The Encyclopedia Americana (1920)/Cohan, George Michael

COHAN, George Michael, American comedian and playwright: b. Providence, R. I., 1878. When nine years old he appeared in 'Daniel Boone' and later with other members of his family toured the country as “The Four Cohans.” They were among the greatest attractions on the vaudeville stage. From 1899 to 1914 George M. Cohan wrote and produced a great number of musical comedies, usually appearing himself in the principal part. These plays included such successes as ‘Little Johnny Jones’; ‘The Governor's Son’; ‘Forty-Five Minutes from Broadway’; ‘George Washington, Jr.’; ‘The Yankee Prince’; ‘Get-Rich-Quick Wallingford’; ‘Broadway Jones’; ‘Seven Keys to Baldpate.’ In 1914 Mr. Cohan retired from the control of his several theatres in New York to devote himself exclusively to writing and composing.