Henry Vars

Henryk Wars was born into an assimilated Polish-Jewish musical family in the Russian partition of Poland. His older sister, Józefina, became a soloist at the Warsaw Opera and La Scala, while his younger sister, Paulina, trained as a pianist. Beginning in 1906, the family spent part of Wars's early childhood in France, where he studied at an Art Nouveau school, before returning to Poland in 1914.^[3]

Wars attended the Mazovian Voivodeship Gymnasium, where he passed his secondary school leaving examination in 1920. That same year, he fought in the Polish–Soviet War, taking part in the defense of Warsaw, for which he was awarded the Cross of Valour (Poland).

After the war, Wars initially pursued law at Warsaw University, while simultaneously studying painting at the Academy of Fine Arts. His career direction changed after a school concert at which he conducted an orchestra and was noticed by the prominent Warsaw composer Emil Młynarski. Impressed by the young musician, Młynarski granted Wars a personal scholarship to study at the Warsaw Music Conservatory following a private audition. Wars studied composition under Professor Roman Statkowski and Emil Młynarski, graduating in 1925.

An account from his conservatory years relates that during one class, Wars brought a gramophone record playing jazz, which so displeased Statkowski that he expelled Wars from the class. According to a personal anecdote, Wars first discovered jazz while browsing the Syrena-Record store in Warsaw, where he encountered imported American jazz recordings. Captivated by the syncopation, he asked the cashier, Mrs. Lucia, to pack ten discs, which he then studied obsessively. When he returned home with the records, his mother expelled him from the house for purchasing jazz music.^[4][5]

After graduating in 1925, Wars briefly returned to military service, completing officers' training, before dedicating himself entirely to music. He became a long-time music director for Syrena Rekord. In 1927, he composed the song "New York Times" ("I do nothing all day but read the New York Times"), which was performed at the Karuzela (Merry-Go-Round) Theatre by Tadeusz Olsza and recorded by Henryk Gold's Orchestra for Syrena Rekord. Although the song was a commercial and popular failure, it succeeded in bringing Wars's name to the attention of major figures in Polish entertainment, including Andrzej Włast.^[6]

Wars's first major success came in 1928 with "Zatańczmy tango" ("Let's Dance a Tango"), written for Stanisława Nowicka and Eugeniusz Bodo. Around this time, he was hired as a pianist at the Morskie Oko Theatre and joined Henryk Gold's band.

From 1929, Henryk Wars played with Leon Boruński in revues as a regular duo called "Jazz for Two Pianos." During this time, he organized a reveller-style choir, the Jazz Singers, for the Morskie Oko Film Festival and recorded two albums with them on Syrena Record. This ensemble was the precursor to the later professional vocal group, the Wars Choir, which operated from 1930 until the end of 1933. Under Wars's direction and with his regular accompaniment, the Choir performed in revue theaters and recorded exclusive albums for Syrena Record. After the Choir ceased operations, Wars led a similar vocal ensemble called the Weseli Chłopcy z Columbii (Merry Boys from Columbia), which performed at venues such as the Hollywood Cinema and recorded albums for Columbia Records.^[7]

During the 1930s, Wars composed songs for a series of musical comedies in Poland, and his significance in the country is comparable to that of Irving Berlin in America. Between 1930 and 1939, he scored approximately 50–53 films, including Pieśniarz Warszawy, Manewry Miłosne, Romeo i Julcia, Antek Policmajster, and Włóczęgi. His melodies from this period, along with those of Jerzy Petersburski and Zygmunt Wiehler, remain popular in Poland, with many songs closely associated with pre-war Lwów. Recent recordings include Ach, śpij kochanie (Ah, Sleep My Darling) by Grzegorz Turnau and others, as well as numerous performances of Tylko we Lwowie. In 2002, his song Umówiłem się z nią na dziewiątą (I Have a Date with Her at Nine) appeared in Roman Polański's film The Pianist.

