John Frederick Coots, better known asJ. Fred Coots orFred Coots, (May 2, 1897 – April 8, 1985) was an Americansongwriter.[1] He composed more than 700 popular songs and more than a dozenBroadway shows. In 1934, Coots wrote the melody with his then chief collaborator, lyricistHaven Gillespie, for the biggest success of either man's career, "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town."[2][3][4][5] The song became one of the biggest sellers in American history.[6]
In 1934, when Gillespie brought him the lyrics to "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town", Coots developed the outline of the melody in just ten minutes. Coots took the song to his publisher,Leo Feist, who liked it but thought it was "a kids' song" and didn't expect too much from it.[7] Coots offered the song toEddie Cantor who used it for his radio show that November and it became an instant success. The morning after the radio show there were orders for 100,000 copies of sheet music and by Christmas sales had passed 400,000.[citation needed]
Coots was born in 1897 inBrooklyn,New York[A]When he was 17 years old, he began to work for Farmers' Loan & Trust Co. in New York[8]In 1916, his first successful song was published, "Mr. Ford You've Got The Right Idea," words byRay Sherwood, music by Coots;A. J. Stasny Music Co., publisherOCLC726927577[8] In 1919, actor-producerEddie Dowling gave Coots his first chance at writing a musical score forFriars' Frolics. In 1922,Dowling commissioned Coots to write the songs forSally, Irene and Mary, a show which ran for two years on Broadway. In 1928, he wrote "Doin' The Raccoon". He relocated to Los Angeles the next year.In 1931, he wrote. "Love Letters in the Sand"In 1934, he wrote the songs "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town" (more than 4 million copies of sheet music sold) and "For All We Know"In 1940, he wrote "The Rangers' Victory Song";[i]OCLC812404397He married Marjorie Decker Jennings on February 18, 1924, inManhattan.[A]He died in 1985 in aNew York City hospital, after a lengthy illness[9]
Sally, Irene and Mary, music by Coots, words by Raymond W. Klages (1888–1947), March 23, 1925 – April 4, 1925 & September 4, 1922 – June 2, 1923OCLC498812201,498526150
^abSeveral biographies state that John Frederick Coots was born inBrooklyn. He married Marjorie Decker Jennings on February 18, 1924, inManhattan. Their marriage license states that he was born in Brooklyn. Also, his World War I Draft Registration Card states that he was born in Brooklyn. However, an April 6, 1930,New York Times article, "In the Spotlight's Glare," states that he was born inKeene, New Hampshire.
^Harry Engel (1894Vienna, Austria – 1965Los Angeles) had been a sheet music traveling salesman for Richmond-Robbins, Inc. — Maurice Aaron Richmond (1878–1965) and nephew, John J. (Jack) Robbins (1894–1959) — then Robbins-Engel, Inc., the Irving Berlin; then after his affiliation with Davis, Coots & Engel, Inc., he later became head of West Coast Operations forBMI
