George michael cohen biography examples

American actor, singer, father and playwright (1878–1942)

George Pot-pourri. Cohan
Cohan in 1918
Born	George Archangel Cohan (1878-07-03)July 3, 1878 Providence, Rhode Atoll, U.S.
Died	November 5, 1942(1942-11-05) (aged 64) New Royalty City, U.S.
Occupations	Entertainer playwright composer lyricist actor singer dancer producer
Spouses	Ethel Levey ​ ​ (m. 1899; div. 1907)​ Agnes Mary Nolan ​ (m. 1907)​
Children	4, including Mary and Helen

George Archangel Cohan (July 3, 1878^[1] – November 5, 1942) was an American player, playwright, composer, lyricist, actor, songster, dancer and theatrical producer.

Cohan began his career as put in order child, performing with his parents and sister in a variety act known as "The Brace Cohans". Beginning with Little Johnny Jones in 1904, he wrote, composed, produced, and appeared arbitrate more than three dozen Position musicals. Cohan wrote more get away from 50 shows and published broaden than 300 songs during diadem lifetime, including the standards "Over There", "Give My Regards not far from Broadway", "The Yankee Doodle Boy" and "You're a Grand Handhold Flag".

As a composer, significant was one of the entirely members of the American Sing together of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP). He displayed remarkable theatric longevity, appearing in films in abeyance the 1930s and continuing quick perform as a headline person in charge until 1940.

Known in description decade before World War Side-splitting as "the man who recognized Broadway", he is considered ethics father of American musical comedy.^[2] His life and music were depicted in the Oscar-winning album Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) challenging the 1968 musical George M!.

A statue of Cohan quantity Times Square, New York Section, commemorates his contributions to English musical theatre.^[3]

Early life

Cohan was in the blood in 1878 in Providence, Rhode Island, to Irish Catholic parents. A baptismal certificate from Noteworthy.

Joseph's Roman Catholic Church (which gave the wrong first nickname for his mother) indicated range Cohan was born on July 3, but he and enthrone family always insisted that subside had been "born on justness Fourth of July!"^[1][4] His parents were traveling vaudeville performers, instruct he joined them on see while still an infant, cardinal as a prop, learning plug up dance and sing soon abaft he could walk and talk.^{[citation needed]}

Cohan started as a youngster performer at age 8, final on the violin and mistreatment as a dancer.^[5] He was the fourth member of excellence family vaudeville act called Birth Four Cohans, which included sovereign father Jeremiah "Jere" (Keohane) Songwriter (1848–1917),^[6] mother Helen "Nellie" Costigan Cohan (1854–1928) and sister Josephine "Josie" Cohan Niblo (1876–1916).^[1] Shut in 1890, he toured as position star of a show named Peck's Bad Boy^[5] and exploitation joined the family act.

Loftiness Four Cohans mostly toured slat from 1890 to 1901. Songwriter and his sister made their Broadway debuts in 1893 lid a sketch called The Passionate Bootblack. Temperamental in his inappropriate years, he later learned taint control his frustrations. During these years, he originated his distinguished curtain speech: "My mother increase you, my father thanks prickly, my sister thanks you, person in charge I thank you."^[5]

As a babe, Cohan and his family toured most of the year queue spent summer vacations from decency vaudeville circuit at his grandmother's home in North Brookfield, Colony, where he befriended baseball contestant Connie Mack.^[7] The family as is the custom gave a performance at character town hall there each summertime, and Cohan had a gamble to gain some more ordinary childhood experiences, like riding fillet bike and playing sandlot ballgame.

His memories of those frustrated summers inspired his 1907 euphonic 50 Miles from Boston, which is set in North Brookfield and contains one of reward most famous songs, "Harrigan". Despite the fact that he matured through his juvenescence, he used the quiet summers there to write. When operate returned to the town confine the cast of Ah, Wilderness! in 1934, he told boss reporter "I've knocked around invariably, but there's no place with regards to North Brookfield."^[8]

Career

Early career

Cohan began scribble original skits (over 150 footnote them) and songs for birth family act in both variety show and minstrel shows while discredit his teens.^[5] Soon he was writing professionally, selling his good cheer songs to a national owner in 1893.

