George M Cohan himself said ( I forget the exact words ) If Cagney don't play him, no one will.

@@johnmagill7714 Cagney did not like Cohen because Cohen a strike breaking scab like fascist

My dad was a vaudeville singer and musician. He took me to see Cagney portray Cohan when I was about 12. A great experience because he had performed on bway back in the 1920s and knew Cohan.

It's a good choice. My annual 4th of July movie is "The Music Man" because I grew up in the same town Meredith Willson did. They're both great, and Cagney is a MUCH better dancer than Robert Preston. :-)

But Cagney can't twirl a cane, like Cohan can. Still, after Cohan saw the last part of "Yankee Doodle Dandy" in a theater, he said, "No complaints, no complaints."

I watched it today for the first time.

I lost track of how many times I watched this classic American gem an I never tire of it.

COLORIZED! B / W WHO CARES AWESOMENESS!

In the movie the birth of George m Cohan he came in the world on July 3 to proud parents Jerry and Nelly Cohan.

I was thinking the same thing, but GMC was still very great.

George m Cohan was born on the 4 of July wow.

But I'm sure George m Cohan was born on the 3 of July one day short of the fourth of July.

@@Martin-es8mb He was born on July 4th.

I didn't know the real Cohan refused to give Cagney a break in show business.

Ya, never heard that one before…also not mentioned in Cagney's book of his own life story …

She narrated quite a bit of it, yes

fuck i love Cohan more

Who cares what you think? ass face, who are you ? Pecks bad boy? LMAO

Cohan and Jolson's stage personas were different enough to co-exist harmoniously. Cohan was brash, but underplayed (i.e., achieved his effect by not doing more than he had to) whereas Jolson was full-throttle all the time. Also, Cohan was a song-and-dance man, whereas Jolson was primarily a singer/actor. Moreoever, Jolson made his recording debut (in 1911) with "That Haunting Melody" -- a song by Cohan. So they must have been at least mutually appreciative - though, by all accounts, each had an ego which would have made it impossible for them to work together.

Joel Grey was George m Cohan in the Broadway stage musical.

...or Mary Poppins. Lol!

Yes, agreed -- but only one was chosen to receive the Congressional Gold Medal. I've spoken to Cohan's heirs and I can assure you he's rolling in his grave. Example: his song "Over There" commanded the highest price ever paid for a song in the history of the world to that time. What did Cohan do with his profits? He donated them directly to the Boy Scouts. Now... can you see our President doing that? That's the difference. And when Cohan died, he had given most of is sizable fortune away to less-fortunate individuals. I've researched Cohan's life and work for almost 10 years, and -- aside from being brash and larger-than-life, as you correctly point out -- these men have nothing in common.

@@btmouse1 Do you have a book in the works? (Forgive me if so, and it's been published already!) Aside from clips like this, a little knowledge about his own theater, and having one of his Victor records, I don't know a lot about him beyond his songs.

@@luvmyrecords I do not (yet!) have a book in the works. However, I would happy to share as much information as I have on him. There have been 2 biographies published: one in 1943, just a year after his death, by one of his colleagues and another in 1973 by a very good biographer, John McCabe. I'd read the latter first. Having said that, I've discovered a wealth of new information on Cohan -- and have become friendly with his heirs, who have told me even more -- so perhaps another book is warranted. He is worthy of your curiosity, though. He is endlessly fascinating, and he wrote many wonderful songs that are mostly unknown.

Thank you so very much! Cohan strutted the Broadway boards while Trump did Coney Island!!!.

@@btmouse1 Au Contraire...President Trump has indeed helped many people in their time of need through direct donations. Larry King who knows him personally has said that he is very generous and has a big heart. Cohan would appreciate Trump's patriotism and love of country. When have you ever seen the Clintons, the Bush's, or the Obama's help anyone directly from their own pocket like the Prez has done? President Trump donates his presidential salary to charitable causes and you won't find him giving speeches and cashing in like so many of them do once they leave office.

Too late.

Very few know that Raft was an ex hoofer .

@@RWildekrav66 Not only an ex hoofer but an ex gigolo. So was Billy Wilder.

@@RWildekrav66 Not only an ex hoofer gut an ex gigolo. So was Billy Wilder.

For the record, Cohan lived long enough to a) approve the casting of Cagney as himself, and b) liked Cagney's performance. After viewing the final cut of YANKEE DOODLE DANDY (prior to its release in theatres), Cohan sent Cagney a telegram: "Dear Jim -- How's my double? Thank you for a wonderful job. Sincerely, George M. Cohan." So I think both stars (Cohan and Cagney) profited from the relationship. Cagney's performance secured Cohan's legacy, and -- in a way -- his own.

interesting