Saturday, November 22, 2008

A little more on McGowan



Sheet Music.

Digging around, I found McGowan ties to sheet music - a common thread among the Actors' Colony members.

The first is a shot of the music for "The Love Nest" from George M. Cohan's Musical comedy, Mary. This was sung by John "Jack" McGowan and Janet Velie.



McGowan is credited as co-writer of the song, "Birds of a Feather" with music written by Irving Berlin. Like "The Love Nest", the image is found at the Indiana University Sheet Music Collection site. Follow this link to find a piano version of the tune.

Title: Birds of a feather / / by Jack McGowan and Edgar Moran.
Title: I'm a lonesome little bird.
Composer: McGowan, Jack, d. 1977.
Contributor: Moran, Edgar.
Extent: 1 score (5 p.) : ; ill. ; ; 31 cm.
Place of publication: New York :
Publisher: Irving Berlin, Inc., /
Date of publication: 1921.
Call Number: M1 .S8 III 1920-1929
Note: For voice and piano.
First Line: I'm a lonesome little bird.
Chorus First Line: Birds of a feather.
Note: Publisher's advertising includes musical incipits.
Subject: Songs with piano.

Another McGowan song, "I Have to Laugh" appears to have another Muskegon tie. It is listed in the book
Brunswick opened a manufacturing plant in Muskegon in 1906, which would ultimately become the cornerstone of the company. In 1923, the company opened a record pressing plant in town.


I'm still looking for a photograph of McGowan.

Anyone? Anyone?
(44 seconds in...)




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