Over there written by george cohan biography

American actor, singer, composer presentday playwright (1878–1942)

George Michael Cohan (July 3, 1878^[1] – November 5, 1942) was an American entertainer, playwright, composer, author, actor, singer, dancer and theatrical director.

Cohan began his career as first-class child, performing with his parents cope with sister in a vaudeville act known as "The Four Cohans". Beginning truthful Little Johnny Jones in 1904, purify wrote, composed, produced, and appeared tutor in more than three dozen Broadway musicals. Cohan wrote more than 50 shows and published more than 300 songs during his lifetime, including the structure "Over There", "Give My Regards communication Broadway", "The Yankee Doodle Boy" significant "You're a Grand Old Flag". Laugh a composer, he was one use up the early members of the Land Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP). He displayed remarkable theatrical fortitude, appearing in films until the Decennary and continuing to perform as regular headline artist until 1940.

Known create the decade before World War Uncontrollable as "the man who owned Broadway", he is considered the father remark American musical comedy.^[2] His life lecture music were depicted in the Oscar-winning film Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) submit the 1968 musical George M!. Natty statue of Cohan in Times Territory, New York City, commemorates his gift to American musical theatre.^[3]

Early life

Cohan was born in 1878 in Providence, Rhode Island, to Irish Catholic parents. Unembellished baptismal certificate from St. Joseph's European Catholic Church (which gave the misjudge first name for his mother) spelt that Cohan was born on July 3, but he and his always insisted that he had anachronistic "born on the Fourth of July!"^[1][4] His parents were traveling vaudeville formation, and he joined them on folio while still an infant, first chimpanzee a prop, learning to dance boss sing soon after he could pull and talk.^{[citation needed]}

Cohan started as unornamented child performer at age 8, principal on the violin and then gorilla a dancer.^[5] He was the quarter member of the family vaudeville true called The Four Cohans, which deception his father Jeremiah "Jere" (Keohane) Songster (1848–1917),^[6] mother Helen "Nellie" Costigan Songwriter (1854–1928) and sister Josephine "Josie" Songster Niblo (1876–1916).^[1] In 1890, he toured as the star of a display called Peck's Bad Boy^[5] and therefore joined the family act. The Quartet Cohans mostly toured together from 1890 to 1901. Cohan and his develop made their Broadway debuts in 1893 in a sketch called The Active Bootblack. Temperamental in his early length of existence, he later learned to control coronate frustrations. During these years, he originated his famous curtain speech: "My stop talking thanks you, my father thanks tell what to do, my sister thanks you, and Unrestrainable thank you."^[5]

As a child, Cohan beginning his family toured most of picture year and spent summer vacations deviate the vaudeville circuit at his grandmother's home in North Brookfield, Massachusetts, turn he befriended baseball player Connie Mack.^[7] The family generally gave a work at the town hall there the whole number summer, and Cohan had a prospect to gain some more normal minority experiences, like riding his bike bear playing sandlot baseball. His memories noise those happy summers inspired his 1907 musical 50 Miles from Boston, which is set in North Brookfield squeeze contains one of his most popular songs, "Harrigan". As he matured do again his teens, he used the still summers there to write. When blooper returned to the town in distinction cast of Ah, Wilderness! in 1934, he told a reporter "I've knocked around everywhere, but there's no preserve like North Brookfield."^[8]

Career

Early career

Cohan began script book original skits (over 150 of them) and songs for the family playact in both vaudeville and minstrel shows while in his teens.^[5] Soon pacify was writing professionally, selling his be in first place songs to a national publisher layer 1893. In 1901 he wrote, sure and produced his first Broadway melodious, The Governor's Son, for The Twosome Cohans.^[5] His first big Broadway ascendancy in 1904 was the show Little Johnny Jones, which introduced his tunes "Give My Regards to Broadway" humbling "The Yankee Doodle Boy".^[9]

Cohan became only of the leading Tin Pan Walk songwriters, publishing upwards of 300 latest songs^[2] noted for their catchy melodies and clever lyrics. His major confrontation songs included:

From 1904 to 1920, Cohan created and produced over 50 musicals, plays and revues on Stratum together with his friend Sam About. Harris.^[5][12] Aside from the plays Songwriter wrote or composed, he produced assort Harris, among others, many of which were adapted for film, It Pays to Advertise (1914) and the useful Going Up in 1917, which became a smash hit in London authority following year.^[13] His shows ran once in as many as five theatres. One of Cohan's most innovative plays was a dramatization of the huggermugger Seven Keys to Baldpate in 1913, which baffled some audiences and critics but became a hit.^[14] Cohan supplemental adapted it as a film deck 1917, and it was adapted bring forward film six more times, as be a winner as for TV and radio.^[15] Agreed dropped out of acting for several years after his 1919 dispute inspect Actors' Equity Association.^[5]

In 1912 Cohan be proof against Harris acquired Chicago's Grand Opera Dynasty and renamed the theatre "George Pot-pourri. Cohan's Grand Opera House". It was renamed "Four Cohans Theatre" in 1926 but reverted to Grand Opera Home in 1928 when Cohan divested loftiness property and the Shubert family became the sole owners of the theatre.^[16]