Wars composed his first film score for Na Sybir in 1930, after gaining fame as a conductor and performer at various Warsaw cabarets and theaters, including Morskie Oko, Hollywood, and Wielka Rewia. On June 18, 1930, a revue entitled Dancing Every Day was staged at the Morskie Oko Theatre, for which Wars created the main theme and arranged all the songs. A major milestone in his career was the establishment of cooperation with the Sfinks-Libkow Film studio, for which he composed the music for one of the first Polish sound films, "Na Sybir", in 1930. The film's sound was coordinated under his direction at the UFA studio in Berlin, and the premiere took place on October 31, 1930, at the Royal Castle in Warsaw, in the presence of President Ignacy Mościcki. At Wars's request, the president supported the purchase of film sound equipment for Poland, which was later installed in the Syrena Record studio.^[8]

He also composed scores for the films Paweł i Gaweł, Szpieg w masce (A Masked Spy), Piętro wyżej (Neighbors), and Zapomniana melodia (A Forgotten Melody). Wars was a pioneer of swing music in Poland, as his orchestrations were the first to use the word "Swing" in the country. The peak of his film composition career came in 1937, when he composed music and songs for thirteen films.^[9] Over time, film music became so important to Wars that he resigned from his position as musical director at Syrena Record, although he reversed this decision in 1939 and, along with Iwo Wesby, is documented conducting for Syrena-Rekord.^[10]

In pre-war Poland, swing never achieved wide popularity, largely because of the conservative musical tastes of Polish audiences and the cautious artistic policies of the country's major record labels. At Syrena-Electro, artistic decisions were dominated by Wars, who, despite having embraced jazz in his youth, and was a pioneer of swing, prioritized commercially reliable genres such as the tango, waltz, and moderate foxtrots. Wars's belief was that music like tangos and waltzes would be more suitable for the Polish middle classes, something that the other big 2 jazzband leaders in Poland, Henryk Gold, the leader of the Columbia Records Orchestra, and Jerzy Gert, the director of the "Odeon" company, also followed. Franciszek Związek, a Polish Jazz-Band, recalls in his memoirs that Wars always restricted the recordings of Jazz, perhaps in hopes to safeguard his own position in Polish Music. Eddie Rosner, the famous trumpet player and later the leader of the State Jazz Orchestra of the USSR was only permitted to record 3-4 slides for Syrena-Rekord, despite his popularity across the world, including being the friend of Louis Armstrong and recording for French Columbia in Paris, selling over 300,000 records.^[11]

Wars also conducted for the Odeon recording company at 13 Plocka Ulica, Warsaw, from 1929 to 1931, and for Homocord, Parlophon, and Columbia Records, all represented by the pressing factory at the same address.^[12] He occasionally wrote lyrics for film songs under the pseudonym "Fraska." Wars had a very good singing voice and frequently joined singers in his recordings. He was hired as a conductor by the Hollywood, Cyganeria, and Cyrulik Warszawski theaters.

In 1934, Wars worked as a musician in Great Britain for an extended period. His songs, such as Zrób to Tak and O, Alaska!, became hits in Italy and England. Zrób to Tak being an instrumental hit known as "Pretty Face," and O, Alaska! recorded by Alberto Semprini's Orchestra, the premier orchestra in Italy.^[13] After returning to Poland, he was commissioned by Polish Radio to record Stille's jazz piano recital on tape, which was broadcast on Berlin Radio on January 3, 1935. In the fall of 1935, he conducted performances of J. Berstl's operetta Szczęsty pech (Lucky Bad Luck) at the Summer Theater. His considerable conducting abilities, not only in light music, are further evidenced by the fact that in 1938–39, he conducted symphonic concerts organized under the auspices of the Symphonic Music Association.

Until the outbreak of World War II, Henryk Wars lived and composed at 23 Aleje Jerozolimskie Street. Rehearsals for artists performing his works were held there; the living room housed two Steinway grand pianos – a white one and a black one. He actively participated in the work of the Association of Stage Authors and Composers and frequently served on its board (he served as its secretary from 1936). The salary of Wars could be estimated as to being around 9,000-10,000 zloty a year, which made him a member of the Polish upper-middle to upper class.^[14]

Shortly before the outbreak of World War II, Henryk Wars was drafted into the Polish Army and served in the defense of Poland in 1939. He was taken prisoner of war by the German army but managed to escape from a transport train at a rest stop. In 1940, he organized the big band Tea-Jazz in Soviet-occupied Lwów. Tea-Jazz was a term coined by Leonid Utesov, from Odessa, to refer to his theatricalized jazz performances.

