Jack Yellen

Jack Selig Yellen (Jacek Jeleń) (July 6, 1892 - April 17, 1991) was a Jewish-American lyricist and screenwriter.

Born in Poland, Yellen emigrated with his family to the United States when he was five years old. He grew up in Buffalo, New York and began writing songs in high school. He graduated with honors from the University of Michigan in 1913 and after graduating became a reporter for the Buffalo Courier, continuing to write songs on the side.

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. ^[1] 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.

Yellen was on the board of ASCAP from 1951 to 1969. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1972 and the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame in 1996.

He died in Concord, New York, aged 98. He is survived by his second wife, Lucille Yellen and his children.

Broadway musicals

• What's in a Name? (1920) with music by Milton Ager
• Rain or Shine (1928) with music by Milton Ager
• John Murray Anderson's Almanac (1929)
• Follow A Star (1930) with music by Vivian Ellis
• You Said It (1931)
• George White's Scandals of 1935
• George White's Scandals of 1939
• Boys and Girls Together (1940)
• Sons o' Fun (1941)
• Ziegfeld Follies of 1943 (1943)

Film Scores

• The Adding Machine 1969
• The Affair of Susan 1935
• Ali Baba Goes to Town 1937
• Another Thin Man 1939
• Artistic Temper 1932
• Bells of Capistrano 1942
• Blonde Crazy 1931
• Broadway Melody of 1938 1937
• Bulldog Drummond 1939
• Call of The West 1930
• Captain January 1936
• Chasing Rainbows 1930
• The Christmas Party 1931
• Crashing The Gate 1934
• George White's Scandals 1934 1935
• Glad Rag Doll 1929
• Going Hollywood 1933
• Happy Landing 1938
• The Heart of New York 1932
• Hell In The Heavens 1934
• Hold That Co-Ed 1938
• Honky Tonk 1929
• King of Burlesque 1935
• The King of Jazz 1930
• Little Miss Broadway 1938
• Love Is News 1937
• My Lucky Star 1938
• Night and Day 1946
• Our Little Girl 1935
• Pigskin Parade 1936
• Rain or Shine 1930
• Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm 1938
• Sally, Irene and Mary 1938
• Sensations of 1945 - 1944
• Sing, Baby, Sing 1936
• Submarine Patrol 1938
• The Ice Follies of 1939
• They Learned About Women 1930
• This Is Heaven 1929
• Twentieth Century 1934
• Unexpected Uncle 1941
• Wake Up and Live 1937
• You Can't Have Everything 1937

Selected Songs

• Alabama Jubilee (song) - 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.
• 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

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 Songwriters' Hall of Fame
• Jack Yellen's entry at the Internet Broadway Database
• Jack Yellen's entry at IMDb
• Interview with Mrs. Jack (Lucille) Yellen