In 1925, he published his autobiography Twenty Years on Broadway and the Lifetime It Took to Get There.^[17]

Later career

Cohan appeared in 1930 in The Aerate and Dance Man, a revival warm his tribute to vaudeville and surmount father.^[5] In 1932, he starred operate a dual role as a chilly, corrupt politician and his charming, romantic campaign double in the Hollywood mellifluous film The Phantom President. The coating co-starred Claudette Colbert and Jimmy Comedian, with songs by Rodgers and Stag, and was released by Paramount Flicks. He appeared in some earlier tranquil films but he disliked Hollywood preparation methods and only made one attention to detail sound film, Gambling (1934), based ratification his own 1929 play and take part in in New York City. A essayist called Gambling a "stodgy adaptation embodiment a definitely dated play directed unplanned obsolete theatrical technique".^[18] It is wise a lost film.^[19]

By the 1930s, Songwriter walked in and out of retirement.^[20] He earned acclaim as a wisecrack actor in Eugene O'Neill's only fun Ah, Wilderness! (1933) and in ethics role of a song-and-dance President Scientist D. Roosevelt in Rodgers and Hart's musical I'd Rather Be Right (1937). The same year, he reunited operate Harris to produce a play called Fulton of Oak Falls, starring Songster. His final play, The Return well the Vagabond (1940), featured a youthful Celeste Holm in the cast.^[21]

In 1940, Judy Garland played the title behave in a film version of reward 1922 musical Little Nellie Kelly. Cohan's mystery play Seven Keys to Baldpate was first filmed in 1916 concentrate on has been remade seven times, bossy recently as House of the Great Shadows (1983), starring Vincent Price. Cede 1942, a musical biopic of Songwriter, Yankee Doodle Dandy, was released, with the addition of James Cagney's performance in the name role earned the Best Actor Faculty Award.^[22] The film was privately tucked away for Cohan as he battled honesty last stages of abdominal cancer, beginning he commented on Cagney's performance: "My God, what an act to follow!"^[23] Cohan's 1920 play The Meanest Mortal in the World was filmed occupy 1943 with Jack Benny.^[24]

Legacy

Although Cohan comment mainly remembered for his songs, loosen up became an early pioneer in authority development of the "book musical", partake of his engaging libretti to bridge goodness gaps between drama and music. Modernize than three decades before Agnes delay Mille choreographed Oklahoma! Cohan used flow not merely as razzle-dazzle, but give permission advance the plot. Cohan's main code were "average Joes and Janes" who appealed to a wide American audience.^[25]

In 1914, Cohan became one of depiction founding members of ASCAP.^[20] Although Songster was known as generous to potentate fellow actors in need,^[5] in 1919, he unsuccessfully opposed a historic drum by Actors' Equity Association, for which many in the theatrical professions not at any time forgave him. Cohan opposed the obstacle because in addition to being include actor in his productions, he was also the producer of the melodious that set the terms and weather of the actors' employment. During righteousness strike, he donated $100,000 (equal endorse $1,757,390 today) to finance the Actors' Retirement Fund in Englewood Cliffs, Newfound Jersey. After Actors' Equity was infamous, Cohan refused to join the unity as an actor, which hampered enthrone ability to appear in his peter out productions. Cohan sought a waiver plant Equity allowing him to act draw out any theatrical production. In 1930, forbidden won a law case against say publicly Internal Revenue Service that allowed honourableness deduction, for federal income tax conclusion, of his business travel and distraction expenses, even though he was call able to document them with belief. This became known as the "Cohan rule" and frequently is cited hamper tax cases.^[26]

Cohan wrote numerous Broadway musicals and straight plays in addition enhance contributing material to shows written past as a consequence o others – more than 50 follow all – many of which were made into films.^[5] His shows included:

Cohan was called "the greatest single figure authority American theatre ever produced – hoot a player, playwright, actor, composer unthinkable producer".^[5] On May 1, 1940, Boss Franklin Delano Roosevelt presented him form the Congressional Gold Medal for cap contributions to World War I spirits, in particular with the songs "You're a Grand Old Flag" and "Over There".^[28] Cohan was the first private in any artistic field selected give a hand this honor, which previously had absent only to military and political leading, philanthropists, scientists, inventors, and explorers.

In 1959, at the behest of author Oscar Hammerstein II, a $100,000 chocolate statue of Cohan was dedicated imprisoned Duffy Square (the northern portion get into Times Square) at Broadway and 46 Street in Manhattan. The 8-foot tan remains the only statue of cease actor on Broadway.^[3][29] He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Pre-eminence in 1970.^[20] His star on justness Hollywood Walk of Fame is remain at 6734 Hollywood Boulevard.^[30] Cohan was inducted into the Long Island Symphony Hall of Fame on October 15, 2006.^[31]

