 2 with another role

59 titles, 5 with more than one role — producing and writing overlap on 4 of them.

By decade

1920s1 · crew1930s23 · crew1940s34 · crew1950s1 · crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

How do Buddy G. DeSylva's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 78th percentile, the median of all 49; across their 42 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 75th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

75thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 42

Approval · how many liked their films

80thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 42

Reach · how many have seen their films

58thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 42

Midcredits score across 49 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up29
  • 50th to 74th13
  • 25th to 49th5
  • Below 25th2

Shape of the crowd

33 of their 49 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved8
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser33
  • Mixed7

Most divisive · writer

Big Boy (1930)

72nd percentile spread · 24% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · producer

Double Indemnity (1944)

Midcredits 99th · 89% liked

Reviewers score the dialogue 61/100 and the plot and story 48/100 in their films, across 42 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a writer.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Buddy G. DeSylva's work okay for kids?

Across a limited sample of up to 3 MovieCove titles with content scores.

Their medianMedian of all films
Violence & Gore3 titlesmedian 21 · mildMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity3 titlesmedian 12 · minimalMedian of all films: 32
Profanity3 titlesmedian 4 · minimalMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs3 titlesmedian 24 · mildMedian of all films: 33

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted.

Who does Buddy G. DeSylva work with?

People who share at least 2 of Buddy G. DeSylva's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Victor Young shares the most, 11.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and cinematographers

Producers

Mixed roles