PBS Broadway George M Cohan All The Gang at 42nd Street

From the spectacular PBS 6 part series on Broadway, this section is on George M Cohan - in case you live in NY and have no idea who the statue is of the guy in Times Square. :) This is for my mom who thankfully, made us sit through Yankee Doodle Dandy, one of her favorite films, on TV every July 4th..

[@howardsteakley2112]

Every American should at some point in their life, watch “Yankee Doodle Dandy.” This is a 4th of July viewing in our family every year and has been for many years and will remain so.

[@walterhoward9163]

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.

[@JeffChase]

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. :-)

[@bobbyfrancis8957]

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."

[@BrenB125]

I watched it today for the first time.

[@richard526]

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

[@farscapebabe]

They couldn't have picked a better actor to play this GREAT mans life. Watching George M dance and watching James Cagney CAGNEY was as great.

[@johnmagill7714]

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

[@jhonyermo]

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

[@Loveoldies50]

I was introduced to George M. Cohan in Yankee Doodle Dandy. Jimmy Cagney will always be George M. to me. Great men, both of them. Great film. I have it on DVD so I can watch whenever I want. Terrific movie.

[@anthonyfrew1571]

It is clear why the role of George M. Cohan went to Jimmy Cagney -that energy

[@heartbreak71]

Mom and i watched this film with Cagney EVERY 4th of July and i will love it til my dying day--he was great and so was Cohan--much better entertainment then than now----sorry i missed the PBS special

[@johnmagill7714]

Such a marvelous time. I would have dearly loved being around back then. Vuadville and Broadway back in Mr. Cohan's time had to be a magnificent experience.

[@debbiecsrb1]

Thanks for this....I loved the movie about Cohan....Cagney is my all time actor...

[@GaylordBuzzard]

Such a shame there isn't more film of him.

[@Loveoldies50]

I love being able to come online to KZbin to see these pieces of history. Thank you, KZbin! You are my favorite website! James Cagney does a fantastic job in Yankee Doodle Dandy. I'm so happy I could buy the DVD so I can watch it when ever I want.

[@jesus.christis.lord.foreve899]

COLORIZED! B / W WHO CARES AWESOMENESS!

[@auggiegiuseppe1408]

Thanks PBS for this. A small Tribute to a great Genius Songwriter and not just an average Star.

[@martinpatrick9915]

Real life brother sister james and Jeanne Cagney played George and his sister.

[@simonemontgomery7796]

Love watching James Cagney play George M. Cohen...

[@castielsgranny4308]

George M Cohen was "The Man who owned Broadway."

[@franzitaduz]

Cagney nailed his dance style.

[@THECLARENCES]

Incredible footage!!! xoxo The Clarences

[@CarlDuke]

Wonderful clip. Thanks for posting this.

[@rocistone6570]

I never thought I'd say this in this way, but too much Cagney, not enough Cohan. Cohan died in 1942, so there is both sound and film of him speaking and in movies as well. As completely wonderful as Jimmy Cagney was as Cohan, I still would have rather heard and seen the original here.

[@dorothysmom]

Love you Georgie!!!!!!!!

[@roccovitiello7031]

Great clip

[@rockinyouallnight]

George M. Cohan was the show closer at LewisFest 1908 in San Francisco.

[@Mr.Rocklight]

Love the talented & musical GMC...

[@willyweber6380]

I remember reading in an book when I was a kid that George M Cohen missed being born on July 4 by 3 minutes

[@Martin-es8mb]

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

[@heartbreak71]

this is great and so was Cagney

[@reneecarter6702]

It's funny they use Cagney singing at the beginning as if it's Cohan, odd. I love them both though

[@ShakespeareCafe]

Song and dance men, George and Jimmy

[@sartybartfast4511]

why use Cagney singing? there are plenty of recordings of the real George M. Cohan singing

[@danceofhope7447]

OMG Julie Andrews' voice.

[@josefilho8774]

Tudo por aqui é passageiro, principalmente as ilusões criadas pela arte.

[@LazlosPlane]

Jolson, on stage, was the greatest performer in American history.

[@reyalpEleluku]

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

[@EMomp]

One of my favorites

[@Wesley_Peter_Redmond]

One mistake. He WAS born on July 4th. His whole family said so, not just him.

