University of Wyoming
William Axt was an American composer and conductor. He was born in New York City, New York on April 19, 1888. He earned his Doctor of Music from the University of Chicago in 1922 and served as a conductor for the Hammerstein Grand Opera Company and Capitol Theatre. In 1929, he joined the music department of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), where he composed hundreds of film scores during his career, including scores for "Ben-Hur" (1925) "Grand Hotel" (1932), and "The Thin Man" (1934). After retiring from the film industry, he lived the remainder of his life in California until his death in 1959.
The collection contains music scores and arrangements by William Axt, as well as clippings, correspondence, photographs, a conductor’s baton, and video recordings of films for which Axt wrote, arranged, or conducted the music scores.
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Item Description, Box Number, Collection Name, Collection Number, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.
This material was received from Edward S. Axt from 1969-1971 and from Barbara Axt from 2021-2023.
The collection was processed by Roger Simon in May-June 2026.
There are no known other archival collections created by William Axt as of the date of processing.
A bound volume labeled “Eskimo.” “This score is regarded to be the foremost musical work descriptive of our Eskimo people It is one of my father’s favorite scores.”
A bound volume labeled “M.G. M. Productions – “Parnell,” “The Big City,” but includes the score for “Parnell” only.
A bound volume labeled “Reminiscences – Volume 2.” Includes scores for the feature films “Hell Below” (1933), “Gabriel Over the White House” (1933), “Reunion in Vienna” (1933), “Dinner at Eight” (1934), “Fugitive Lovers” [“Transcontinental Bus”] (1934), “It Happened One Day” (1934), “Lazy River” [“In Old Louisiana”] (1934), “Manhattan Melodrama” (1934), “The Mystery of Mr. X” [Mystery of the Dead Police”] (1934), “Operator 13” (1934), “Sadie McKee” (1934), “The Thin Man” (1934), and “You Can’t Buy Everything” [“Old Hannibal”] (1934), as well as scores for the short “Block and Tackle” (1932) and the trailers for “Manhattan Melodrama” and “Sadie McKee.”
A bound volume labeled “M.G. M. Productions – “Between Two Women,” “The Bad Man of Brimstone,” “The Umbrella Man,” “White Dragon,” “The Killlr,” but includes scores for the feature films “Eskimo” (1933) and “Big City” (1937), as well as the score for the short “Ski Skill” (1937).
A bound volume labeled “M.G. M. Productions – “Fast Company,” “Listen Darling,” “Spring Madness,” “Stand Up and Fight,” “White Collars,” “The Kid from Texas,” “Sergeant Madden,” “Tell No Tales,” “Odds & Ends,” but includes scores for the feature films “Lazy River” (1934), “A Wicked Woman” (1934), “David Copperfield” (1935), “Last of the Pagans” [“Typee”] (1935), “O’Shaughnessy’s Boy” (1935), “Fast Company” (1938), “Rich Man, Poor Girl” [“White Collars”] (1938), “Three Loves Has Nancy” (1938), “The Kid from Texas” (1939), “Sergeant Madden” (1939), “Stand Up and Fight” (1939), and “Tell No Tales” (1939), as well as scores for the shorts “Trained Hoofs” (1935) and “Heroes in Repose” (probably “Heroes at Leisure” (1939)).
A bound volume labeled “Reminiscences – Volume 1.” Includes scores for the feature films “Mutiny on the Bounty” (1935), “All American Chump” [“Chained Lightning”] (1936), “The Garden Murder Case” (1936), “Old Hutch” (1936), “Between Two Women” (1937), “The First Hundred Years” [“Wooden Wedding”] (1937), “The Last of Mrs. Cheney” (1937), and “Under Cover of Night” (1937).
A bound volume labeled “M.G. M. Productions – “Pitcairn Island,” Three Wise Guys,” Garden Murder Case,” “Old Hutch,” “Chained Lightning,” “Under Cover of Night,” “Last of Mrs. Cheney,” “Turn About,” “Ski Ballet,” but includes scores for the feature films “Libeled Lady” (1936), “Piccadilly Jim” (1936), “Suzy” (1936), “Tough Guy” (1936), “Beg Borrow or Steal” (1937), and “Everybody Sing” (1938).
A bound volume labeled “M.G. M. Productions – “Pygmalion,” “Yellow Jack,” “The Girl Downstairs,” but includes scores for the feature films “Mad Holiday” [“White Dragon”] (1936), “Between Two Women” (1937), “Song of the City” (1937), and “Thoroughbreds Don’t Cry” (1937), as well as the score for the short “Bar Rac’s Night Out” (1936).
A bound volume labeled “M.G. M. Productions – “Libeled Lady,” “Everybody Sing,” Turn About,” “Thoroughbreds Don’t Cry,” “Song of the City,” “Bar Rac,” but includes scores for the feature films “Three Godfathers” (1936), “The Bad Man of Brimstone” (1937), and “London by Night” [“The Umbrella”] (1937).
A bound volume labeled “Memories.” Music written and co-written by Axt from several series, including “Capitol Photoplay Series,” “Famous Photoplay Series,” “Gold Seal Library Series,” “Popular Standard Series,” and “Red Seal Concert Series.”
A bound volume. “My mother, Vera Derosa, was an opera and musical comedy dramatic soprano. This score was bound for her.”
A bound volume. Includes an inscription from Victor Herbert to Axt. “My father’s early career was nurtured by Victor Herbert, who, recognizing the great young talent, immediately hired him to conduct the original ‘Naughty Marietta.’ The newspapers, noting the extreme youth of the conductor (20 yrs. Of age), labeled him as the second Toscanini. Later, as conductor of the Philadelphia Opera, presided over by Oscar Hammerstein, Sr., the news media then referred to the youthful conductor as ‘Hammerstein’s Toscanini.’”
Includes handwritten notes and, as an insert, “Mélody” by Tchaikovsky.
Presentation baton from German Countess Gottshalk.
Axt is credited, with Major Edward Bowes and David Mendoza, with “stage presentation and musical score.”
An ad promoting Axt as “an important cog in a fast growing organization,” a photo of the Capiitol Theatre's studio ensemble that includes Axt, and a radio program that includes "If Love Were All" by Axt.
Includes a holiday greeting card from Enrico Caruso.
Axt is credited with “musical direction.”
Includes two faxes from Duane William Axt, grandson of William Axt, regarding the history of the manuscript. One fax states that John Stephens was actually Maurice Berkson, Duane Axt’s other grandfather.
Attached to 1959 letter to Edward Axt.
Includes photos of Axt, wife Vera, and son Edward, as well as inscribed photos, including photos of tenor John Francis McCormack, coloratura soprano Luisa Tetrazzini, actor and singer Jeanette MacDonald, operatic tenor Enrico Caruso. Also includes a photo of Axt with an accompanying clipping – “William Axt Makes His Opera Debut,” and a caricature drawing of Axt.