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Sam Coslow

Sam Coslow (December 27, 1902 – April 2, 1982) was an American songwriter, singer, film producer, publisher and market analyst. Coslow was born in New York City. He began writing songs as a teenager. He contributed songs to Broadway revues, formed the music publishing company Spier and Coslow with Larry Spier and made a number of recordings as a performer.

With the explosion of film musicals in the late 1920s, Hollywood attracted a number of ambitious young songwriters, and Coslow joined them in 1929. Coslow and his partner Larry Spier sold their publishing business to Paramount Pictures and Coslow became a Paramount songwriter. One of his first assignments for the studio was the score for the 1930 film The Virtuous Sin. He formed a successful partnership with composer Arthur Johnston and together they provided the scores for a number of films including Bing Crosby vehicles.

Coslow became a film producer in the 1940s and won the Academy Award for Best Short Film for his production Heavenly Music in 1943. He was married to actress Esther Muir from 1934 to 1948, and they had a daughter, Jacqueline Coslow, who also worked as an actress. In 1953 he married cabaret singer, Frances King, of Cafe Societie duo Noble & King. Sam and Frances remained married until his death in 1982. Together they had a daughter, Cara Coslow, who gained notoriety as Head of Casting for Carsey Werner Productions and the Producer of the television series Dante's Cove. Cara Coslow is also an author of two books.

During the 1960s Coslow's work shifted from music and film to market analysis. During this time Coslow founded the publishing company Investor's Press, which published investing books and the newsletter "Indicator Digest." During the 1970s Coslow wrote two books, "Cocktails for Two" which focused on his musical career and "Super Yields" which focused on investing. He died in Bronxville in 1982, aged 79.

Birth and Death Data: Born New York City (most populous city in the United States), Died April 2, 1982 (New York City (most populous city in the United States) )

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1033 - 1947

Roles Represented in DAHR: lyricist, composer, songwriter, tenor vocal, speaker

Notes: Sam Coslow credited in Victor ledgers as "The Broadway minstrel."

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 126-150 of 431 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor PCS-90133 12-in. 3/31/1935 He's a bad man Mae West Promotional recording : Female vocal solo, with orchestra and announcer. songwriter  
Victor PBS-90498 10-in. approximately October 1935 Down on the Isle of Oomph Betty Burgess ; Leon Erroll Female-male vocal solo, with orchestra songwriter  
Victor PBS-90499 10-in. approximately October 1935 How do I rate with you? Johnny Downs Male vocal solo songwriter  
Victor BS-95657 10-in. 10/23/1935 How do I rate with you Eddy Duchin Orchestra ; Lew Sherwood Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Victor BS-95658 10-in. 10/23/1935 You took my breath away Eddy Duchin Orchestra ; Lew Sherwood Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Victor PBS-97883 10-in. 10/8/1936 Paradise in waltztime William Merrigan Daly ; Gladys Swarthout Mezzo-soprano vocal solo, with orchestra songwriter  
Victor BS-98094 10-in. 11/20/1935 How do I rate with you? California Ramblers ; Joan Hope Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo songwriter  
Victor BS-98119 10-in. 11/15/1935 You took my breath away Dolly Dawn ; George Hall ; Hotel Taft Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo songwriter  
Victor PB-97 10-in. 3/2/1925 I ain't got nobody to love Glen Oswald Serenaders ; Glen Oswald Jazz/dance band composer  
Victor BS-03083 10-in. 11/24/1936 Tea on the terrace Tommy Dorsey Orchestra ; Edythe Wright Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo composer  
Victor BS-06674 10-in. 3/17/1937 Turn off the moon Jack Leonard ; Tommy Dorsey Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer, lyricist  
Victor BS-06675 10-in. 3/17/1937 Jammin' Tommy Dorsey Orchestra ; Edythe Wright Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo lyricist, composer  
Victor BS-06851 10-in. 4/8/1937 Turn off the moon Clarence Williams’ Washboard Band ; William Cooley Washboard band, with male vocal solo composer  
Victor BS-06853 10-in. 4/8/1937 Jammin' Clarence Williams’ Washboard Band ; William Cooley Washboard band, with male vocal solo composer  
Victor BS-07898 10-in. 5/6/1937 If I put my heart in my song Jack Leonard ; Tommy Dorsey Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Victor PBS-09884 10-in. 12/16/1937 Every day's a holiday Fats Waller and his Rhythm Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Victor BS-010110 10-in. 5/3/1937 (Can't you hear that) Mountain music Ozzie Nelson Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer, lyricist  
Victor BS-010129 10-in. 5/6/1937 (Can't you hear that) Mountain music Tommy Dorsey Orchestra ; Edythe Wright Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo composer, lyricist  
Victor BS-010130 10-in. 5/6/1937 Good mornin' Tommy Dorsey Orchestra ; Edythe Wright Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo composer, lyricist  
Victor BS-011352 10-in. 7/20/1937 After you Clambake Seven ; Tommy Dorsey ; Edythe Wright Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo songwriter  
Victor BS-011605 10-in. 7/29/1937 After you Helen Crawford ; Jesse Crawford Orchestra ; Bob Murray Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Victor BS-013578 10-in. 9/21/1937 I'd love to play a love scene (Opposite you) Kassels-in-the-Air Orchestra Jazz/dance band with male vocal solo composer, lyricist  
Victor BS-013583 10-in. 9/21/1937 I want a new romance Kassels-in-the-Air Orchestra ; Billy Leach Jazz/dance band with male vocal solo lyricist  
Victor BS-014652 10-in. 10/7/1937 I'd love to play a love scene (Opposite you) Bunny Berigan Orchestra ; Gail Reese Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo composer, lyricist  
Victor BS-014653 10-in. 10/7/1937 I want a new romance Bunny Berigan Orchestra ; Gail Reese Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo lyricist  
(Results 126-150 of 431 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Coslow, Sam," accessed January 6, 2026, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/104876.

Coslow, Sam. (2026). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved January 6, 2026, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/104876.

"Coslow, Sam." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2026. Web. 6 January 2026.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/104876

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