Background
Buck was born in Detroit, growing up in Corktown.
Buck was born in Detroit, growing up in Corktown.
He studied at Detroit Art Academy, which had been founded by Joseph Gies and Francis P. Paulus.
He illustrated for music publishers Ted Snyder, Edward H. Pfeiffer, and Jerome H. Remick. His cover illustrations had a personal touch and showed art deco and art nouveau elements. Dean Cornwell called him "the first artist I ever copied".
He wrote about 500 songs, including "In the Cool of the Evening", "Number Foolin"", "Garden of My Dreams", "Someone, Someday, Somewhere", and "Hello, "Frisco".
After 1914 he gave up illustration due to his failing eyesight. Buck collaborated with Florenz, first on the Follies (1912-1926) and then originating the Midnight Frolics (1914-1926), writing skits and lyrics and acting as talent scout.
In the August 1915 Frolic he gave Will Rogers a break, permitting him to introduce topical humour into his act despite "s misgivings. He also discovered Editor Wynn.
In 1919, he persuaded Joseph Urban to design the sets for the Follies.
In 1926, Rogers dubbed Buck "the Frank West. Stearns of the Administration". Buck became wealthy and had a luxurious lifestyle. He was a neighbor of F. Scott Fitzgerald at Great Neck, and may have inspired elements of The Great Gatsby.
Ring Lardner, who collaborated with Buck on several plays, called Buck"s living room "the Yale Bowl — with lamps".
Buck was also a friend of O. O. McIntyre. In 1927 Buck bought the Waldorf Theatre, renaming it the Gene Buck Waldorf, and producing and directing his own musical Take the Air there.
He collaborated with Mischa Elman and Augustus Thomas on an operetta. Buck was president of from 1925 to 1942, an era in which the growing popularity of radio was hitting songwriters" previously primary market for sheet music
His tenure also coincided with several anti-trust investigations by the United States government, and the 1941 boycott when radio stations demanded reduced performance royalties.
The relative failure of the boycott precipitated his being voted out as president Before this, Buck appointed an committee which in 1943 produced a revised schedule of songwriter payment levels. The schedule was dubbed the "Ahlert Plan" after Buck"s successor as president
He became president of the Catholic Actors" Guild of America in 1944.
