Biography for
Irving Berlin
Mini biography
Irving Berlin was one of the most important songwriter in the USA. He was an autodidact, but almost everything he wrote was an sucess. His
breakthrou was during WWI with his song "Alexander's Ragtime Band" and one of the battle songs written for his all-soldier show Yip, Yip, Yaphank in 1917: "We're on our way to France". during the
twenties he wrote music for Tin Pan Alley and Broadway, and after the raise of the film musical he also wrote for Hollywood. His songs were sung by Fred Astaire Al Jolson Judy Garland Bing Crosby Dick Powell Alice Faye
and many others. During WWII he wrote for the government "Any Bonds Today" and wrote the songs for a nother all-soldier show "This is the Army". In the early 60s he retiered.
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Spouse
'Dorothy Goetz' (February 1912 - July 1912) (her death)
'Ellin Mackay' (4 January 1926 - 29 July 1988) (her death); 4 children
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Trivia
Died of natural causes at age 101.
When Berlin married Ellin Mackay, the Comstock Lode heiress, the bride's father wrote her out of his will for marrying a Jew. Berlin then assigned the copyright of his popular song, "Always, " to her,
which yielded very handsome royalties as the years went by. And true to the sentiments of the song, Berlin devoted himself to his lovely wife for the rest of her long life.
Sang "Oh How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning" in 1943's "This is the Army."
Songwriter
Could not read music.
Only played on the set of black keys. He had a special piano built
with pedals that could change the set from F sharp into other keys.
First met lifelong best friend Fred Astaire on the set of Top Hat (1935).
Interred at Woodlawn Cemetery, Bronx, New York, USA.
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Personal quotes
"Never hate a song that's sold a half million copies"
Jerome Kern once remarked
"Irving Berlin has no place in American music... He IS American Music."
"The song has ended, but the melody lingers on." |