Wars's family faced grave danger during this period. His wife, Carola, and their children, including Robert (born 1934) and Danuta, were forced into the Warsaw Ghetto. Through Wars's connections in the USSR, he obtained Soviet passports that enabled his family to escape. Robert later recounted that a Nazi guard inspected the passports but let them pass to the Aryan side of Warsaw, joking, "See you soon in Moscow." From 1940, Wars was the target of attacks by far-right Polish political groups under control of the Nazi government due to his Jewish background, which led to the banning of his records in Nazi-occupied Poland.^[15]

During this period, Wars also composed music for many Soviet films, including Мечта, reportedly Franklin Roosevelt's favorite film, Морской ястреб, and Швейк готовится к бою. He composed his first symphony at this time.^[16]

Although the Tea-Jazz orchestra began in Lwów, it soon toured extensively across the Soviet Union, from Odessa to Moscow and beyond. Hnatiuk notes that the first tour to Odessa occurred in 1940, just as mass deportations of Poles began in Lwów. It is difficult to determine whether the timing was entirely coincidental or whether some friendly Soviet colleagues tipped them off. Singers from the Theater of the Opera, actors from all three dramatic theaters, and performers from the satirical Teatr Miniatiur appear on the list of 644 refugees whom the local Soviet theater administration reclaimed from the NKVD, thus saving them from deportation. In contrast, the names of the jazz orchestra members of Wars, do not appear on this list.^[17]

Tea-Jazz records became very popular in the USSR. Priced at seven roubles, they included Russian versions of pre-war Polish songs such as Zapomnienie (Oblivion) and Nic o Tobie Nie Wiem (I Hardly Know Anything about You). Many of the songs from pre-war repertoires were translated by Feliks Konarski, who had been born in Kyiv. Wars's 1939 hit from the film Włóczęgi, Tylko we Lwowie, was translated into Russian as Ждем вас во Львове! (Lviv Awaits You) and was performed as the finale of every show. This number was released on a record under the Soviet Gramplastrest recording company, featuring an intricately designed label. Tea-Jazz also recorded Yiddish songs; Wars, along with the pre-war singer Albert Harris, recorded Bei Mir Bist Du Schön in Yiddish. Many other Tea-Jazz recordings may have existed, but most are lost, as swing records were largely abandoned after 1945.^[18][19]

In late 1941, Wars and his musicians joined the Polish II Corps of General Anders as part of the Polska Parada cabaret, performing across Persia, Iraq, Egypt, and Palestine. Henry Vars performed in front of Reza Pahlavi and King Farouk of Egypt. The family traveled across the Caspian Sea on a rusty Soviet freighter to Persia, and his young son Robert sometimes played drums on stage with the orchestra. Wars's ensemble was highly acclaimed among Allied forces and won first prize in an artistic competition among Allied military ensembles. In Italy, they were involved in performances connected to the Red Poppies on Monte Cassino in 1944.^[20]

After the war, Wars briefly remained in Italy, composing music for Polish and Italian films, including Wielka Droga (Great Way, 1946), and recording for the Italian company La voce del Padrone. He served in the army as a second lieutenant and was awarded the Silver Cross of Merit and the Military Medal. He also received the Order of Cavaliere de Croce d'Italia personally from the last Italian king, Victor Emmanuel, making him a member of the Italian nobility. He also received an award from President Truman, later on. He toured and performed concerts across Italy, France, and England, but the rise of communism in Poland and new opportunities abroad prompted him to emigrate to the United States in 1947.^[21][22]

Upon arrival in New York, Wars, who changed his name to Henry Vars, faced financial and professional struggles. He even considered abandoning music to become a clerk, as he was not receiving any opportunities. He was forced to do odd jobs, including working as a janitor, taxi driver, and running errands, while relying on the income of his wife, Elizabeth, a fashion designer. Vars's first wife, Carola, may have separated from him during the period of 1939–1950. In 1950, he was reunited with his son Robert, who had been in Tel-Aviv and urgently required surgery, which he received from a top UCLA medical specialist.^[23]

Robert recalls, "My father was a grey-haired European, matured from years of struggle, and could not fit in with the loud personalities of 1950s Hollywood. His wife Elizabeth worked for income while he sought film opportunities." At the time most of the film production was being done in Europe rather than Hollywood because costs were so much lower there.^[24] In 1950, with sponsorship from Ira Gershwin, Vars joined ASCAP, marking the start of his official American career. He got his first break via the Columbia Recording company. The family settled in Los Angeles, and Vars began writing film scores professionally. He became a close friend of John Wayne, and his songs were performed by well-known artists such as Margaret Whiting, Bing Crosby, Doris Day, Brenda Lee, and Dinah Shore.^[25]

Vars composed the score and title song for the Flipper movie and television series, as well as for Daktari. His work spanned multiple genres, including Westerns, crime films, mysteries, horror, children's films, and television. Early U.S. credits include Chained for Life (1951), followed by Seven Men From Now (1956), Man in the Vault, Escort West, Freckles, and the 1956 Western Gun the Man Down. He also contributed uncredited cues to other productions. Vars's son Robert became a successful lawyer, and Vars was highly respected in his family and professional circles.