[@Martin-es8mb]

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

[@Martin-es8mb]

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

[@Wesley_Peter_Redmond]

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

[@bobbyfrancis8957]

At 5:55, it shows the marquee for the play I'd Rather Be Right", yes, Cohan. starred in it , but its music and lyrics are by Rodgers and Hart. And I'm a little jealous of Cohan. In his autobiography, "Twenty Years on Broadway", Cohan said he only had SIX WEEKS of school!!! The principal called him to his office and said, "You're through, you're finished!" I wish that was said to me, in just 6 weeks and I wouldn't have endured 7 years of hideous name-calling!

[@StevenTorrey]

1878-1942--66 years old--young.

[@artwhite1129]

Simply the Best this country had to offer!!!

[@BlazinBaller100]

This is really well written play. Everyone is glad that its sitll around today I thought this was very exciting. George raft would do the role much better too.

[@reyalpEleluku]

Apparently, George M Cohan refused to give Cagney a job (early in James's career) because Cohan did not want two Irish showmen in the same production.

[@Martin-es8mb]

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

[@kmterpin]

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

[@bigbandsrock1]

How I love him!!!!

[@som9097]

Great stuff-- bursting with confidence-- and whatever is happening don't let depression creep in. The rest of the world may have caught up with you--- now is the time to crack the "whip" and get on the move again. Adopt the Northern Irish slogan " not an inch no surrender ". And keep out of expensive wars - invent - reinvent - bring on 21 century and 22 Century technologies.

[@AD-yi3qz]

Love it.

[@TorontoIam]

Thanks!

[@maureen669]

Those poor animals...💔

[@j.peters3053]

Super clip love it!!

[@larrypurdy5711]

How would anyone posting here know that Jolson was better than Cohan. none of us were alive to see either one of them on stage. cohan certainly had more smash hit musicals on Broadway than anyone before or since, most of which he wrote, composed the music and starred in. and as the piece says, the only musical performer with a statue in New York. Explain to me why Jolson was better.

[@dakotacharming2176]

fuck i love Cohan more

[@robinsereghy9737]

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

[@btmouse1]

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.

[@ohmeowzer1]

I love George M Cohan

[@cautionTosser]

2:30 I MUST see this routine revived. :D

[@hirschelbarr2614]

Wow!

[@MachRacer4]

Is it me, or was the beginning of the video narrated by Julie Andrews?

[@Nunofurdambiznez]

She narrated quite a bit of it, yes

[@sha11235]

Am doing the musical George M!, which is about his life. No, I'm not playing the title role.

[@Martin-es8mb]

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

[@willyweber6380]

That is close enough for me

[@damianop100]

George M Cohan and Donald Trump, both brash, bigger-than-life, iconic Americans!

[@btmouse1]

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.

[@luvmyrecords]

@@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.

[@btmouse1]

@@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.

[@johnclarke5459]

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

[@johnnypastrana6727]

@@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.

[@gloriaevans1635]

Classic

[@bobdooly3706]

Yankee doodle dandy

[@ps7ykLiTT]

My ears can't be deceiving me....is that Julie Andrews narrating???

[@philiphalpenny3783]

...or Mary Poppins. Lol!

[@anthonyfrew1571]

Thankfully animals (hopefully) would not be treated this way today

[@HMV101]

Great stuff; but why the 2x horizontal squeeze? Very distracting, please don’t do it again. 😒

[@richwood1522]

I' m waiting for the 'WOKE LEFT', to tear down his statue!

[@Paulwasafuz]

KZbin really? hummm...

[@anthonycaruso8443]

Let us get real.George Raft did not play the role.Let us talk about reality.

[@ceceliaclarke8427]

Stills and film clips of this video...wonderful and interesting. The narration...nothing new about vaudeville, Cohan, Broadway musicals or anything else. Even if this is supposed to be for people who know nothing about George M. Cohan...the people speaking are really saying nothing. I turned off the sound and enjoyed this video.

[@gregotis2984]

This is copyrighted material and should not be on KZbin!

[@sandrashevey8252]

I`d like to see Geroge Raft do the role.

[@juliewitt7496]

Too late.

[@RWildekrav66]

Very few know that Raft was an ex hoofer .

[@sandrashevey8252]

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

[@sandrashevey8252]

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

[@sandrashevey8252]

Cohan was just so much better than Cagney.

[@btmouse1]

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.

[@leighnilsen4090]

interesting