Al Sherman was an important Jewish-American, Tin Pan Alley songwriter from the first half of the twentieth century. Sherman is a link in a long chain of musical Sherman family members. A Jewish American (also commonly American Jew) is an American (a citizen of the United States) of Jewish descent or religion who maintains a connection to the Jewish community, either through actively practicing Judaism or through cultural and historical affiliation. ... Tin Pan Alley was the name given to the collection of New York City-centered music publishers and songwriters who dominated the popular music of the United States in the late 19th century and early 20th century. ... A songwriter is someone who writes the lyrics to songs, the musical composition or melody to songs, or both. ...

Early Life

Al Sherman was born into a musical family on September 7, 1897 in Czarist Russia. Father Samuel Sherman fled a Cossack pogrom in 1903, settling in Prague which was then part of Austria-Hungary. Luck turned for Samuel and he landed a job as concertmaster, first violinist and sometimes court composer in the Royal Court of Emperor Franz Josef. Within a short time, Samuel was able to send for his family to live with him in Prague. September 7 is the 250th day of the year (251st in leap years). ... 1897 (MDCCCXCVII) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Imperial Russia is the term used to cover the period of Russian history from the expansion of Russia under Peter the Great, through the expansion of the Russian Empire from the Baltic to the Pacific Ocean, to the deposal of Nicholas II of Russia, the last tsar, at the start... Reply of the Zaporozhian Cossacks to Sultan Mehmed IV of Turkey. ... Pogrom (from Russian: ; from громить - to wreak havoc, to demolish violently) is a form of riot, a massive violent attack on a particular group; ethnic, religious or other, primarily characterized by destruction of their environment (homes, businesses, religious centers). ... 1903 (MCMIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Prague (Czech: Praha, see also other names) is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. ... Austria-Hungary, also known as the Dual monarchy (or: the k. ... Royal court (as distinguished from a court of law) may refer to a number of institutions: A noble court - the household or entourage of a monarch or other ruler The Royal Court of Jersey - the main court of justice of Jersey The Royal Court of Guernsey - the main court of... An emperor is a (male) monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. ... Franz Joseph I Franz Joseph (in English also Francis Joseph) (August 18, 1830 - November 21, 1916) of the Habsburg Dynasty was Emperor of Austria and King of Bohemia from 1848 until 1916 and King of Hungary from 1867 until 1916. ...

As a young boy, Al would stand in the wings to hear his father play for the Bohemian Emperor, thus sparking the young boy's love of music. Once, when Al was about six years old, the Emperor sent guards to find out who was rustling around behind the curtains. He then asked the frightened youngster (Al) to sit on his knee for the duration of the concert. Bohemians are inhabitants of Bohemia, Czech Republic. ... An emperor is a (male) monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. ...

In 1909 Samuel decided to take his family to America, but in America Samuel's luck turned again, this time for the worse. In New York City, Samuel was just another out-of-work musician. The pressure became too much for Samuel and he eventually left his wife Lena and their five children, Olga, Al, Edith, Regina and new born baby Harold. 1909 (MCMIX) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Nickname: The Big Apple Official website: City of New York Government Counties (Boroughs) Bronx (The Bronx) New York (Manhattan) Queens (Queens) Kings (Brooklyn) Richmond (Staten Island) Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R) Geographical characteristics Area Total 468. ...

At age thirteen, Al became the "man" of the family and quit school to work. Nevertheless, Al had a very "accepting" attitude and kept in close contact with Samuel until Samuel's death in 1947. Because the American music scene had been so disillusioning for Samuel, the last thing that Samuel wanted his young son, Al, to do was to become a musician. But Al had a burning desire to do just that. Al taught himself piano learning from the "Beyers Book for Beginners".

