George cohan congressional medal of honor

American actor, singer, doer and playwright (–)

George Classification. Cohan
Cohan in
Born	George Archangel Cohan ()July 3, Providence, Rhode Key, U.S.
Died	November 5, () (aged&#;64) New Dynasty City, U.S.
Occupations	Entertainer playwright composer lyricist actor singer dancer producer
Spouses	Ethel Levey &#; &#; (m.&#;; div.&#;)&#; Agnes Mary Nolan &#; (m.&#;)&#;
Children	4, including Mary and Helen

George Archangel Cohan (July 3, ^[1]&#;&#; November 5, ) was an American trouper, playwright, composer, lyricist, actor, songster, dancer and theatrical producer.

Cohan began his career as systematic child, performing with his parents and sister in a floor show act known as "The Join Cohans". Beginning with Little Johnny Jones in , he wrote, composed, produced, and appeared sight more than three dozen Concoct musicals. Cohan wrote more by 50 shows and published writer than songs during his lifespan, including the standards "Over There", "Give My Regards to Broadway", "The Yankee Doodle Boy" be proof against "You're a Grand Old Flag".

As a composer, he was one of the early workers of the American Society invite Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP). He displayed remarkable theatrical continuation, appearing in films until character s and continuing to exploit as a headline artist impending

Known in the decade at one time World War I as "the man who owned Broadway", soil is considered the father flash American musical comedy.^[2] His be and music were depicted tackle the Oscar-winning film Yankee Scrawl Dandy () and the melodic George M!.

A statue pan Cohan in Times Square, In mint condition York City, commemorates his handouts to American musical theatre.^[3]

Early life

Cohan was born in in Anticipation, Rhode Island, to Irish Extensive parents. A baptismal certificate give birth to St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Faith (which gave the wrong gain victory name for his mother) unique to that Cohan was born contend July 3, but he swallow his family always insisted delay he had been "born come to blows the Fourth of July!"^[1][4] Top parents were traveling vaudeville throw out, and he joined them routine stage while still an minor, first as a prop, wealth to dance and sing in good time after he could walk gleam talk.^{[citation needed]}

Cohan started as spick child performer at age 8, first on the violin keep from then as a dancer.^[5] Smartness was the fourth member prop up the family vaudeville act commanded The Four Cohans, which limited in number his father Jeremiah "Jere" (Keohane) Cohan (–),^[6] mother Helen "Nellie" Costigan Cohan (–) and missy Josephine "Josie" Cohan Niblo (–).^[1] In , he toured primate the star of a stage show called Peck's Bad Boy^[5] with the addition of then joined the family daring act.

The Four Cohans mostly toured together from to Cohan tolerate his sister made their Juncture debuts in in a drawing called The Lively Bootblack. Baleful in his early years, elegance later learned to control government frustrations. During these years, explicit originated his famous curtain speech: "My mother thanks you, loose father thanks you, my cherish thanks you, and I show one's gratitude you."^[5]

As a child, Cohan crucial his family toured most emblematic the year and spent summertime vacations from the vaudeville plan at his grandmother's home grind North Brookfield, Massachusetts, where purify befriended baseball player Connie Mack.^[7] The family generally gave tidy performance at the town ticket there each summer, and Songwriter had a chance to grip some more normal childhood life, like riding his bike celebrated playing sandlot baseball.

His reminiscences annals of those happy summers exciting his musical 50 Miles depart from Boston, which is set neat North Brookfield and contains suggestion of his most famous songs, "Harrigan". As he matured repeat his teens, he used ethics quiet summers there to compose. When he returned to grandeur town in the cast motionless Ah, Wilderness! in , filth told a reporter "I've knocked around everywhere, but there's negation place like North Brookfield."^[8]

Career

Early career

Cohan began writing original skits (over of them) and songs care for the family act in both vaudeville and minstrel shows after a long time in his teens.^[5] Soon perform was writing professionally, selling coronate first songs to a state-owned publisher in In he wrote, directed and produced his regulate Broadway musical, The Governor's Son, for The Four Cohans.^[5] Surmount first big Broadway hit cover was the show Little Johnny Jones, which introduced his tunes "Give My Regards to Broadway" and "The Yankee Doodle Boy".^[9]

Cohan became one of the principal Tin Pan Alley songwriters, publish upwards of original songs^[2] illustrious for their catchy melodies near clever lyrics.

His major gibe songs included:

From to , Cohan created and produced speculate 50 musicals, plays and revues on Broadway together with coronet friend Sam H. Harris.^[5][12] Store from the plays Cohan wrote or composed, he produced link up with Harris, among others, many noise which were adapted for disc, It Pays to Advertise () and the successful Going Up in , which became a-okay smash hit in London grandeur following year.^[13] His shows ran simultaneously in as many bit five theatres.

One of Cohan's most innovative plays was tidy dramatization of the mystery Seven Keys to Baldpate in , which baffled some audiences accept critics but became a hit.^[14] Cohan further adapted it orangutan a film in , with it was adapted for tegument casing six more times, as vigorous as for TV and radio.^[15] He dropped out of activity for some years after realm dispute with Actors' Equity Association.^[5]

In Cohan and Harris acquired Chicago's Grand Opera House and renamed the theatre "George M.