In 1967, Vars visited Europe and returned to Warsaw, where he performed concerts in the Palace of Culture and Science with the famous Polish singer Anna German. His visit was widely covered in the news, including a newsreel in Polska Kronika Filmowa. He also visited his sister in France and traveled to London. At one point, he considered relocating to Warsaw, following his colleague and 1930s composer friend Jerzy Petersburski, but ultimately remained in Los Angeles.^[26] Vars's final credited film work was Fool's Parade (1971), starring James Stewart. In his later years, he enjoyed visual art, sketching, and attending cultural events, including Polish church events at the Cathedral of Jasna Gora in Los Angeles. He maintained a vibrant personality and strong family relationships. Wars was an accomplished caricaturist; among his collection are caricatures of H. S. Truman, Lyndon Johnson, Mao Tse Tung, Jackie Kennedy, Charles de Gaulle, Pandit Nehru, Abdel Gamel Nasser, and many others.

Regarding his composition style, Vars noted that the actor Eugeniusz Bodo could sit at the piano and quickly inspire him with tunes. Vars was also known for spending long hours improvising at the piano.^[27]

Vars died on September 1, 1977, in his home in Beverly Hills, reportedly listening to music by his beloved teacher Karol Szymanowski. Vars had two children: one an attorney, the aforementioned Robert Vars, the other, Danuta, an housewife, and four grandchildren. One grandchild was a medical student at Stanford University. After the war, he composed symphonic works, including a one-movement piano concerto, a symphony, and Urban Sketches, which were rediscovered in the 1990s. In 2017, Polish Radio and the National Centre for Culture released an album collecting these works, performed by the Polish Radio Orchestra and pianist Piotr Orzechowski.^[28]

In the early 1930s, Vars met Maurice Ravel and George Gershwin in Paris. His orchestral triptych, City Sketches (High-Rise; Downtown Blues; Freeway Scherzo), is stylistically reminiscent of Gershwin's An American in Paris and incorporates jazzy elements similar to those in Ravel's later works.

A ja cię kochać nie przestanę (words by Andrzej Włast, 1933)

A jednak czegoś mi brak (words by Jerzy Jurandot, 1936)

A mnie w to graj (words by Jerzy Jurandot, movie Bolek i Lolek, sung by Adolf Dymsza)

A u mnie siup, a u mnie cyk (words by Emanuel Schlechter, 1936, sung by Adolf Dymsza)

A. B. C. miłości / Abecadło miłości / ABC miłości (words by Marian Hemar, 1935)

Ach, jak oni się kochają / Dama kier i walet pik (words by Andrzej Włast, 1932)

Ach, jak przyjemnie (words by Ludwik Starski, movie Zapomniana melodia, 1938, sung by Adam Aston, later by Irena Santor)

Ach, jedź na Wschód / Jedź na Wschód (words by Andrzej Włast, 1935)

Adios! / Żegnaj (words by Andrzej Włast, pasodoble, 1933)

Alaska / Oh! Alaska (words by Bolesław Rajfeld, foxtrot, 1934)

Angelita (words by Andrzej Włast, tango andaluzyjskie, 1929)

Betty Boop (words by Andrzej Włast, foxtrot, 1933)

Będzie lepiej / Jutro będzie lepiej (words by Emanuel Schlechter, movie Będzie lepiej, 1936)

Biała Lady / Srebrny ptak (words by Andrzej Włast, boston hawajski, 1930)

Biedny Żyd / Zimny drań (words by Edward Rozenberg, parodia, 1934)

Carmencita (words by Andrzej Włast, tango, 1930)

Co bez miłości wart jest świat? / Cóż bez miłości wart jest świat / Mahomet bez brody (words by Konrad Tom, Emanuel Schlechter, foxtrot, 1935)