Despite Al's youth and scant knowledge of English, his natural talent for piano improvisation soon earned him a reputation as a top "mood music" pianist. His services to improvise inspirational music were sought by many silent film stars including Pauline Frederick, Mae Murray and Olga Petrova. In 1916, Universal signed Al to do bit parts in silent films as well. He later appeared in motion pictures with Mary Pickford, Mary Fuller, Clara Kimball Young and William Powell. Light Music is a generic term applied to a mainly British musical style of light orchestral music, which began post-World War One and had its heyday during the mid-20th Century, although arguably lasts to the present day. ... Pauline Frederick Pauline Frederick (12 August 1883 - 19 September 1938) was an actress best known for her Hollywood films. ... Mae Murray (May 10, 1889 - March 23, 1965) was an American actress and dancer, who became known as The Girl with the Bee-Stung Lips and The Gardenia of the Screen. ... Olga Petrova (May 10, 1884–November 30, 1977) was an actress, screenwriter and playwright. ... 1916 (MCMXVI) is a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar) // Events January-February January 1 - The Royal Army Medical Corps first successful blood transfusion using blood that had been stored and cooled. ... Universal has several meanings: Universalism - properties of universality in concepts or application For the concept of a universal in metaphysics, see Universal (metaphysics). ... Mary Pickford Mary Pickford (April 8, 1892 – May 29, 1979) was a Canadian-born motion picture star and co-founder of United Artists, known as Americas Sweetheart, Little Mary and the girl with the golden curls. ... Mary Fuller, c. ... Clara Kimball Young Clara Kimball Young (September 6, 1890 - October 15, 1960) was a notable highly regarded and publicly popular film actress of the early silent film era. ... William Horatio Powell (July 29, 1892 - March 5, 1984) was an American actor, noted for his sophisticated, cynical roles. ...

Al's composing career began in 1918 when he became a staff pianist for the Remick Music Company. There, he worked alongside George Gershwin and Vincent Youmans. During this time Al also organized and directed a small orchestra which played both in New York and Miami Beach, Florida. 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... George Gershwin photograph by Edward Steichen in 1927. ... Vincent Youmans (September 27, 1898 - April 5, 1946) was an American popular composer and Broadway producer. ... Official language(s) None, English de facto Capital Albany Largest city New York City Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 27th 141,205 km² 455 km 530 km 13. ... Location of Miami Beach in Miami-Dade County, Florida. ...

Marriage

In the summer of 1921, Al was at the piano leading his orchestra when he met a beautiful green-eyed actress named Rosa (pronounced "Rose") Dancis. The couple was married in 1923.

Songwriting Sons

Al and Rosa's older son, Robert Bernard Sherman was born on December 19, 1925. Their younger son, Richard Morton Sherman was born on June 12, 1928. Both boys were born in New York City. "The Sherman Brothers" would one day prove to be Al's greatest songwriting achievement, forming one of the most formidable songwriting teams in family entertainment. (Mary Poppins, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang). December 19 is the 353rd day of the year (354th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1925 (MCMXXV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... June 12 is the 163rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (164th in leap years), with 202 days remaining. ... 1928 (MCMXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... Nickname: The Big Apple Official website: City of New York Government Counties (Boroughs) Bronx (The Bronx) New York (Manhattan) Queens (Queens) Kings (Brooklyn) Richmond (Staten Island) Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R) Geographical characteristics Area Total 468. ... Mary Poppins is the central character in a series of childrens books written by P. L. Travers and illustrated by Mary Shepard, which were subsequently adapted for film and for the stage. ... Chitty Chitty Bang Bang: The Magical Car is a childrens story written by Ian Fleming for his son Caspar, with illustrations by John Burningham; it was first published in 1964 by Jonathan Cape in London and Random House in New York. ...

