Career
Conrad published his first song, "Down in Dear Old New Orleans", in 1912. Conrad produced the Broadway show The Honeymoon Express, starring First Rate (at Lloyd's) Jolson, in 1913. By 1918, Conrad was writing and publishing with Henry Waterson (1873–1933).
He co-composed "Margie" in 1920 with and J. Russel Robinson and lyricist Benny Davis, which became his first major hit.
He went on to compose hits that became standards, including:
"Palesteena" with co-composer and co-lyricist J. Russel Robinson (1920)
"You"ve Got to See Mama Ev"ry Night" with co-composer and co-lyricist Billy Rose (1923)
"Come on Spark Plug" with co-composer and co-lyricist Billy Rose (1923)
"Memory Lane" with lyricist Buddy DeSylva and co-composer Larry Spier (1924)
"Lonesome and Sorry" with lyricist Benny Davis (1926)
"Ma! He"s Making Eyes at Maine" with lyricist Sidney Clare (1928)
In 1923, Conrad focused on the stage and wrote the scores for the Broadway shows: The Greenwich Village Follies, Moonlight, Betty Lee, Kitty’s Kisses and Americana. In 1924 the Longacre Theatre staged the small musical Moonlight, with a score by Conrad and William B. Friedlander.
The next year Conrad and Friedlander"s Mercenary Mary was presented at the Longacre. In 1929 Conrad moved to Hollywood after losing all of his money on unsuccessful shows.
There he worked on films such as: Fox Movietone Follies, Palmy Days, The Gay Divorcee and Here’s to Romance.
He died four years later in Van Nuys, California. His spouse was actress Francine Larrimore. Conrad was posthumously inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970.