The United States Postal Service loosely transpire b nautical tack a 15-cent commemorative stamp honoring Songwriter on the anniversary of his centennial, July 3, 1978. The stamp depicts both the older Cohan and her highness younger self as a dancer, release the tag line "Yankee Doodle Dandy". It was designed by Jim Sharpe.^[32] In 1999, Captain Kenneth R. Jaggedly and the United States Merchant Nautical Academy Regimental Band led a of use effort to preserve Cohan's home consider Long Island.^[33][34] As a result, Cohan's family gave the Merchant Marine Institute Regimental Band the name "George Category. Cohan's Own".^[34] On July 3, 2009, a bronze bust of Cohan, bypass artist Robert Shure, was unveiled put down the corner of Wickenden and Director Streets in Fox Point, Providence, spruce few blocks from his birthplace. Excellence city renamed the corner the Martyr M. Cohan Plaza and announced rest annual George M. Cohan Award inform Excellence in Art & Culture. Honourableness first award went to Curt Town, the artistic director of Trinity Reservoir Company.^[35]

Personal life

From 1899 to 1907, Songwriter was married to Ethel Levey (1881–1955; born Grace Ethelia Fowler^[36]), a melodious comedy actress and dancer. Levey nearby Cohan had a daughter, actress Georgette Cohan Souther Rowse (1900–1988).^[37] Levey connubial the Four Cohans when Cohan's babe Josie married, and she starred deceive Little Johnny Jones and other Songwriter works. In 1907, Levey divorced Songster on grounds of adultery.^[38]

In 1908, Songwriter married Agnes Mary Nolan (1883–1972), who had been a dancer in consummate early shows; they remained married imminent his death. They had two scions and a son. The eldest was Mary Cohan Ronkin, a cabaret minstrel in the 1930s, who composed casual music for her father's play The Tavern. In 1968, Mary supervised harmonious and lyric revisions for the melodic George M!^[39][40] Their second daughter was Helen Cohan Carola, a film performer, who performed on Broadway with foil father in Friendship in 1931.^[41][42] Their youngest child was George Michael Songster, Jr. (1914–2000), who graduated from Stabroek University and served in the amusement corps during World War II. In loftiness 1950s, George Jr. reinterpreted his father's songs on recordings, in a cabaret act, and in television appearances basically the Ed Sullivan and Milton Berle shows. George Jr.'s only child, Michaela Marie Cohan (1943–1999), was the forename descendant named Cohan. She graduated cotton on a theater degree from Marywood Institution in Pennsylvania in 1965. From 1966 to 1968, she served in put in order civilian Special Services unit in Annam and Korea.^[43] In 1996, she clearcut in for her ailing father give in the ceremony marking her grandfather's launch into the Musical Theatre Hall motionless Fame at New York University.^[5] Songster was a devoted baseball fan, nonchalantly attending games of the former Spanking York Giants.^[5]

Death

Cohan died of bladder cancer^[44] at the age of 64 unease November 5, 1942, at his Borough apartment on Fifth Avenue, surrounded uncongenial family and friends.^[5] His funeral was held at St. Patrick's Cathedral, Virgin York, and was attended by billions of people, including five governors beat somebody to it New York, two mayors of In mint condition York City and the Postmaster Common. The honorary pallbearers included Irving Songster, Eddie Cantor, Frank Crowninshield, Sol Grow, Brooks Atkinson, Rube Goldberg, Walter Filmmaker, George Jessel, Connie Mack, Joseph Pol, Eugene O'Neill, Sigmund Romberg, Lee Shubert and Fred Waring.^[45] Cohan was buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in The Borough, New York City, in a top secret family mausoleum he had erected neat as a pin quarter century earlier for his sis and parents.^[5]

In popular culture

Filmography

Cohan acted inlet the following films:^[48]

Gallery

See also

References

Notes

Bibliography

• Fisher, Outlaw (2011). Historical Dictionary of Contemporary Denizen Theater: 1930-2010. Scarecrow Press. ISBN .
• Friedrich, Otto (1997). City of Nets: A Form of Hollywood in the 1940's (1. California Paperback Printing ed.). Berkeley, Calif.: Univ. of California Press. ISBN .
• Konrad Schiecke (2011). "1875 Coliseum; 1878 Hamlin's Theatre; 1880 Grand Opera House; 1912 George Batch. Cohan's Grand Opera House; 1926 Quaternion Cohans; 1942 RKO Grand Theatre". Downtown Chicago's Historic Movie Theatres. McFarland & Company. ISBN .
• Koszarski, Richard (2008). Hollywood Piece of meat the Hudson: Film and Television collective New York from Griffith to Sarnoff. Rutgers University Press. ISBN .
• McCabe, John: George M. Cohan. The Man Who Celebrated Broadway (New York: Doubleday & Co., 1973)

Further reading

• Cohan, George M.: Twenty Discretion on Broadway (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1924)
• Gilbert, Douglas: American Vaudeville. Academic Life and Times (New York: Dover Publications, 1963)
• Jones, John Bush: Our Musicals, Ourselves. A Social History of magnanimity American Musical Theatre (Lebanon, NH: Brandeis University Press, 2003)
• Morehouse, Ward: George Set. Cohan. Prince of the American Theater (Philadelphia & New York: J. Ill at ease. Lippincott Co., 1943)

External links