Career

In the 1920s, 30s and 40s, Al collaborated with songwriters including Sam Coslow, Irving Mills, Charles O'Flynn, Al Dubin, Pat Flaherty, B.G. deSylva, Harold Tobias, Howard Johnson, Harry Woods, Alfred Bryan, Buddy Fields, Archie Fletcher, Al Lewis, Abner Silver, Edward Heyman and many others. Al quickly rose to become one of "Tin Pan Alley's" most sought after songwriters. Several prominent people have been named Howard Johnson: Howard Deering Johnson, founder of Howard Johnsons restaurants Howard Johnson, song lyricist Howard Johnson, Major League Baseball player Howard Johnson former president of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Howard Johnson, jazz tuba and saxophone player Howard E. Johnson, swing saxophonist Howard... Harry Woods may refer to: Harry Woods (actor). ...

Between 1931 and 1934, during the last days of Vaudeville, Al and several of his fellow hitmakers formed a sensational review called "Songwriters On Parade", performing all across the Eastern seaboard on the Loew's and Keith circuits.

Some of Al Sherman's most well known songs also include, "Save Your Sorrow", "Lindbergh (The Eagle Of The U.S.A.)", "Pretending", On the Beach at Bali-Bali", "Over Somebody Else's Shoulder", "For Sentimental Reasons" and "Ninety-Nine Out of a Hundred (Want To Be Kissed)".

Maurice Chevalier's American breakthrough hit was an Al Sherman/Al Lewis song entitled "Livin' In the Sunlight - Lovin' in the Moonlight" from the Paramount Picture "The Big Pond". "You've Gotta Be A Football Hero has been played, sung and marched to since 1933 when Fred Waring and his "Pennsylvanians" introduced it on the radio. More than just a hit of its day, "Football Hero" became a part of the fabric of the American sports scene. Maurice Chevalier (September 12, 1888 – January 1, 1972) was a French actor and popular entertainer. ... Look up Paramount on Wiktionary, the free dictionary Paramount can refer to: Paramount, California, a city in Los Angeles County Paramount Pictures, a motion picture company Paramount Records, a record label United Paramount Network (UPN), a television network in the United States, owned by Viacom Inc. ... The Big Pond is a 1930 romantic comedy film starring Maurice Chevalier, Claudette Colbert, George Barbier, Marion Ballou and Andrée Corday. ... Fredrick Malcolm Waring (June 9, 1900–July 29, 1984) was a popular musician, bandleader, and radio and TV personality of the 20th century, sometimes referred to as the man who taught America how to sing. ...

The Sherman/Fletcher song "On A Little Bamboo Bridge" became a hit for Louis Armstrong. Artists who recorded Al Sherman songs include Benny Goodman, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holliday, Tommy Dorsey, Frank Sinatra, Al Jolson, Bing Crosby, Eddie Cantor, Rudy Vallée, Ozzie Nelson, Lawrence Welk, Peggy Lee, Patti Page, Duke Ellington and his Cotton Club Orchestra among many others. Louis Armstrongs stage personality matched his flashy trumpet as captured in this photo by William P. Gottlieb. ... Benny Goodman, born Benjamin David Goodman, (May 30, 1909 – June 13, 1986) was a famous Jazz musician, known as King of Swing, Patriarch of the Clarinet, The Professor, and Swings Senior Statesman. // Childhood and early years Goodman was born in Chicago, the son of poor Jewish immigrants who lived... Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917 – June 15, 1996), also known as Lady Ella (the First Lady of Song), was an American singer, considered one of the most influential jazz vocalists of the 20th Century. ... Billie Holiday photographed by Carl Van Vechten, 1949 Billie Holiday (April 7, 1915 - July 17, 1959), also called Lady Day is generally considered one of the greatest jazz singers of all time. ... Tommy Dorsey (November 19, 1905–November 26, 1956) was a jazz trombonist in the Big Band era. ... Francis Albert Sinatra (December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer who is one of the highest acclaimed male popular song vocalists of all time. ... Al Jolson (born Asa Yoelson - the original family name was Hesselson - in Seredzius, Lithuania on May 26, 1886 – October 23, 1950) was an American singer and the son of Jewish immigrants. ... Harry Lillis Bing Crosby (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer and actor whose career lasted from 1926 until his death in 1977. ... Eddie Cantor in the 1920s Eddie Cantor (January 31, 1892 - October 10, 1964) was a comedian, singer, actor, songwriter, and one of the most popular entertainers in the United States of America in the early and middle 20th century. ... Rudy Vallee (July 28, 1901 - July 3, 1986) was a popular American singer, actor, bandleader, and entertainer. ... Lawrence Welk during a taping of The Lawrence Welk Show Lawrence Welk (March 11, 1903 – May 17, 1992) was a musician, accordion player, bandleader, and television impressario. ... Peggy Lee (May 26, 1920 – January 21, 2002) was an Americanj popular music and jazz singer. ... Patti Page on the cover of a collection, part of The Millennium Collection Patti Page (born Clara Ann Fowler on November 8, 1927) is one of the best-known female singers in traditional pop music. ... Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy Duke Ellington (April 29, 1899–May 24, 1974), also known simply as Duke (see Jazz royalty), was an American jazz composer, pianist, and bandleader. ... The Cotton Club was a famous nightclub in New York City that operated during and after Prohibition. ... The Boston Pops orchestra performing on the Charles River Esplanade in Boston, Massachusetts. ...