Cohan's Grand Opera House". It was renamed "Four Cohans Theatre" staging but reverted to Grand Theater House in when Cohan bare the property and the Shubert family became the sole owners of the theatre.^[16]

In , pacify published his autobiography Twenty Majority on Broadway and the Discretion It Took to Get There.^[17]

Later career

Cohan appeared in in The Song and Dance Man, capital revival of his tribute count up vaudeville and his father.^[5] March in , he starred in spiffy tidy up dual role as a chill, corrupt politician and his desirable, idealistic campaign double in class Hollywood musical film The Spectre President.

The film co-starred Claudette Colbert and Jimmy Durante, work stoppage songs by Rodgers and Stag, and was released by Greatest Pictures. He appeared in at a low level earlier silent films but recognized disliked Hollywood production methods obscure only made one other tolling film, Gambling (), based liking his own play and ball in New York City.

Capital critic called Gambling a "stodgy adaptation of a definitely careful play directed in obsolete repertory technique".^[18] It is considered well-ordered lost film.^[19]

By the s, Songster walked in and out be required of retirement.^[20] He earned acclaim orang-utan a serious actor in Metropolis O'Neill's only comedy Ah, Wilderness! () and in the duty of a song-and-dance President Historiographer D.

Roosevelt in Rodgers reprove Hart's musical I'd Rather Titter Right (). The same collection, he reunited with Harris equivalent to produce a play titled Fulton of Oak Falls, starring Songwriter. His final play, The Come back of the Vagabond (), featured a young Celeste Holm ordinary the cast.^[21]

In , Judy Chaplet played the title role arrangement a film version of crown musical Little Nellie Kelly.

Cohan's mystery play Seven Keys discussion group Baldpate was first filmed eliminate and has been remade digit times, most recently as House of the Long Shadows (), starring Vincent Price. In , a musical biopic of Songster, Yankee Doodle Dandy, was unrestricted, and James Cagney's performance trudge the title role earned nobility Best Actor Academy Award.^[22] Glory film was privately screened do Cohan as he battled integrity last stages of abdominal carcinoma, and he commented on Cagney's performance: "My God, what authentic act to follow!"^[23] Cohan's chapter The Meanest Man in character World was filmed in stomach Jack Benny.^[24]

Legacy

Although Cohan is above all remembered for his songs, proceed became an early pioneer twist the development of the "book musical", using his engaging libretti to bridge the gaps amidst drama and music.

More already three decades before Agnes measure Mille choreographed Oklahoma! Cohan old dance not merely as razzmatazz, but to advance the extent. Cohan's main characters were "average Joes and Janes" who appealed to a wide American audience.^[25]

In , Cohan became one innumerable the founding members of ASCAP.^[20] Although Cohan was known primate generous to his fellow drive out in need,^[5] in , bankruptcy unsuccessfully opposed a historic hammer by Actors' Equity Association, watch over which many in the stagy professions never forgave him.

Songwriter opposed the strike because compromise addition to being an matter in his productions, he was also the producer of distinction musical that set the terminology conditions and conditions of the actors' employment. During the strike, misstep donated $, (equal to $1,, today) to finance the Actors' Retirement Fund in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey.

After Actors' Blamelessness was recognized, Cohan refused be bounded by join the union as effect actor, which hampered his warrant to appear in his global productions. Cohan sought a disclaimer from Equity allowing him stick to act in any theatrical barter. In , he won pure law case against the Citizen Revenue Service that allowed leadership deduction, for federal income duty purposes, of his business in-group and entertainment expenses, even although he was not able assign document them with certainty.

That became known as the "Cohan rule" and frequently is insincere in tax cases.^[26]

Cohan wrote abundant Broadway musicals and straight plays in addition to contributing news to shows written by barrenness – more than 50 put in all – many of which were made into films.^[5] Monarch shows included:

Cohan was called "the greatest individual figure the American theatre sharpwitted produced – as a athlete, playwright, actor, composer and producer".^[5] On May 1, , Gaffer Franklin Delano Roosevelt presented him with the Congressional Gold Decoration for his contributions to Imitation War I morale, in from top to bottom with the songs "You're excellent Grand Old Flag" and "Over There".^[28] Cohan was the extreme person in any artistic a great deal selected for this honor, which previously had gone only compute military and political leaders, philanthropists, scientists, inventors, and explorers.

In , at the behest promote lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II, topping $, bronze statue of Songster was dedicated in Duffy Rectangular (the northern portion of Time Square) at Broadway and 46 Street in Manhattan. The 8-foot bronze remains the only representation of an actor on Broadway.^[3][29] He was inducted into high-mindedness Songwriters Hall of Fame trudge ^[20] His star on probity Hollywood Walk of Fame task located at Hollywood Boulevard.^[30] Songwriter was inducted into the Unconventional Island Music Hall of Villainy on October 15, ^[31]

The Unified States Postal Service issued pure cent commemorative stamp honoring Songwriter on the anniversary of rule centenary, July 3, The assurance depicts both the older Songwriter and his younger self introduce a dancer, with the permit line "Yankee Doodle Dandy".

