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George M. Cohan

George Michael Cohan (July 3, 1878 – November 5, 1942) was an American entertainer, playwright, composer, lyricist, actor, singer, dancer and theatrical producer.

Cohan began his career as a child, performing with his parents and sister in a vaudeville act known as "The Four Cohans". Beginning with Little Johnny Jones in 1904, he wrote, composed, produced, and appeared in more than three dozen Broadway musicals. Cohan wrote more than 50 shows and published more than 300 songs during his lifetime, including the standards "Over There", "Give My Regards to Broadway", "The Yankee Doodle Boy" and "You're a Grand Old Flag". As a composer, he was one of the early members of the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP). He displayed remarkable theatrical longevity, appearing in films until the 1930s and continuing to perform as a headline artist until 1940.

Known in the decade before World War I as "the man who owned Broadway", he is considered the father of American musical comedy. His life and music were depicted in the Oscar-winning film Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) and the 1968 musical George M!. A statue of Cohan in Times Square, New York City, commemorates his contributions to American musical theatre.

Birth and Death Data: Born July 3, 1878 (Providence), Died November 5, 1942 (New York City)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1896 - 1947

Roles Represented in DAHR: composer, lyricist, vocalist, author

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

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 212 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Berliner 507 7-in. 10/14/1896 Hot Tamale Alley George J. Gaskin Male vocal solo composer  
Berliner 966 7-in. 5/18/1896 My Polly’s a peach George J. Gaskin Male vocal solo lyricist, composer  
Berliner 1733 7-in. 6/26/1897 The man in the moon is a coon Dan W. Quinn Male vocal solo composer, lyricist  
Berliner 1778 7-in. Before Sept. 1897 The warmest baby in the bunch Artists vary Male vocal solo composer, lyricist  
Berliner 1930 7-in. Before Apr. 1899 The patriotic coon John Terrell Male vocal solo composer, lyricist  
Berliner 1965 7-in. 3/9/1899 Telegraph my baby Artists vary Male vocal solo composer, lyricist  
Berliner 0713 7-in. 11/9/1899 I guess I'll have to telegraph my baby Edward M. Favor Male vocal solo composer, lyricist  
Berliner 0883 7-in. 1/13/1900 I guess I'll have to telegraph my baby Arthur Collins Male vocal solo composer, lyricist  
Berliner 0885 7-in. 1/13/1900 My babe from Boston town Arthur Collins Male vocal solo composer, lyricist  
Berliner 01030 7-in. 2/27/1900 Dear little girly, girly S. H. Dudley Male vocal solo composer, lyricist  
Berliner 01295 7-in. May 1900 Hannah’s a hummer Arthur Collins Male vocal solo composer, lyricist  
Victor [Pre-matrix A-]11 7-in. 6/29/1900 San Francisco Sadie Dan W. Quinn Male vocal solo composer, lyricist  
Victor B-127 10-in. 6/24/1903 Then I'd be satisfied with life S. H. Dudley Male vocal solo, with piano composer, lyricist  
Victor B-162 10-in. 6/29/1903 Then I'd be satisfied with life S. H. Dudley Male vocal solo composer, lyricist  
Victor B-469 10-in. 10/1/1903 Then I'd be satisfied with life S. H. Dudley Male vocal solo composer, lyricist  
Victor B-1991 10-in. 12/2/1904 The Yankee Doodle boy Billy Murray Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer, lyricist  
Victor A-1991 7-in. 11/9/1905 The Yankee Doodle boy Billy Murray Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer, lyricist  
Victor D-1991 14-in. 11/9/1905 The Yankee Doodle boy Billy Murray Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer, lyricist  
Victor E-1991 8-in. 1/19/1906 The Yankee Doodle boy Billy Murray Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer, lyricist  
Victor B-2595 10-in. 6/2/1905 Little Johnny Jones medley Vess L. Ossman Banjo solo composer  
Victor C-2620 12-in. 6/9/1905 Little Johnny Jones Arthur Pryor's Band Band composer  
Victor B-2620 10-in. 6/9/1905 Little Johnny Jones Arthur Pryor's Band Band composer  
Victor B-2654 10-in. 6/21/1905 Give my regards to Broadway Frank Kernell [i.e., Samuel H. Dudley] Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer, lyricist  
Victor A-2654 7-in. 12/12/1905 Give my regards to Broadway Frank Kernell [i.e., Samuel H. Dudley] Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer, lyricist  
Victor B-2863 10-in. 11/2/1905 Forty-five minutes from Broadway selection Victor Orchestra Orchestra composer  
(Results 1-25 of 212 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Cohan, George M.," accessed March 28, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/102632.

Cohan, George M.. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 28, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/102632.

"Cohan, George M.." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 28 March 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/102632

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