Ira Gershwin (born Israel Gershowitz, December 6, 1896 – August 17, 1983) was an American lyricist who collaborated with his younger brother, composer George Gershwin, to create some of the most memorable songs in the English language of the 20th century. With George he wrote more than a dozen Broadway shows, featuring songs such as "I Got Rhythm", "Embraceable You", "The Man I Love" and "Someone to Watch Over Me".
Shy in his youth, Ira spent much of his time at home reading, but from grammar school through college he played a prominent part in several school newspapers and magazines. He graduated in 1914 from Townsend Harris High School, a public school for intellectually gifted students, where he met Yip Harburg, with whom he enjoyed a lifelong friendship and a love of Gilbert and Sullivan.
It was not until 1921 that Ira became involved in the music business.
Later the same year, the Gershwins collaborated for the first time on a score; this was for A Dangerous Maid, which played in Atlantic City and on tour. It was not until 1924 that Ira and George teamed up to write the music for what became their first Broadway hit Lady, Be Good.
Recognizing the profound and positive effect of American popular music on the world's culture, the prize will be given annually to a composer or performer whose lifetime contributions exemplify the standard of excellence associated with the Gershwins. ==Personal life== He married Leonore (née Strunsky) in 1926.
Their partnership continued until George's sudden death from a brain tumor in 1937.
But the failure of Park Avenue in 1946 (a "smart" show about divorce, co-written with composer Arthur Schwartz) was his farewell to Broadway.
As he wrote at the time, "Am reading a couple of stories for possible musicalization (if there is such a word) but I hope I don't like them as I think I deserve a long rest." In 1947, he took 11 songs George had written but never used, provided them with new lyrics, and incorporated them into the Betty Grable film The Shocking Miss Pilgrim.
He later wrote comic lyrics for Billy Wilder's 1964 movie Kiss Me, Stupid, although most critics believe his final major work was for the 1954 Judy Garland film A Star Is Born. American singer, pianist and musical historian Michael Feinstein worked for Gershwin in the lyricist's latter years, helping him with his archive.
He later wrote comic lyrics for Billy Wilder's 1964 movie Kiss Me, Stupid, although most critics believe his final major work was for the 1954 Judy Garland film A Star Is Born. American singer, pianist and musical historian Michael Feinstein worked for Gershwin in the lyricist's latter years, helping him with his archive.
Ira Gershwin (born Israel Gershowitz, December 6, 1896 – August 17, 1983) was an American lyricist who collaborated with his younger brother, composer George Gershwin, to create some of the most memorable songs in the English language of the 20th century. With George he wrote more than a dozen Broadway shows, featuring songs such as "I Got Rhythm", "Embraceable You", "The Man I Love" and "Someone to Watch Over Me".
He died of heart disease in Beverly Hills, California, on 17 August 1983 at the age of 86.
Leonore died in 1991. == Notable songs == "But Not for Me" "Embraceable You" "How Long Has This Been Going On?" "I Can't Get Started" "I Got Rhythm" "I've Got a Crush on You" "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off" "Love Is Here To Stay" "The Man I Love" "The Man That Got Away" "My Ship" (music by Kurt Weill) "Nice Work If You Can Get It" "'S Wonderful" "Someone to Watch Over Me" "Strike Up the Band" "They Can't Take That Away from Me" "They All Laughed" == References == ==Sources== Pollack, Howard.
Feinstein's book The Gershwins and Me: A Personal History in Twelve Songs about working for Ira, and George and Ira's music was published in 2012. According to a 1999 story in Vanity Fair, Ira Gershwin's love for loud music was as great as his wife's loathing of it.
Stewart Gershwin Collection at the Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center at the University of Texas at Austin holds a number of Ira's manuscripts and other material. In 2007, the United States Library of Congress named its Prize for Popular Song after him and his brother George.
Feinstein's book The Gershwins and Me: A Personal History in Twelve Songs about working for Ira, and George and Ira's music was published in 2012. According to a 1999 story in Vanity Fair, Ira Gershwin's love for loud music was as great as his wife's loathing of it.
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