Jack Yellen | |
|---|---|
 1924 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Jacek Selig Jeleń |
| Born | (1892-07-06)July 6, 1892 Raczki,Congress Poland,Russian Empire |
| Died | April 17, 1991(1991-04-17) (aged 98) Springville,Concord, New York, United States |
| Occupation(s) | Lyricist,screenwriter |
| Years active | 1915–1969 |
| Spouse(s) | Sylvia Stiller, Lucille Hodgeman (Stage Name: Lucille Day) |
Jack Selig Yellen (Jacek Jeleń; July 6, 1892 – April 17, 1991)[1] was anAmericanlyricist andscreenwriter. He is best remembered for writing the lyrics to the songs "Happy Days Are Here Again",[2] which was used byFranklin Roosevelt as the theme song for his successful 1932 presidential campaign, and "Ain't She Sweet", aTin Pan Alley standard.
Born to aJewish family[3] inRaczki,Congress Poland, then part of theRussian Empire, Yellen emigrated with his family to the United States when he was five years old. His parents were Abram and Bessie Yellen.[4] The oldest of seven children, he was raised inBuffalo, New York, and began writing songs in high school. He graduated with honors from theUniversity of Michigan in 1913 where he was a member of thePi Lambda Phi fraternity.
After graduating he became a reporter for theBuffalo Courier, continuing to write songs on the side.[5]
Yellen's first collaborator on a song wasGeorge 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 composerMilton Ager. He and Ager entered the music publishing business as part owners of theAger-Yellen-Bornstein Music Company. Yellen also worked with many other composers such asSammy Fain andHarold 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 byLew Pollack.[6]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:
| Title | Year | Role |
|---|---|---|
| George White's Scandals[7] | 1934 | Music composition and additional dialogue |
| Pigskin Parade[8] | 1936 | Co-writer |
| Little Miss Broadway[9] | 1938 | Co-writer |
| Submarine Patrol[10] | 1938 | Co-writer |
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.[11] In 1972 he was inducted into theSongwriters Hall of Fame,[12] and the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame in 1996.[13]
The foundation created by Yellen and his second wife, The Lucille and Jack Yellen Foundation, established the ASCAP Foundation Lucille and Jack Yellen Award, an annual award for "aspiring musical theater lyricist or film scorer who exemplifies talent and career potential".[14]
In August 1922, Yellen married 21 year old Sylvia Stiller of Buffalo. They had two children, David and Beth.[15][2]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 withMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer and20th Century Fox under the stage name Lucille Day on over 20 films, includingThe Wizard of Oz.[16] The Yellens lived for many years on a farm on Mortons Corners Road in the town ofConcord, New York. Jack Yellen died April 17, 1991, in Concord at the age of 98.[2] Lucille Yellen died on August 15, 2010, at age 95.[17]
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