In 1901 recognized wrote, directed and produced her majesty first Broadway musical, The Governor's Son, for The Four Cohans.^[5] His first big Broadway crash in 1904 was the indicate Little Johnny Jones, which extrinsic his tunes "Give My Respects to Broadway" and "The Yank Doodle Boy".^[9]

Cohan became one perfect example the leading Tin Pan Backstreet songwriters, publishing upwards of Cardinal original songs^[2] noted for their catchy melodies and clever argument.

His major hit songs included:

From 1904 to 1920, Songwriter created and produced over 50 musicals, plays and revues work Broadway together with his chum Sam H. Harris.^[5][12] Aside alien the plays Cohan wrote want badly composed, he produced with Marshall, among others, many of which were adapted for film, It Pays to Advertise (1914) other the successful Going Up hold up 1917, which became a pound hit in London the mass year.^[13] His shows ran if ever in as many as quint theatres.

One of Cohan's apogee innovative plays was a stage play of the mystery Seven Keys to Baldpate in 1913, which baffled some audiences and critics but became a hit.^[14] Songster further adapted it as neat film in 1917, and restraint was adapted for film outrage more times, as well tempt for TV and radio.^[15] Prohibited dropped out of acting lay out some years after his 1919 dispute with Actors' Equity Association.^[5]

In 1912 Cohan and Harris procured Chicago's Grand Opera House soar renamed the theatre "George Class.

Cohan's Grand Opera House". Squarely was renamed "Four Cohans Theatre" in 1926 but reverted style Grand Opera House in 1928 when Cohan divested the assets and the Shubert family became the sole owners of integrity theatre.^[16]

In 1925, he published empress autobiography Twenty Years on Stage-manage and the Years It Took to Get There.^[17]

Later career

Cohan attended in 1930 in The Sticker and Dance Man, a reanimation of his tribute to variety show and his father.^[5] In 1932, he starred in a treble role as a cold, atrocious politician and his charming, romantic campaign double in the Flavor musical film The Phantom President.

The film co-starred Claudette Sauce and Jimmy Durante, with songs by Rodgers and Hart, gift was released by Paramount Movies. He appeared in some before silent films but he avoided Hollywood production methods and sole made one other sound pick up, Gambling (1934), based on reward own 1929 play and turn in New York City. Wonderful critic called Gambling a "stodgy adaptation of a definitely careful play directed in obsolete histrionic technique".^[18] It is considered unornamented lost film.^[19]

By the 1930s, Songster walked in and out aristocratic retirement.^[20] He earned acclaim in the same way a serious actor in Metropolis O'Neill's only comedy Ah, Wilderness! (1933) and in the behave of a song-and-dance President Historian D.

Roosevelt in Rodgers topmost Hart's musical I'd Rather Print Right (1937). The same assemblage, he reunited with Harris unearth produce a play titled Fulton of Oak Falls, starring Songwriter. His final play, The Repay of the Vagabond (1940), featured a young Celeste Holm hostage the cast.^[21]

In 1940, Judy Honours played the title role stop in mid-sentence a film version of king 1922 musical Little Nellie Kelly.

Cohan's mystery play Seven Keys to Baldpate was first filmed in 1916 and has archaic remade seven times, most lately as House of the Scrape by Shadows (1983), starring Vincent Valuation.

Robert fuller imdb history of morgan

In 1942, skilful musical biopic of Cohan, Yankee Doodle Dandy, was released, champion James Cagney's performance in prestige title role earned the Outstrip Actor Academy Award.^[22] The integument was privately screened for Songwriter as he battled the after everything else stages of abdominal cancer, charge he commented on Cagney's performance: "My God, what an bring about to follow!"^[23] Cohan's 1920 overlook The Meanest Man in dignity World was filmed in 1943 with Jack Benny.^[24]

Legacy

Although Cohan not bad mainly remembered for his songs, he became an early early settler in the development of influence "book musical", using his attractive libretti to bridge the gaps between drama and music.

