Cohan, George M(ichael)

Cohan, George M(ichael) (1878-1942), American playwright, composer, producer, and actor, famous for his debonair, fast-paced style as a song and dance man and for his lively musicals, which set the trend on Broadway in the 1920s. Born in Providence, Rhode Island, Cohan first appeared on the stage when he was nine years old. Later, with members of his family, he starred in The Four Cohans, one of the most popular vaudeville attractions. After managing and writing for the family act for several years, Cohan presented his first play on Broadway in New York in 1901. His first success was the musical Little Johnny Jones in 1904, in which he played Yankee Doodle Boy, a role associated with him throughout his career. Thereafter Cohan wrote about 20 plays and musical comedies (book, lyrics, and music) and played the lead in many. His productions include Forty-five Minutes from Broadway (1905), Seven Keys to Baldpate (1913), The Song and Dance Man (1923), and The Merry Malones (1927). Cohan also wrote many popular songs, including “I'm a Yankee Doodle Dandy”, “Grand Old Flag”, “Give My Regards to Broadway”, and the famous World War I song “Over There”.