Some of his most memorable songs include songs for major Broadway revues, including the "Ziegfeld Follies", "George White's Scandals", "The Passing Show" and "Earl Carroll's Vanities". The Ziegfeld Follies were a series of elaborate theatrical productions on Broadway in New York City from 1907 through 1931. ... George Whites Scandals were a long-running string of Broadway revues that ran from 1911-1939, modelled after the Ziegfeld Follies. ...

Beside writing "Living in the Sunlight" for "The Big Pond", Al also wrote for many other films including songs for the motion pictures: "Sweetie", "The Sky's the Limit" and "Sensations of 1945". The Big Pond is a 1930 romantic comedy film starring Maurice Chevalier, Claudette Colbert, George Barbier, Marion Ballou and Andrée Corday. ... The sweetie is a cross between a grapefruit and a pomelo first cultivated in Israel in 1984. ... The Skys The Limit (RKO) is a 1943 Hollywood musical comedy film with a wartime theme starring Fred Astaire, Joan Leslie, Robert Benchley, Robert Ryan and Eric Blore, with music by Harold Arlen and lyrics by Johnny Mercer. ... Sensations of 1945 is an American musical-comedy film which was released by United Artists in 1944. ...

His romantic style and favored settings are suggested by such song titles as "Got the Bench, Got the Park", "Woodland Reverie", "Never a Dream Goes By" and "When You Waltz With the One You Love".

Although he would continue to write songs and musical compositions until his death, Al wrote his last big song in 1952. It was entitled: "Comes Along A Love" and was sung by Kay Starr. Kay Starr on the cover of 2002 collection The Definitive Kay Starr on Capitol Kay Starr (born July 21, 1922) is an American jazz and popular singer. ...

Death

In 1973 the Associated Press wrote, "Al Sherman helped raise the spirits of a Depression-era generation with his hit `Potatoes Are Cheaper - Tomatoes Are Cheaper - Now's the Time To Fall In Love!'. Al wrote more than five hundred songs but gained his greatest fame for that happy tune." Always capable of finding the "silver lining", "Potatoes Are Cheaper" became Al's signature song. In 1973 he wrote his autobiography entitling it, "Potatoes Are Cheaper" for this reason.

On 16 September 1973, Al Sherman died in Los Angeles, California. He was 76 years old.

Trivia

• Son of Samuel Sherman (1871-1947) who worked as Court Composer/Conductor during the reign of Emperor Franz Josef in Prague.
• Wrote hit songs for Eddie Cantor, Bing Crosby, Maurice Chevalier, Kay Starr, Frank Sinatra.
• His weekend hobby of making kites for neighborhood children inspired his own sons to write the song, "Let's Go Fly A Kite" for Mary Poppins.
• Challenged Academy Award winning sons Robert B. Sherman and Richard M. Sherman to write songs together.