Famous Rhode Islanders

George M. Cohan

George M. Cohan (1878-1942) was born in Providence, Rhode Island. As a child, he preformed with his parents and sister in a popular vaudeville act called "The Four Cohans." Cohan began to write songs and vaudeville sketches as a teen-ager. He became a leading figure in the American theater during the early 1900's. Cohan wrote more than 40 plays and musicals, and he produced, directed, and starred in most of them. His shows were noted for their high spirits, dazzling showmanship, and distinctive American flavor.

Cohan’s plays include Broadway Jones (1912) Seven Keys to Baldpate (1913), and The Song- and Dance Man (1923). He wrote musicals such as Little Johnny Jones (1904), Forty-Five Minutes from Broadway (1906), and George Washington, Jr. (1906).  Several of Cohan’s songs remain popular today. They include "I’m a Yankee Doodle Dandy," "Give my regards to Broadway," "You’re a Grand Old Flag," "Mary’s a Grand Old Name," and "Harrigan." Cohan also wrote "Over There" the most popular American patriotic song of World War I (1914-1918).

Source: World Book Encyclopedia 1998 edition