Irving Berlin

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 Yorks 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 songplugger 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 19141918 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 publicrelations firm and in 1921 he built the 1025seat 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 allsoldier 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