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American composer renowned for his contributions to Broadway musicals, Hollywood film scores, and the Great American Songbook during the early 20th century.Prolific Tin Pan Alley composer who began as a song plugger in Boston. Collaborated extensively with lyricist Dorothy Fields, creating standards like 'I Can't Give You Anything But Love' and 'On the Sunny Side of the Street.' Scored over 20 films and received an Academy Award nomination.

• McHugh's career nearly ended before it started when he survived the 1919 Great Molasses Flood in Boston, which killed 21 people and injured 150.
• Despite his success with Fields, their partnership dissolved in 1930 due to creative differences, though they reconciled professionally in later years.
• His song 'I'm in the Mood for Love' (1935) became controversial when jazz musician James Moody transformed it into the risqué 'Moody's Mood for Love' in 1952, featuring improvised scat lyrics.
• McHugh battled alcoholism throughout his life, which reportedly affected his productivity during the 1940s.
• Died of heart failure at age 74 in Beverly Hills, just months after completing his final Broadway score for 'Sugar Babies'.