George M. Cohan
A brash song-and-dance man who wrote the patriotic anthems that defined American spirit during two world wars.
1878–1942 (age 64)·American actor, singer, composer and playwright·Birthday: July 3·The Gilded Age
Biography
George M. Cohan wrote and produced his own Broadway shows by his twenties, bringing fast-paced, distinctly American energy to theater. Born into a vaudeville family on the Fourth of July, 1878, he began performing as a child in the family act The Four Cohans. His style featured snapping fingers, straw hats, and strutting confidence. During World War I, he penned 'Over There' and 'You're a Grand Old Flag,' songs that became part of the national fabric. Though later tastes shifted, his early-century dominance earned him a Congressional Gold Medal and the enduring title 'The Man Who Owned Broadway.' He died in 1942.
The Gilded Age
1860–1882
Born during or after the Civil War, they built industrial America — the railroads, the steel mills, the first skyscrapers. An era of massive wealth, massive inequality, and the belief that the future belonged to whoever could build it fastest.
George was born in 1878, placing them squarely in The Gilded Age. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When George Was Born
The biggest hits of 1878
George's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1878Born
President: Rutherford B. Hayes
1883Started school
President: Chester A. Arthur
1891Became a teenager
President: Benjamin Harrison
1894Could drive
President: Grover Cleveland
1896Could vote
First modern Olympic Games held in Athens
President: Grover Cleveland
1899Turned 21
President: William McKinley
1908Turned 30
Ford Model T goes into production
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1918Turned 40
World War I ends; Spanish flu pandemic kills millions
President: Woodrow Wilson
1928Turned 50
Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin; Mickey Mouse debuts
President: Calvin Coolidge"Ol' Man River" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: Wings
1938Turned 60
Kristallnacht and the escalation toward WWII
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $2,850Min wage: $0.25/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Begin the Beguine" — Artie ShawBest Picture: You Can't Take It with You
1942Died at 64
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
Key Achievements
- Awarded a Congressional Gold Medal in 1940 for his patriotic songwriting contributions.
- Wrote the enduring standards "Yankee Doodle Dandy," "Give My Regards to Broadway," and the WWI anthem "Over There."
- Starred in the 1942 biographical film 'Yankee Doodle Dandy,' winning James Cagney an Academy Award for portraying him.
Did You Know?
He was born on the 4th of July, 1878.
A statue of him stands in Times Square, New York City.
He produced over 50 Broadway plays and musicals in his lifetime.
“My mother thanks you, my father thanks you, my sister thanks you, and I thank you.”
