Bert L. Rule

Bert L. Rule (né Albert Lyman Rule; 12 August 1891 Brooklyn; – 17 August 1978 East Patchogue, New York) was an American composer, arranger, singer, and pianist of popular songs of Tin Pan Alley and the vaudeville genre. Rule composed and published his music, some of which became national hits, from 1913 to 1934. He worked in publishing houses, namely M. Witmark & Sons and performed in vaudeville theaters throughout the country roughly during the same period.

In 1918 and 1919, while under contract with M. Witmark & Sons, Rule performed vaudeville shows with lyricist J. Keirn Brennan, both signing compositions they wrote together, with Rule accompanying on piano. Their biggest nationwide hit at the time was Have a Smile for Everyone You Meet and Gates of Gladness.

In 1924, Rule performed as a singing composer, with John O'Brien, as singing comedian, in a vaudeville show at the Lyceum in Canton, Ohio. There is an article and advertisement in an October 1924 Toronto newspaper stating that Rule and O'Brien was to perform at Shea's Hippodrome in Toronto. There are also advertisements in 1924 issues of The Plain Dealer showing Rule and O'Brien performing at B. F. Keith's Palace in Cleveland. There is a 1926 article in a 1926 issue of The Times, Batavia, New York stating that Rule and O'Brien was performing at Shea's in Buffalo.

Albert Lyman Rule was married to Jessie Jack Ellen Laurie (1894-1978). They had a son and a daughter: Donald J. Rule (born 1915–2008) and Edna J. Rule (born 1921-1990).