Gus Kahn
| Gus Kahn | |
|---|---|
Gus Kahn
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Gustav Gerson Kahn |
| Born |
November 6, 1886 Koblenz, German Empire |
| Died | October 8, 1941 (aged 54) Beverly Hills, California, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | songwriter, lyricist |
| Associated acts |
Richard A. Whiting Walter Donaldson Isham Jones |
Gustav Gerson Kahn (November 6, 1886 – October 8, 1941) was an American lyricist.
Kahn was born in Koblenz, Germany, in 1886. The family emigrated to the United States and moved to Chicago in 1890. After graduating from high school, he worked as a clerk in a mail order business before launching one of the most successful and prolific careers from Tin Pan Alley. Kahn married Grace LeBoy in 1916 and they had two children, Donald and Irene.
In his early days, Kahn wrote special material for vaudeville. In 1913 he began a productive partnership with the well-established composer Egbert Van Alstyne, with whom he created several notable hits of the era, including "Memories" and, along with Tony Jackson, "Pretty Baby." Later, he began writing lyrics for composer and bandleader Isham Jones. This partnership led to one of Kahn's best-known works, "I'll See You in My Dreams," which became the title of a movie based on his life, starring Danny Thomas as Kahn and Doris Day as his wife, Grace LeBoy Kahn.
Throughout the 1920s, Kahn continued to contribute to Broadway scores such as Holka Polka (1925), Kitty's Kisses (1926), Artists and Models (1927), Whoopee! (1928), and Show Girl (1929). He went on to write several movies, mainly for MGM.
By 1933, Kahn had become a full-time motion picture songwriter, contributing to movies such as Flying Down to Rio, Thanks a Million, Kid Millions, A Day at the Races, Everybody Sing, One Night of Love, Three Smart Girls, Let's Sing Again, San Francisco, Naughty Marietta, and Ziegfeld Girl.
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