The Budapest-born Ernest Rapée (actually Rappaport) was inspired early on by upscale entertainment music. In the USA he worked as a cinema musician in the silent movie era. Char-maine was also written in 1923 as a waltz for a silent film score. Lew Pollack provided the lyrics shortly afterwards. The song quickly became a hit. With the orchestral version by Mantovani, it became an evergreen. Today it is known to most as the introductory music to the legendary TV sketch „Dinner for One“.