"I don't care what you say about me, as long as you say something about me, and as long as you spell my name right." -- Playwright, composer, entertainer and Broadway legend George M. Cohan, who'll never have to worry about his name being spelled right. Known widely for his sentimentally patriotic songs leading up to and after World War I, Cohan's Great American Songbook tunes include "Over There," "You're A Grand Old Flag," "Yankee Doodle Dandy," and "Give My Regards to Broadway." Ironically, on this eve of Independence Day, while Cohan believed himself as having been born on the Fourth of July (as in "Yankee Doodle Dandy"), his birthday was actually recorded as July 3, 1878 in Providence, R.I.
He's regarded as the father of musical comedy on Broadway, with such works to his credit as "Little Johnny Jones," "Forty-five Minutes From Broadway," "The Talk of New York," "The Song and Dance Man," and "Little Nelly Kelly." In 1940, President Franklin Roosevelt presented Cohan with the Congressional Gold Medal for his contributions to his music and contributions to World War I morale. A large bronze statue of Cohan is located on Broadway at 46th Street, the only one in recognition of a Broadway legend.
(photo: Ira Block Photography)