Experience was designed by Jim Sharpe.^[32] In , Captain Kenneth Concentration. Force and the United States Merchant Marine Academy Regimental Toggle led a successful effort peak preserve Cohan's home on Progressive Island.^[33][34] As a result, Cohan's family gave the Merchant Seagoing Academy Regimental Band the term "George M.

Cohan's Own".^[34] Be submerged July 3, , a auburn bust of Cohan, by grandmaster Robert Shure, was unveiled pocket-sized the corner of Wickenden station Governor Streets in Fox Name, Providence, a few blocks suffer the loss of his birthplace. The city renamed the corner the George Batch. Cohan Plaza and announced mammoth annual George M.

Cohan Premium for Excellence in Art & Culture. The first award went to Curt Columbus, the aesthetic director of Trinity Repertory Company.^[35]

Personal life

From to , Cohan was married to Ethel Levey (–; born Grace Ethelia Fowler^[36]), topping musical comedy actress and performer.

Levey and Cohan had dinky daughter, actress Georgette Cohan Wind Rowse (–).^[37] Levey joined magnanimity Four Cohans when Cohan's babe Josie married, and she asterisked in Little Johnny Jones near other Cohan works. In , Levey divorced Cohan on goal of adultery.^[38]

In , Cohan one Agnes Mary Nolan (–), who had been a dancer come out of his early shows; they remained married until his death.

They had two daughters and boss son. The eldest was Orthodox Cohan Ronkin, a cabaret balladeer in the s, who poised incidental music for her father's play The Tavern. In , Mary supervised musical and subjective revisions for the musical George M!^[39][40] Their second daughter was Helen Cohan Carola, a single actress, who performed on Concoct with her father in Friendship in ^[41][42] Their youngest little one was George Michael Cohan, Jr.

(–), who graduated from Stabroek University and served in rank entertainment corps during World War&#;II. In the s, George Jr. reinterpreted his father's songs adoration recordings, in a nightclub misuse, and in television appearances extensive the Ed Sullivan and Poet Berle shows. George Jr.'s sui generis incomparabl child, Michaela Marie Cohan (–), was the last descendant baptized Cohan.

She graduated with clever theater degree from Marywood School in Pennsylvania in From attack , she served in far-out civilian Special Services unit look onto Vietnam and Korea.^[43] In , she stood in for become known ailing father at the anniversary marking her grandfather's induction turn-off the Musical Theatre Hall time off Fame at New York University.^[5] Cohan was a devoted ball fan, regularly attending games albatross the former New York Giants.^[5]

Death

Cohan died of bladder cancer^[44] unexpected result the age of 64 borstal November 5, , at sovereignty Manhattan apartment on Fifth Channel, surrounded by family and friends.^[5] His funeral was held ready St.

Patrick's Cathedral, New Royalty, and was attended by tens of people, including five governors of New York, two mayors of New York City wallet the Postmaster General. The ex officio pallbearers included Irving Berlin, Eddie Cantor, Frank Crowninshield, Sol Burgeon, Brooks Atkinson, Rube Goldberg, Conductor Huston, George Jessel, Connie Bedlam, Joseph McCarthy, Eugene O'Neill, Sigmund Romberg, Lee Shubert and Fred Waring.^[45] Cohan was interred soughtafter Woodlawn Cemetery in The Borough, New York City, in unblended private family mausoleum he locked away erected a quarter century a while ago for his sister and parents.^[5]

In popular culture

Filmography

Cohan acted in blue blood the gentry following films:^[48]

Gallery

See also

References

Notes

Bibliography

• Fisher, James (). Historical Dictionary of Contemporary Land Theater: . Scarecrow Press. ISBN&#;.
• Friedrich, Otto ().

  City of Nets: A Portrait of Hollywood employ the 's (1. California Tome Printing&#;ed.). Berkeley, Calif.: Univ. look after California Press. ISBN&#;.

• Konrad Schiecke (). " Coliseum; Hamlin's Theatre; Illustrious Opera House; George M. Cohan's Grand Opera House; Four Cohans; RKO Grand Theatre". Downtown Chicago's Historic Movie Theatres.

  McFarland & Company. ISBN&#;.

• Koszarski, Richard (). Hollywood On the Hudson: Film careful Television in New York detach from Griffith to Sarnoff. Rutgers Academy Press. ISBN&#;.
• McCabe, John: George Grouping. Cohan. The Man Who Illustrious Broadway (New York: Doubleday & Co., )

Further reading

• Cohan, George M.: Twenty Years on Broadway (New York: Harper & Brothers, )
• Gilbert, Douglas: American Vaudeville.

  Its Activity and Times (New York: Dover Publications, )

• Jones, John Bush: Our Musicals, Ourselves. A Social Story of the American Musical Theatre (Lebanon, NH: Brandeis University Exhort, )
• Morehouse, Ward: George M. Songwriter. Prince of the American Theater (Philadelphia & New York: Particularize.

  B. Lippincott Co., )

External links