Co ja zrobię, że mi się podobasz? (words by Jerzy Jurandot, movie Papa się żeni, 1936, sung by Zbigniew Rakowiecki and Lidia Wysocka)

Co, jak, gdzie / Co, jak i gdzie (words by Jerzy Walden, 1936)

Codziennie dancing (words by Andrzej Włast, slowfox, 1930)

Conchita (Wars – Jerry) (words by Jerzy Ryba, rumba, 1932)

Czarny Jim / Czarny Jim bawełnę zbiera (words by Andrzej Włast, foxtrot, 1939)

Czekałem tyle dni (words by Jerzy Ryba, slow tango-fox, 1938)

Czekam / Piosenka dla lotnika (words by Feliks Konarski, tango slowfox, 1932)

Czemu cię nie mogę zapomnieć? / Czemu (words by Henryk Wars, foxtrot, 1932)

Czy pani tańczy rumbę? (words by Andrzej Włast, rumba, 1931)

Czy przyjdziesz znów (words by Andrzej Włast, blues, 1930)

Czy to warto być upartą? / Czy warto być upartą / Czy to warto? (words by Konrad Tom, slowfox, 1935)

Czy tutaj mieszka panna Agnieszka (words by Emanuel Schlechter, tango, 1937)

Dajcie mi żyć (words by Ludwik Starski, foxtrot, 1933)

Dla ciebie chcę być biała / Dla ciebie chcę być białą / Ja chcę być biała (words by Konrad Tom, Emanuel Schlechter, jig foxtrot, 1934)

Dlaczego nie chcesz spać / Ach, śpij kochanie / Kołysanka (words by Ludwik Starski, slowfox, movie Paweł i Gaweł from 1938, sung by Eugeniusz Bodo and Adolf Dymsza)

Dobranoc, oczka zmruż / Kołysanka Tońka (words by Emanuel Schlechter, movie Włóczęgi from 1939, sung by Szczepko and Tońko)

Don Pedro / Don Pedro tango gra (words by Andrzej Włast, tango komiczne, 1933)

Droga do Warszawy (words by Feliks Konarski, marsz, 1942)

Dwa pocałunki (words by Jerzy Walden, slowfox, 1936)

Dziewica z kolonii Staszica / Moja dziewica z kolonji Staszica (words by Julian Tuwim, foxtrot, 1927)

Dzisiaj ta, jutro tamta / Dzisiaj ta i jutro ta / Pierwsze szczęście (words by Emanuel Schlechter, foxtrot, 1937)

Dziś będziesz moją (words by Aleksander Jellin, tango, 1933)

Ewelina (words by Jerzy Jurandot, movie Papa się żeni, 1936, sung by Mira Zimińska)

Florek, gdzie twój humorek? / Co z tobą Florek, gdzie twój humorek? (words by Jerzy Jurandot, foxtrot, 1937)

Frontem do morza! (words by Andrzej Włast, marsz, 1933)

Gdy szczęście podaje ci dłoń / Gdy miłość podaje ci dłoń (words by Emanuel Schlechter, slowfox, 1934)

Gdyby szczęście przyszło dziś (words by Marian Hemar, walc, 1935)

Gdzie najlepiej (words by Aleksander Świtaj, tango, 1946)

Habanita (words by Jerzy Jurandot, rumba, 1937)

Hio, hio! (words by Andrzej Włast, slowfox, 1939)

Hip – hip – hurra! / Na cześć młodości / Hip, hip, hura! (words by Ludwik Starski, fox marsz, 1939)

Ho! Ho! (words by Konrad Tom, foxtrot, 1933)

Hokus-pokus (words by Jerzy Jurandot, slowfox, 1936)

Hop, siup (words by Emanuel Schlechter, 1937)

Idź, nie wracaj / Idź… Nie wracaj! (words by Andrzej Włast, tango dramatyczne, 1932)

inc: Ten krawat w grochy / Złociste włoski (words by Konrad Tom, slowfox, 1933)

incipit: I zbuduję ci domeczek (words unknown, kujawiak, 1937)

Ja mam dryg, ja mam szyk (?) / Jak być żoną, jak być matroną… (words by Konrad Tom, foxtrot, 1934)

Jak kochać, to namiętnie / Jeśli kochać, to namiętnie (words by Jan Brzechwa, tango, 1931)

