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Harry Bache Smith ( December 28, 1860 – January 1, 1936 ) was a writer, lyricist and composer. The most prolific of all American stage writers, he is said to have written over 300 librettos and more than 6000 lyrics. Some of his best-known works were librettos for the composer Victor Herbert. He also wrote the book or lyrics for several versions of the Ziegfeld Follies.

Harry was born in Buffalo, New York to Josiah Bailey Smith ( born 1837 ) and Elizabeth Bach ( born 1838 ). According to his autobiography First Nights and First Editions ( Boston: Little, Brown, 1931 ), Harry's actual name at birth was Henry Bach Smith. Harry married twice. His first wife was Lena Reed ( born Aug. 21, 1868 ), whom he married on October 12, 1887 in Chicago, Illinois. Harry and Lena had a son named Sydney Reed Smith ( born July 15, 1892 ). Harry's second wife was the actress Irene M. Bentley ( 1870 - June 3, 1940 ). Harry married Irene on November 23, 1906 in Boston, Massachusetts, after she had been divorced on June 12, 1906 by her first husband James Thomas Sothoron, Jr. ( 1867-1913 ). Irene retired from the stage in 1910, and died at Allenhurst, New Jersey. She is buried in Woodlawn Cemetery ( Webster Avenue & East 233rd Street, Bronx, NY ). While on a brief New Year's holiday in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Harry died of a heart attack ( on Jan. 1, 1936 ) in his room at the Marlborough-Blenheim Hotel. Later that day his body was shipped to a New York undertaker.

Harry's younger brother Robert Bache Smith ( June 4, 1875 - Nov. 6, 1951 ) was also a successful lyricist. Harry worked on many of the famous musical theatre productions of his time.