Irving Berlin

Personal Info

Known For Writer

Gender Male

Birthday 1888-05-11

Deathday 1989-09-29 (101 years old)

Place of Birth Mogilev, Belarus, Russian Empire

Also Known As Israel Isidor Baline

Irving Berlin

Biography

Irving Berlin was born Israel Isidor Baline on May 11, 1888 in Mogilev, Belarus, Russian Empire. Towering composer, songwriter, ("God Bless America", "Always", "Blue Skies", "White Christmas") author and publisher, he came to the United States at age 5 and was educated in New York's public schools. His earliest musical education was from his father, a cantor. He earned Honorary degrees from Bucknell University and Temple University. Beginning his career as a song-plugger for publisher Harry von Tilzer, Berlin worked as a singing waiter in Chinatown. In 1909, he was hired as a staff lyricist by the Ted Snyder Company, and became a partner to that firm four years later. In 1910, he began doing vaudeville appearances in the United States and abroad, and also appeared with Snyder in the Broadway musical "Up and Down Broadway", that ran for 72 performances. He joined ASCAP as a charter member in 1914, and served on its first board of directors between 1914-1918. Berlin enlisted the United States Army infantry in World War I, and was a sergeant at Camp Upton, New York. After the war, he established his own public-relations firm, and in 1921, he built the 1025-seat Music Box Theatre (at 239 W. 45th Street, New York) with Sam H. Harris. After Harris' death in 1941, Berlin assumed full ownership and the theatre remains a Broadway institution to this day. Among his many awards was the Medal for Merit for his 1942 all-soldier show "This Is the Army", which toured the United States, Europe and South Pacific battle zones; all proceeds were assigned to Army Emergency Relief and other service agencies. Berlin was also a member of the French Legion of Honor and held the Congressional Medal of Honor for "God Bless America", the proceeds from which went to the God Bless America Fund. His songs were sung by Fred Astaire, Al Jolson, Judy Garland, Bing Crosby, Dick Powell, Alice Faye and many others. Irving Berlin died at the age of 101 of natural causes on September 22, 1989 in New York City.

Known For

Writer

1957
Annie Get Your Gun

as Lyricist

1953
Call Me Madam

as Lyricist

1950
Annie Get Your Gun

as Lyricist

1948
Easter Parade

as Lyricist

1946
Blue Skies

as Story

1942
Holiday Inn

as Idea

1942
Holiday Inn

as Lyricist

1938
1938
Carefree

as Lyricist

1937
On the Avenue

as Lyricist

1936
Follow the Fleet

as Lyricist

1935
Top Hat

as Lyricist

1930
Mammy

as Theatre Play

1930
1929
The Cocoanuts

as Musical

Sound

2002
1967
Annie Get Your Gun

as Original Music Composer

1957
1957
1955
1954
1953
Call Me Madam

as Original Music Composer

1950
Annie Get Your Gun

as Original Music Composer

1948
Easter Parade

as Songs

1948
Easter Parade

as Music

1942
Holiday Inn

as Songs

1938
Carefree

as Songs

1938
Carefree

as Music

1937
On the Avenue

as Original Music Composer

1936
Follow the Fleet

as Original Music Composer

1935
Top Hat

as Original Music Composer

1931
Pardon Us

as Music

1930
1929
The Cocoanuts

as Songs

1929
Hallelujah

as Songs

1920
One Week

as Music

Actor

2005
Easter Parade: On the Avenue

as Self (Archive Footage)

1992
Holiday Greetings from 'The Ed Sullivan Show'

as Self - Songwriter (archive footage)

1975
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?

as Self (archive footage)

1950
The Golden Twenties

as Self (archive footage)

1948
The Ed Sullivan Show

as Self - Songwriter

1948
The Ed Sullivan Show

as Self - Composer

1943
This Is the Army

as Irving Berlin (uncredited)

1929
Glorifying the American Girl

as Self (uncredited)

Editor

1959
Speed Crazy

as Editor

1958