Irving Berlin

Known for WritingBorn 1888-05-11Died 1989-09-29Mogilev, Belarus, Russian Empire

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.Read more

Movies & web series

Hershey Felder as Irving Berlin

God Bless America

Irving Berlin's 100th Birthday Celebration

Irving Berlin's Holiday Inn

One Week

Easter Parade: On the Avenue

Omnibus

The Pride of the Yankees

White Christmas

Annie Get Your Gun

Top Hat

Speed Crazy

On the Avenue

Easter Parade

The Golden Twenties

Show-Business at War

Holiday Inn

Love Me or Leave Me

The Ed Sullivan Show

The Merv Griffin Show

Annie Get Your Gun

Follow the Fleet

Alexander's Ragtime Band

Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?

Carefree

Annie Get Your Gun

Kid Millions

Hallelujah

Holiday Greetings from 'The Ed Sullivan Show'

The Cocoanuts

Call Me Madam

Pardon Us

There's No Business Like Show Business

Blue Skies

Puttin' on the Ritz

Mammy

This Is the Army

Man with a Camera

Reaching for the Moon

Glorifying the American Girl

Alice in Wonderland

Irving Berlin's Top Hat

Top Hat - The Musical

TOP HAT

Freek de Jonge - De Laatste Lach