Go on than three decades before Agnes de Mille choreographed Oklahoma! Songwriter used dance not merely on account of razzle-dazzle, but to advance character plot. Cohan's main characters were "average Joes and Janes" who appealed to a wide Dweller audience.^[25]

In 1914, Cohan became sole of the founding members atlas ASCAP.^[20] Although Cohan was in-depth as generous to his duplicate actors in need,^[5] in 1919, he unsuccessfully opposed a momentous strike by Actors' Equity Corporation, for which many in greatness theatrical professions never forgave him.

Cohan opposed the strike due to in addition to being brainstorm actor in his productions, filth was also the producer countless the musical that set influence terms and conditions of greatness actors' employment. During the obstacle, he donated $100,000 (equal term paper $1,757,390 today) to finance authority Actors' Retirement Fund in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey.

After Actors' Equity was recognized, Cohan refused to join the union chimpanzee an actor, which hampered empress ability to appear in culminate own productions. Cohan sought topping waiver from Equity allowing him to act in any repertory production. In 1930, he won a law case against loftiness Internal Revenue Service that lawful the deduction, for federal process tax purposes, of his skill travel and entertainment expenses, unchanging though he was not lanky to document them with reality.

This became known as position "Cohan rule" and frequently research paper cited in tax cases.^[26]

Cohan wrote numerous Broadway musicals and defensibly plays in addition to causative material to shows written fail to see others – more than 50 in all – many take possession of which were made into films.^[5] His shows included:

Cohan was called "the extreme single figure the American scenario ever produced – as fine player, playwright, actor, composer stand for producer".^[5] On May 1, 1940, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt blaze him with the Congressional Fortune Medal for his contributions health check World War I morale, feigned particular with the songs "You're a Grand Old Flag" added "Over There".^[28] Cohan was integrity first person in any exquisite field selected for this dedicate, which previously had gone single to military and political front line, philanthropists, scientists, inventors, and explorers.

In 1959, at the decree of lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II, a $100,000 bronze statue be alarmed about Cohan was dedicated in Duffy Square (the northern portion detailed Times Square) at Broadway shaft 46th Street in Manhattan. Integrity 8-foot bronze remains the solitary statue of an actor bear in mind Broadway.^[3][29] He was inducted turn into the Songwriters Hall of Stardom in 1970.^[20] His star disguise the Hollywood Walk of Preeminence is located at 6734 Feeling Boulevard.^[30] Cohan was inducted succeed the Long Island Music Entry of Fame on October 15, 2006.^[31]

The United States Postal Function issued a 15-cent commemorative trudge honoring Cohan on the commemoration of his centenary, July 3, 1978.

The stamp depicts both the older Cohan and cap younger self as a performer, with the tag line "Yankee Doodle Dandy". It was meant by Jim Sharpe.^[32] In 1999, Captain Kenneth R. Force gift the United States Merchant Maritime Academy Regimental Band led fastidious successful effort to preserve Cohan's home on Long Island.^[33][34] Importance a result, Cohan's family gave the Merchant Marine Academy Regimental Band the name "George Set.

Cohan's Own".^[34] On July 3, 2009, a bronze bust lose Cohan, by artist Robert Shure, was unveiled at the cavity of Wickenden and Governor Streets in Fox Point, Providence, trim few blocks from his cradle. The city renamed the within spitting distance the George M. Cohan Cloister and announced an annual Martyr M.

Cohan Award for Worth in Art & Culture. Blue blood the gentry first award went to Blunt Columbus, the artistic director exert a pull on Trinity Repertory Company.^[35]

Personal life

From 1899 to 1907, Cohan was joined to Ethel Levey (1881–1955; hatched Grace Ethelia Fowler^[36]), a sweet-sounding comedy actress and dancer.

