A merican Yeutish Periodical Center
Friday, April 12, 1946
CLIFTON AVENUE - CINCINNATI 20, OHIO
DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE and The Legal Chronicle
American Song Writers List Three of
Their Best From Among the Jewish Fold
•VV)
Page Seven
eons, both of them in the armed Palestine which will provide a
ready market for all types of fur-
forces.
niture."
Some of his best sellers, he once
said, were written in an hour's
time.
The Berlin Municipality has ta-
ken the first steps to replenish its
libraries and other educational in-
stitutions with the books by Jew-
ish authors which were burned by
NEW YORK — The Palestine the Nazis in 1933.
Economic Bureau of the Zionist
Organization of America announc-
Season's Greetings to All Jewry!
ed that Mr. Morris Catchman,
leading Texas mattress and fur-
niture manufacturer, who has re-
DAVE'S PHARMACY
cently returned from a trip to
Palestine, will shortly establish a
15051 E. WARREN
NI. 7300
modern mattress and furniture
factory in a suburb of Tel Aviv. •
Mr. Catchman, realizing the po-
tentialities of the Near East mar-
Season's Greetings
ket for American merchandise,
traveled to Palestine under ar-
rangements made by the Pales-
tine Economic Bureau. He spent
six weeks in that country and
made a thorough study of the lo-
General Real Estate
cal economic conditions. "Pales-
and Property
tine," stated Mr. Catchman, "has
important business potentialities.
Management and Insurance
While the standard of living of
See us about Mortgage money
the Jewish population is consid-
erably higher than that of sur-
300 Lafayette Bldg.
rounding Near East countries, the
CAdillac 7700
local population is just awakening
to modern requirements. A sub-
R.
BLISS
WOLFE, Pres.
stantial building program," he
continued, "is contemplated for
Replenish Library
(A Study of Jerome Kern, Harry Von Tilzer and Lew Pollack)
person — there was not a rare featured in "What Price Glory";
By LISA JOANNA FEINSTEIN book dealer in New York who "Angela Mia" in "Street Angel"
Within a period of a few scant
did not know him by sight. There and "Little Mother" in "Four
honths, death ,robbed the civiliz-
's
is a story that he stepped into a Songs." A sentimental streak ran
d world of three of its most gift-
noted shop just off Fifth Avenue through his works, which included
ed songwriters — Jerome Kern,
during a bankruptcy sale. All the "Miss Anabella Lee," "Two Cigar-
Harry Von Tilzer and Lew Pol-
items had been drastically mark- ettes in the Dark," and "He's My
lack. Since 1910 there has scarce-
ed down. While the proprietor en- Uncle." "Charmaine" alone sold
ly been a day that America — and
gaged Kern in conversation, a more than a million copies, earn-
much of the world — has not
clerk went to the safe and pegged ing him $30,000 in sheet music and
danced, whistled or joyously beat
a Robert Burns rare item up from $25,000 for records.
time to a tune penned by one of
$2,000 to $6,500. Kern wrote a
Born in New York City and ed-
these three Jewish composers. As
check for the latter sum without ucated in the public schools, Pol-
in the case of the British flag, the
demurring. When he later held lack, too, early in life began to
sun never set upon a song hit of
a sale in 1929, his collection drew write songs, working for leading
theirs before another was bask-
$1,729,462. He sold his Dickens Broadway publishers. He entered
ing in its rays.
collection alone for $252,540. A
All of them had something in copy of a poem by Shelley went show business in 1918 as a piano
player and 10 years later went to
common besides their Jewish for $68,000.
Hollywood under contract to
faith — they reached the heights
And all through the years his
of eminence only through deter- haunting melodies 'were intriguing Twentieth Century-Fox to write
for the early sound pictures. He
mined effort, through patient for- young and oia alike, songs like
remained with this firm for eight
bearance, through courageous plod-
"Look for the Silver Lining," "The years and the last three of his
ding in a field notoriously littered
Night Was Made for Love," "I've life he spent with RKO. Some of
with broken promises and broken
Told Every Little Star," "Smoke his songs for the films were writ-
hearts.
