I'll see you at the theater tonight. I'll hold your seat til you get there. After that you're on your own.

He hired Harry Ruby as a song plugger and as a result of a knee injury that stopped him from dancing professionally turned to writing song lyrics full-time. He earned enough money as a vaudeville performer to start a music publishing company Kalmar and Puck. A Kiss to Build a Dream On 1935: their last hit.