Charles Rudolf Friml (December 7, 1879 – November 12, 1972)

Charles Rudolf Friml was a Czech-born composer of operettas, musicals, songs and piano pieces, as well as a pianist. After musical training and a brief performing career in his native Prague, Friml moved to the United States, where he became a composer. His best-known works are Rose-Marie and The Vagabond King, each of which enjoyed success on Broadway and in London and were adapted for film. His first post in New York was as a repetiteur at the Metropolitan Opera. He had made his American piano debut at Carnegie Hall in 1904, and premiered his Piano Concerto in B major in 1906 with the New York Philharmonic under the baton of Walter Damrosch. WIKIPEDIA

 VIDEO: Alan Jones - Jeanette MacDonald - Donkey Serenade - Firefly Video... This picture version was the public's very first hearing - and also seeing - of this splendid, world-famous song, published in 1936. Sung by Alan Jones in the movie 'Firefly'. The actual melody was taken from a classical piece by composer Rudolf Friml.