Jak pani się ten pan podoba (words by Andrzej Włast, foxtrot, sung by Krystyna Paczewska)

Jak trudno jest zapomnieć (words by Jerzy Jurandot, tango slowfox, 1935)

Jak za dawnych lat / Powróćmy jak za dawnych lat (words by Jerzy Jurandot, tango, sung by Stefan Witas, 1935)

Jedna, jedyna / Jest jedna, jedyna / Jest tylko jedna (words by Emanuel Schlechter, tango, 1937)

Jest jedna droga (words by Feliks Konarski, slowfox, 1946)

Już nie mogę dłużej kryć (words by Jerzy Jurandot, movie Pani minister tańczy from 1937, sung by Tola Mankiewiczówna and Aleksander Żabczyński)

Już nie zapomnisz mnie / Zapomniana melodia (words by Ludwik Starski, movie Zapomniana melodia from 1938, sung by Aleksander Żabczyński)

Już taki jestem zimny drań (words by Jerzy Nel and Ludwik Starski, movie Pieśniarz Warszawy from 1934, sung by Eugeniusz Bodo)

Kocha, lubi, szanuje (words by Konrad Tom and Emanuel Schlechter, movie Kocha, lubi, szanuje, sung by Mieczysław Fogg, later by Irena Santor)

Kochaj mnie, a będę twoją (words by Andrzej Włast and Emanuel Schlechter, tango, 1930)

Kocham (words by J. Roland, movie Bezimienni bohaterowie, 1931)

Kołysanka (?) / Śpij ma dziecino, oczki zmruż (words by Jerzy Walden, movie unknown, 1936)

Kryzys (words by Emanuel Schlechter, Konrad Tom, foxtrot, 1933)

Kto usta twe całował (words by Julian Tuwim, walc-boston, 1934)

Kwiat jabłoni / Jabłoni kwiat (words by Konrad Tom, blues japoński, 1931)

Lim-pam-pom / Lambeth Walk z filmu "Kłamstwo Krystyny" / Lim pam pom / Limpampom (words by Jerzy Jurandot, foxtrot, 1939)

Maleńka Jenny (words by J. Roland, movie Głos pustyni, 1932, sung by Mieczysław Fogg)

Mała ale zuchwała (words by Emanuel Schlechter, slowfox, 1934)

Małpy / Na baobabie (words by Andrzej Włast, black-bottom, 1927)

Marionetki / Marjonetki (words by Andrzej Włast, foxtrot, 1933)

Marzenie / Gdy wszystko stracę, ty zostaniesz mi (words by Andrzej Włast, tango, 1929)

May Wong (words by Andrzej Włast, blues, 1929)

Miłość ci wszystko wybaczy / Miłość ci wszystko przebaczy (words by Julian Tuwim, movie Szpieg w masce, 1933, sung by Hanka Ordonówna)

Miłość to cały świat (words by Emanuel Schlechter, slowfox, 1935)

Miss Mary (words by Aleksander Jellin, foxtrot, 1932)

Modna piosenka (Wars – Schlechter) (words by Emanuel Schlechter, tango, 1939)

Moja królewna / Bajka / Za siódmą górą / Może ty będziesz mą królewną / Może ty jesteś mą królewną (words by Ludwik Starski, tango, 1938)

Może dzień, może rok (words by Feliks Konarski, foxtrot, 1938)

Mój czarny chłopiec (words by Andrzej Włast, slowfox, 1931)

Mój świat się zaczął dziś / Przychodzi nie wiesz skąd (words by Emanuel Schlechter, tango, 1935)

Mój torerro / Mój torero (words by Andrzej Włast, bolero, 1932)

Mów coś! (words by Andrzej Włast, foxtrot, 1931)

Mów, że myślisz o mnie (words by Emanuel Schlechter, walc, 1935)

My dwa, oba cwaj (words by Emanuel Schlechter, foxtrot, movie Będzie lepiej, 1936, sung by Szczepko and Tońko)

My huzarzy wolne ptaki (words by Jerzy Jurandot, marsz, 1935)

Na cześć młodości / Hip, hip, hura! (words by Ludwik Starski, movie Sportowiec mimo woli, 1939)

Na pierwszy znak / Gdy dasz mi znak (words by Julian Tuwim, movie Szpieg w masce, 1933, sung by Hanka Ordonówna)

New York Times (from 1928, sung by Tadeusz Olsza and Eugeniusz Koszutski)

