An all-rounder American entertainer, play writer, composer, lyricist, actor, dancer, singer and producer George Michael Cohan was a well known person of his time. He was also known as father of American musical comedy. He recognized Broadway before First World War in the right manner. He started his career when he was a little child.

George M. Cohan was born on 3rd July, 1878 in Providence, Rhode Island. His parents were Irish Catholic. His father was Cohan 1848-1917, his mother was Helen Costigan Cohan 1854?1928, and her sister was Josephine Niblo 1876?1916. His sister was died in very young age due to heart disease and she was married with Fred Niblo 1874-1948.

Cohan produced a family sitcom in his life which was known as The Four Cohans. In the play his father named as Jere, his mother named as Nellie and her sister was named as Josie. In 1904 a show Little Johnny Jones, was his biggest hit on Broadway. In that show his most famous tunes Give My Regards to Broadway” and “The Yankee Doodle Boy” were introduced. He was founder of Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. In 1925 he directed a silent film Ben Hur.

Cohan along with Sam Harris produced three dozen shows form the year 1906 to 1926 on Broadway. In these a show ?Going Up? which breaks all the records in London hit chart in 1917 was also included. Between the busy life of Cohan in 1925 he published his autobiography, which was named as Twenty Years on Broadway and the Years It Took to Get There.

Cohan died on 5th November, 1942 at the age of 64 in his home city New York. After a large funeral he was buried along with his private family mausoleum in St. Patrick’s Cathedral, New York.

George Michael Cohan

George Michael Cohan