Arthur Freed is more closely linked than any other lyricist to the history and development of movie musicals. Collaborating with composer Nacio Herb Brown, Freed helped to establish the musical at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (M-G-M) beginning in 1929. A decade later, at the height of his career as a lyricist, Freed largely stopped writing songs to become the most innovative and successful producer of Hollywood musicals.

Born in Charleston, South Carolina, on 9 September 1894, Arthur Freed was the oldest of Max and Rosa Grossman Freed's eight children. An emigrant from Budapest in the 1880s, Max Freed became an enterprising businessman, dealing in furniture and art in Charleston, Australia, and Vancouver. By 1910 he was successful enough to retire and move his family to Seattle, Washington, where they lived in a large, antique-filled house overlooking Lake Washington.

Music played an important role in Freed's family life. His father was an amateur musician and singer...