Jack Yellen

Jack Yellen
Birth name	Jacob Selig Yellen
Born	(1892-07-06)July 6, 1892 Raczki, Poland
Died	Springville, Concord, NY
Occupation(s)	Lyricist, screenwriter
Years active	1915–1969
Associated acts	Sophie Tucker

Jack Selig Yellen (Jacek Jeleń; July 6, 1892 – April 17, 1991) was an American lyricist and screenwriter. He is best remembered for writing the lyrics to the songs "Happy Days Are Here Again", which was used by Franklin Roosevelt as the theme song for his successful 1932 presidential campaign, and "Ain't She Sweet", a Tin Pan Alley standard.

Early life and education

Born in Poland, Yellen emigrated with his family to the United States when he was five years old. The oldest of seven children, he was raised in Buffalo, New York and began writing songs in high school. He graduated with honors from the University of Michigan in 1913 where he was a member of the Pi Lambda Phi Fraternity. After graduating he became a reporter for the Buffalo Courier, continuing to write songs on the side.

Career

Yellen's first collaborator on a song was George L. Cobb, with whom he wrote a number of Dixie songs including "Alabama Jubilee", "Are You From Dixie?", and "All Aboard for Dixieland". He is best remembered for his collaboration with composer Milton Ager. He and Ager entered the music publishing business as part owners of the Ager-Yellen-Bernstein Music Company. Yellen also worked with many other composers such as Sammy Fain and Harold Arlen.

Yellen's collaboration with vaudeville star, Sophie Tucker, for whom he was retained to write special material, produced one of Tucker's most well known songs, "My Yiddishe Momme", a song in English with some Yiddish text. Yellen wrote the lyrics which were set to music by Lew Pollack. Yellen wrote the lyrics to more than 200 popular songs of the early 20th century. Two of his most recognized songs, still popular in the 21st century, are "Happy Days Are Here Again" and "Ain't She Sweet".

Yellen's screenwriting credits included George White's Scandals, Pigskin Parade, Little Miss Broadway, and Submarine Patrol.

Awards and legacy

Yellen was one of the earliest members of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) and served on its board of directors from 1951 to 1969. In 1972 he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame in 1996.

Personal life

In 1944 he married his second wife, Lucille Hodgeman. Lucille was born in Minnesota in 1915 and raised in Los Angeles. As a dancer and choreographer, she worked with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and 20th Century Fox under the stage name Lucille Day on over 20 films including The Wizard of Oz. The Yellens lived for many years on a farm on Mortons Corners Road in the town of Concord, New York. Jack Yellen died April 17, 1991 in Concord at the age of 98. Lucille Yellen died August 15, 2010.

Broadway musicals

2

Film scores

3

Selected songs

• "Alabama Jubilee" – 1915
• "Are You from Dixie ('Cause I'm from Dixie Too)" – 1915
• "There's a Garden in Hawaii" with music by George B. McConnell – 1917
• "I'm Waiting For Ships That Never Come In" – 1919, recorded by Moon Mullican in 1958.
• "Down By The O-Hi-O" – 1921
• "Louisville Lou" – 1923
• "Mama Goes Where Papa Goes" – 1923
• "Big Bad Bill (Is Sweet William Now)" – 1924
• "Hula Lou" – 1924
• "Hard Hearted Hannah (The Vamp Of Savannah)" – 1924
• "I Wonder What's Become of Sally" – 1924
• "Cheatin' on Me" – 1925
• "In Your Green Hat" – 1925
• "My Yiddishe Momme" – 1925 with music by Lew Pollack and a huge success for Sophie Tucker.
• "No Man's Mama" – 1925 with music by Lew Pollack
• "Crazy Words, Crazy Tune" – 1926
• "Ain't She Sweet" – 1927
• "Glad Rag Doll" – 1929
• "Happy Feet" – 1930
• "Happy Days Are Here Again" – 1930
• "Are You Havin' Any Fun?" – 1939 with music by Sammy Fain
• "Life Begins At Forty" – 1937 music and lyrics by Jack Yellen and Ted Shapiro, recorded by Sophie Tucker.

References

• Laurie, Joe, Jr. Vaudeville: From the Honky-tonks to the Palace. New York: Henry Holt, 1953. p. 59.
• Yellen, Jack: "The Songwriter and the Red Head". Buffalo Courier Express March 15–22, 1970.

External links

• Jack Yellen's entry at the Internet Broadway Database
• Jack Yellen at the Internet Movie Database
• "Alabama jubilee", New York: Remick Music Corp., 1915. From Alabama Sheet Music Collection.
• Interview with Mrs. Jack (Lucille) Yellen