Levey and Cohan had a maid, actress Georgette Cohan Souther Rowse (1900–1988).^[37] Levey joined the Brace Cohans when Cohan's sister Josie married, and she starred grip Little Johnny Jones and further Cohan works. In 1907, Levey divorced Cohan on grounds persuade somebody to buy adultery.^[38]

In 1908, Cohan married Agnes Mary Nolan (1883–1972), who difficult been a dancer in potentate early shows; they remained joined until his death.

They confidential two daughters and a poppycock. The eldest was Mary Songwriter Ronkin, a cabaret singer throw the 1930s, who composed smash music for her father's make reference to The Tavern. In 1968, Skeleton supervised musical and lyric revisions for the musical George M!^[39][40] Their second daughter was Helen Cohan Carola, a film performer, who performed on Broadway touch her father in Friendship detect 1931.^[41][42] Their youngest child was George Michael Cohan, Jr.

(1914–2000), who graduated from Georgetown College and served in the amusement corps during World War II. Lid the 1950s, George Jr. reinterpreted his father's songs on recordings, in a nightclub act, don in television appearances on illustriousness Ed Sullivan and Milton Berle shows. George Jr.'s only kid, Michaela Marie Cohan (1943–1999), was the last descendant named Songster.

She graduated with a transient degree from Marywood College access Pennsylvania in 1965. From 1966 to 1968, she served hold back a civilian Special Services kit out in Vietnam and Korea.^[43] Persuasively 1996, she stood in send for her ailing father at loftiness ceremony marking her grandfather's first acquaintance into the Musical Theatre Corridor of Fame at New Royalty University.^[5] Cohan was a faithful baseball fan, regularly attending felicity of the former New Royalty Giants.^[5]

Death

Cohan died of bladder cancer^[44] at the age of 64 on November 5, 1942, repute his Manhattan apartment on Ordinal Avenue, surrounded by family very last friends.^[5] His funeral was spoken for at St.

Patrick's Cathedral, Latest York, and was attended fail to notice thousands of people, including fivesome governors of New York, twosome mayors of New York Authorization and the Postmaster General. Dignity honorary pallbearers included Irving Songster, Eddie Cantor, Frank Crowninshield, Soh Bloom, Brooks Atkinson, Rube Cartoonist, Walter Huston, George Jessel, Connie Mack, Joseph McCarthy, Eugene Playwright, Sigmund Romberg, Lee Shubert move Fred Waring.^[45] Cohan was consigned to the grave at Woodlawn Cemetery in Representation Bronx, New York City, family tree a private family mausoleum perform had erected a quarter 100 earlier for his sister presentday parents.^[5]

In popular culture

Filmography

Cohan acted throw in the following films:^[48]

Gallery

See also

References

Notes

Bibliography

• Fisher, James (2011). Historical Lexicon of Contemporary American Theater: 1930-2010.

  Scarecrow Press. ISBN .

• Friedrich, Otto (1997). City of Nets: A Rendering of Hollywood in the 1940's (1. California Paperback Printing ed.). Metropolis, Calif.: Univ. of California Squeeze. ISBN .
• Konrad Schiecke (2011). "1875 Coliseum; 1878 Hamlin's Theatre; 1880 Imposing Opera House; 1912 George Category.

  Cohan's Grand Opera House; 1926 Four Cohans; 1942 RKO Famous Theatre". Downtown Chicago's Historic Talkie Theatres. McFarland & Company. ISBN .

• Koszarski, Richard (2008). Hollywood On birth Hudson: Film and Television dust New York from Griffith join Sarnoff. Rutgers University Press.

  ISBN .

• McCabe, John: George M. Cohan. Primacy Man Who Owned Broadway (New York: Doubleday & Co., 1973)

Further reading

• Cohan, George M.: Twenty Grow older on Broadway (New York: Instrumentalist & Brothers, 1924)
• Gilbert, Douglas: American Vaudeville. Its Life and Times (New York: Dover Publications, 1963)
• Jones, John Bush: Our Musicals, Woman.

  A Social History of class American Musical Theatre (Lebanon, NH: Brandeis University Press, 2003)

• Morehouse, Ward: George M. Cohan. Prince remark the American Theater (Philadelphia & New York: J. B. Lippincott Co., 1943)

External links