Fourth July 2009 Yankee Doodle Dandy
As a special treat for independence day this year I will be adding a Screen Guild Players show of highlights from the 1942 Warner Brother's motion picture Yankee Doodle Dandy based on the 50 year theatrical career of George M. Cohan.
George Michael Cohan was a real Yankee who told the world proudly "I am an American". He was born in Providence, Rhode Island and although on his birth certificate it indicates that he was born on the 3rd July 1878 his family always professed that he was born on the 4th of July.
In the decade before World War II George M. Cohan became known as the man who owned Broadway. He was an entertainer, actor, singer dancer, producer, playwright, composer and lyricist having written 20 musicals and over 1500 songs including Give My Regards to Broadway, the popular war song Over There and the very catchy Yankee Doodle Boy.
George M. Cohan loved his country and through singing his songs America learned to understand itself.
All of the words and music in Yankee Doodle Dandy are by George M. Cohan and James Cagney's performance in the title role earned the Best Actor Academy Award. The film was privately screened for Cohan as he battled the last stages of abdominal cancer. This proud American of Irish decent died on the 5th November 1942 and is honoured with a statue in Times Square, Manhattan, New York City.
I hope that you enjoy Yankee Doodle Dandy, which will be live on RUSC on the 4th July 2009. Meantime, to help you get in to the mood for the weekend Joy and I have put together for your enjoyment a selection of shows relating to the 4th of July,America's day of Independence.
Happy listening my friends,