Gets in Your Eyes," "The Way ten in collaboration with Erno
In the case of Von Tilzer, he You Look Tonight," and others
Rapee who died last June. He did
wrote almost 3,000 songs before previously mentioned. Kern was
the lyrics and score for "Pigskin
the first one was published. That a little man, bespectacled, white-
Parade" which featured Shirley
was "My Old New Hampshire haired, unprepossessing — but he
Temple.
Season's Greetings
Home," which he sold outright gave mankind lyric moments that
PASSOVER
At the start of his career, Pol-
for $15. It made the publisher rich will live forever.
GREETINGS!
lack played in practically every
and Vol Tilzer famous.
Harry Von Tilzer's life approxi- cabaret in Coney Island. At this
In the case of Pollack, his Jew-
mated more the carnival spirit, time he teamed up with another
ish background exercised a mark-
ENDURO PRODUCTS
the romantic life of the trouba- obscure Jewish trouper — Ted
ed effect over his tunes. One par-
dor. The man who was destined Lewis, then a clarinet player. He
Enduro Polishes, Waxes and
ticular melody haunted him for
to write more than 8,000 songs
Cleaning Sundries Sold
years. Where had he heard it —
married Helen Mellette, one of the
was born in Goshen, Ind., the son Mellette Sisters, a famous team
by Dealers
in synagogue, in his mother's lul-
of immigrant parents. His father
Everywhere
in the early 1920s, and left two
labies, in his own heart? He never
owned a shoe store, having pre-
4226 ST. ANTOINE
knew — and it would not let him
viously been a shoemaker in Po
rest. Out of that came "Yiddishe
land, while his mother came from
32-38 DAVENPORT
TEMPLE 1-7700
Momme," which he wrote in col-
Season's Greetings
Germany. Young Harry Gumm —
laboration with Jack Yellen. It
that was his real name — was
was Sophie Tucker's biggest num-
I
ber and won a warm spot in the self-taught, self-reliant. In the
J. Horowitz
M. Carp
middle of the night it was not un-
hearts of millions, Jews and non-
Floors Laid, Scraped, Sanded
PASSOVER
usual for him to be heard play-
PASSOVER GREETINGS!
Jews.
3738 Joy Road
ing
the
piano.
GREETINGS!
In the case of Kern, it was the
TY. 4.5200
Over his father's store was a
case of another Jewish boy born
little
theatre
and
when
visiting
on the East Side — as were
George Gershwin and Irving Ber- troupes of actors came to town,
lin — who grew up in a district they were booked to appear on
Sincerest Pd1101TT Greetings
noted for its breweries. But he this stage. Harry was early drawn
INSURANCE
was fortunate to have a mother to them and even at the stagger-
Every Known Kind
who knew how to play the piano ingly young age of 10 and 11 he
•
1563 National Bank Bldg.
and she made him an enthusiast, was making up songs and playing
CHerry 5756—CHerry 8494
TO. 8-2507
too. From there it was only a hop, them for the thespians. He was
Res. UN. 1.8576
skip and jump to Wanamaker's avowedly going to become one of
1
music counter where he began to them, but his parents objected.
One day a circus came to town
make a living plugging songs.
DISTRIBUTORS
And then along came Marie Dress- and an acrobat took to the 14-
year-old boy. Young Gumm decid-
ler.
Best Wishes For A
This gracious lady of the stage ed then and there to run away
Happy Passover
Cadillac 6781
1336 Napoleon
from
home.
