Lyricist. One of Tin Pan Alley's greatest songwriters, he wrote the lyrics for such enduring standards as "Ain't We Got Fun?", "Carolina in the Morning", "Toot Toot Tootsie", "I'll See You in My Dreams", "It Had to Be You", "Yes Sir, That's My Baby", "Side by Side", "Love Me or Leave Me", "Makin' Whoopie", "My Baby Just Cares for Me", and "Dream a Little Dream of Me". Gustav Gerson Kahn was born in Koblenz, Germany, and moved with his family to Chicago when he was four. He began his musical career at 20 writing lyrics for vaudeville acts, notably Al Jolson and Eddie Cantor, then moved up to Broadway with such musicals as "Kitty's Kisses" (1926), "Whoopie!" (1928), and "Show Girl" (1929). In 1933 he settled in Hollywood and wrote songs for films. Kahn's chief collaborator was composer Walter Donaldson. He died at 54 from heart disease. Kahn was the subject of a highly-romanticized biopic, "I'll See You in My Dreams" (1951), in which he was portrayed by Danny Thomas. He was elected to the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970. Kahn's title tune for the MGM film "San Francisco" (1936), co-written with Bronislaw Kaper, became one of San Francisco's two Official Songs in 1984.
Bio by: Bobb Edwards
Family Members
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Grace Leboy Kahn
1890–1983 (m. 1916)
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Donald Gustave Kahn
1918–2008
Flowers
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