Nic o Tobie nie wiem (words by Konrad Tom and Emanuel Schlechter, movie Włóczęgi, 1939, sung by Andrzej Bogucki and Zbyszko Runowiecki)

Nic takiego (words by Marian Hemar, movie ABC miłości, 1935, sung by Kazimierz Krukowski and Adolf Dymsza)

O, Key (words by Konrad Tom and Emanuel Schlechter, movie Czy Lucyna to dziewczyna, 1934, sung by Eugeniusz Bodo and Jadwiga Smosarska)

On nie powróci już (words by Andrzej Włast, sung by Chór Dana)

Panie Janie w stylu jazz (words by Ludwik Starski, movie Zapomniana melodia, 1938)

Piosenka o zagubionym sercu (words by A. M. Świniarski, movie Pan minister i dessous, sung by Hanka Ordonówna)

Płomienne serca (words by Marian Hemar, movie Na Sybir, 1930, sung by Tadeusz Faliszewski)

Reformy pani minister (words by Jerzy Jurandot, movie Pani minister tańczy, 1937, sung by Tola Mankiewiczówna)

Serce Batiara (words by Emanuel Schlechter, movie Serce Batiara for 1939 release, all copies lost)

Sexapil (words by Emanuel Schlechter, movie Piętro wyżej, 1937, sung by Eugeniusz Bodo)

Szczęście raz się uśmiecha (words by Julian Tuwim, movie Pan minister i dessous, sung by Hanka Ordonówna)

Tak cudnie mi (words by Jerzy Jurandot, movie Pani minister tańczy, 1937, sung by Tola Mankiewiczówna and Aleksander Żabczyński)

Tyle miłości (words by Konrad Tom, movie Jego ekscelencja subiekt, 1933, sung by Eugeniusz Bodo)

Tylko Ty (words by Aleksander Jellyn, 1930s–1933)

Tylko we Lwowie (words by Emanuel Schlechter, movie Włóczęgi, 1939, sung by Szczepko and Tońko)

Tylko z Tobą i dla Ciebie (words by Ludwik Starski and Jerzy Nel, movie Pieśniarz Warszawy, 1934, sung by Eugeniusz Bodo)

Umówiłem się z nią na dziewiątą (words by Emanuel Schlechter, movie Piętro wyżej, 1937, sung by Eugeniusz Bodo)

W hawajską noc (words by Konrad Tom and Emanuel Schlechter, movie Czarna perła, sung by Eugeniusz Bodo, later by Irena Santor)

Zakochany złodziej (words by Emanuel Schlechter and Ludwik Starski, 1937)

Zapomnisz o mnie (words by Andrzej Włast, sung by Tadeusz Faliszewski)

Zatańczmy tango (words by Andrzej Włast)

Złociste włoski (words by Konrad Tom, movie Jego ekscelencja subiekt, 1933, sung by Eugeniusz Bodo)

Zrób to tak (words by Ludwik Starski and Jerzy Nel, movie Pieśniarz Warszawy, sung by Eugeniusz Bodo)

Żołnierz polski (words by Julian Tuwim, patriotic song, 1930s)

Zostań, zostań tu (words by Emanuel Schlechter, foxtrot, 1936)

Za każdym razem (words by Jerzy Jurandot, 1937)

Za mną płynie świat / Ten świat płynie za mną (words by Ludwik Starski, 1936)

Zimny drań / Już taki jestem zimny drań (words by Jerzy Nel and Ludwik Starski, movie Pieśniarz Warszawy, sung by Eugeniusz Bodo)

• Symphony No. 1 (1949)
• Concerto for Piano and Orchestra (1950)
• City Sketches (1951)
• Maalot. Elegy for Orchestra in Memory of Murdered Children (1974)

• Na Sybir (1930)
• Jego ekscelencja subiekt (1933)
• Pieśniarz Warszawy (1934)
• Neighbors (Piętro wyżej, 1937)
• Zapomniana melodia (1939)
• Chained for Life (1951)
• The Big Heat (1953)
• Seven Men From Now (1956)
• Gun the Man Down (1956)
• The Unearthly (1957)
• China Doll (1958)
• The Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come (1961)
• Battle at Bloody Beach (1961)
• House of the Damned (1963)
• Flipper (1963)
• Flipper's New Adventure (1964)
• Fools' Parade (1971)