He
assumed
the
name
needed an accompanist one eve-
ning and young Jerry was sent. of Tilzer, after his mother's home
It was his entree to the theatre town in Germany, and prefixed
and it didn't take long before he the "von" to add importance to
Bumping • Painting - Brake
TOM'S QUALITY
PASSOVER
was writing for the stage. In Aug- it. Three years later he joined a
Service • Towing
repertory
theatre
company
and
GREETINGS!
ust, 1914, a first-night audience
Wheel Aligning
MARKET
Batteries Charged
sat down to hear and enjoy "The toured with it until a noted act-
in 30 Minutes
Girl from Utah," in which Julia ress advised him to go to New
1923 DIVISION
Sanderson was starred, and they York and have his songs sung.
Day and Night Service
He duly arrived in Gotham with
ME. 1511
left whistling "They Didn't Believe
566 E. WARREN
TE. 2-9857
Me." Jerome Kern was now sub- but $1.65 between himself and
stantially on the way of injecting starvation. Nevertheless he went
contagious tunes into the nation's straight to Tony Pastor, tiien at
the height of his fame, and played
life.
35 E. Grand River
Kern was a singularly prolific some of his tunes. Pastor was im-
pressed
and
offered
to
sing
them.
writer. At one time, during the
CA. 6660
first World War, three of his Then Harry got a job for $15 a
shows ran simultaneously along week singing in a saloon.
His next step was to join a mu-
Broadway. But he outdid even this
achievement in the incredible '20s sic publishing house and ten years
SEASON'S
with his magnificent "Show Boat." after he owned his own firm
which,
while
handling
mostly
his
GREETINGS!
That grand folk song, "Old Man
River," one of the most intriguing own works, started others on the
of its genre ever written, was road to success. He published the
RIDLEY
born in "Show Boat," along with worjcs of Gershwin and Berlin
five other hits. "Let Us Make Be- and is said to have sponsored Nora
COMMISSION CO.
lieve" and "Why Do I Love You?" Hayes because her name wac sim-
Live Stock Commission
were other favorites of that mu- ilar to his mother's maiden name.
THE ENTIRE JEWISH COMMUNITY
Von Tilzer is reputed to have
Merchants
sical.
Then followed, in succession, made at least a dozen fortunes in
6750 DIX AVENUE
"The Cat and the Fiddle," "Music New York and to have given Tin
Vlnewood 1.1500
in the Air," and "Roberta," and Pan Alley its monicker. Among
in 1934 he swung over to Holly- his popular numbers were "In the
wood to write the scores for these Evening by the Moonlight," "Wait
Till the Sun Shines, Nellie," "A
shows and others.
Where Kern differed from Tilzer Bird in a Gilded Cage," " I Want
and Pollack was in the fact that a Girl, Just Like the Girl That
he never wrote what Tin Pan Al- Married Dear Old Dad," "Jenny
ley calls "popular music," that is, Lee," "Down on the Farm," and
sheet music selling for ten cents "Rufus Rastus Johnson Brown."
While Von Tilzer died at 73, and
and plugged by vaudeville or night
Kern at 60, Pollack was fatally
club singers. lie composed only for
musical productions — such as stricken at the comparatively pro-
"Sally" and "Sunny" and "She's ductive age of 50. He achieved
a Good Fellow," which introduced his great success in the interim
Adele and Fred Astaire to fame. period in which the screen fea-
9515 OAKLAND
1426 Woodward Ave.
While Kern was practically un- tured theme songs. It was then
TO. 8.3273
recognizable in a theatre audi- that he gave the world "Diane" In
ence — he was a shy self-effacing "Seventh Heaven"; "Charmaine,"
Branch Factory
Starts in Palestine
1
Hannan Real Estate
Exchange, Inc.
KALT COMPANY
Sheet Metal
and
Roofing Contractors
Horowitz Floor Co.
N. P. ROSSEN
AGENCY, INC.
•
Coolidge Auto
Glass Co.
Standard Fish Co.
Passover Greetings!
EAST WARREN
GARAGE
•
THORNE
OPTICAL CO.
PASSOVER
GREETINGS
We Extend Our Greetings
and Best Wishes
To
Passover Greetings!
•
Detroit
Live Fish Co.
•
le VS .110PS
Did al
ZS