Wikipedia

John Frederick Coots

John Frederick Coots(May 2, 1897 – April 8, 1985) was an Americansongwriter.[1]He composed over 700 popular songs and over a dozenBroadway shows.In 1934, Coots wrote the melody with his then chief collaborator, lyricistHaven Gillespie,for the biggest hit of either man's career, "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town."[2][3][4][5]The song became one of the biggest sellers in American history.[6]

John Frederick Coots
Background information
Birth nameJohn Frederick Coots
Also known asJ. Fred Coots
Born(1897-05-02)May 2, 1897
OriginBrooklyn,New York,U.S.
DiedApril 8, 1985(1985-04-08)(aged 87)
New York City,U.S.
GenresTin Pan Alley
OccupationComposer
InstrumentPiano

In 1934, when Gillespie brought him the lyrics to "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town", Coots came up with the outline of the melody in just ten minutes. Coots took the song to his publisher,Leo Feist,who liked it but thought it was "a kids' song" and didn't expect too much from it.[7]Coots offered the song toEddie Cantorwho used it on his radio show that November and it became an instant hit. The morning after the radio show there were orders for 100,000 copies of sheet music and by Christmas sales had passed 400,000.[citation needed]

Biography

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Coots was born in 1897 inBrooklyn,New York[A]When he was 17, he began to work with Farmers' Loan & Trust Co. in New York[8]In 1916, his first hit song published, "Mr. Ford You've Got the Right Idea," words byRay Sherwood,music by Coots;A. J. Stasny Music Co.,publisherOCLC726927577[8]In 1919, actor-producerEddie Dowlinggave Coots his first chance at writing a musical score forFriars' Frolics.In 1922,Dowlingcommissioned Coots to write the songs forSally, Irene and Mary,a show which ran for two years on Broadway. In 1928, wrote "Doin' the Raccoon". He moved to Los Angeles the following year. In 1931, he wrote. "Love Letters in the Sand" In 1934, he wrote the songs"Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town"(over 4 million copies of sheet music sold) and"For All We Know" In 1940, he wrote"The Rangers' Victory Song";[i]OCLC812404397 He died in 1985 in aNew York Cityhospital, after a lengthy illness[9]

Selected songs

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Leo Feist, Inc.,publisher (1934);OCLC21070165,11064929
© September 27, 1934, Class E unpublished 93634,Leo Feist, Inc.,New York[ii]
© October 23, 1934, Class E published 44456, October 25, 1934,Leo Feist, Inc.[iii]
© Renewal September 27, 1961, R28248025, Haven Gillespie and J. Fred Coots
© Renewal October 25, 1961, R283907, Haven Gillespie and J. Fred Coots[a]
Remick Music(1938);OCLC44053966,858643370
Mills Music(1935);OCLC27211518
© April 5, 1935, Class E 47450,Mills Music, Inc.,New York[iv]
Leo Feist, Inc.(1934);OCLC21070175,40509506
© March 14, 1934, Class E unpublished 84751,Leo Feist, Inc.,New York[v]
  • "I Still Get a Thrill (Thinking of You)," words byBenny Davis,music by Coots
Davis, Coots & Engel[B](1930);OCLC13168438
  • "There's Honey On The Moon Tonight," words byHaven Gillespieand Mack Davis, music by Coots
Miller Music, Inc.(1938);OCLC22925119

Selected musicals

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  • Sally, Irene and Mary,music by Coots, words by Raymond W. Klages (1888–1947), March 23, 1925 – April 4, 1925 & September 4, 1922 – June 2, 1923OCLC498812201,498526150
  1. "Kid Days"
  2. "Time Will Tell"OCLC39975531,224102588
  3. "Pals"
  4. "Stage Door Johnnies"
  5. "I Wonder Why"OCLC20597875
  6. "Do You Remember?"
  7. "How I've Missed You Mary"OCLC891128783
  8. "Right Boy Comes Along"
  9. "Our Home Sweet Home"
  10. "Peacock Alley"
  11. "Something in Here"
  12. "Opportunity"
  13. "We Are Waiting"
  14. "Clouds Roll By"OCLC498831287
  15. "Until You Say Yes"
  16. "Wedding Time"
  17. "Old Fashioned Gown"OCLC755811220,498526150
  18. "When a Regular Boy Loves a Regular Girl"OCLC755811215,497282681
  19. "Up on Fifth Avenue Near Central Park"
  20. "Jimmy"OCLC497894150
  • Sons O' Guns,music by Coots, November 26, 1929 – August 9, 1930
  • Broadway Nights,featuring songs by Coots, July 15, 1929 – August 17, 1929
  • George White's Scandals,musical review, featuring songs by Coots, July 2, 1928 – January 19, 1929
  • White Lights,music by Coots, October 11, 1927 – November 5, 1927
  • Gay Paree,musical review, music and lyrics by Coots, November 9, 1926 – April 9, 1927 & August 18, 1925 – January 30, 1926
  • A Night in Paris,musical review, music by Coots, July 26, 1926 – October 30, 1926 & January 5, 1926 – July 10, 1926
  • The Merry World,musical review, music by Coots, June 8, 1926 – August 21, 1926
  • Mayflowers,music by Coots, November 24, 1925 – January 30, 1926
  • June Days,musical, music by Coots, August 6, 1925 – October 17, 1925
  • Artists and Models,musical review, music by Coots, June 24, 1925 – May 7, 1926
  • Artists and Models,musical review, music by Coots, October 15, 1924 – May 23, 1925
  • Innocent Eyes,musical review, additional music by Coots, May 20, 1924 – August 30, 1924
  • Dew Drop Inn,musical comedy, featuring songs by Coots, May 17, 1923 – August 25, 1923
  • Spice of 1922,musical review, music by Coots, July 6, 1922 – September 9, 1922
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Notes and references

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Notes

  1. ^Several biographies state that John Frederick Coots was born inBrooklyn.He married Marjorie Decker Jennings on February 18, 1924, inManhattan.Their marriage license states that he was born in Brooklyn. Also, his World War I Draft Registration Card states that he was born in Brooklyn. However, an April 6, 1930,New York Timesarticle, "In the Spotlight's Glare," states that he was born inKeene, New Hampshire.
  2. ^Harry Engel (1894Vienna, Austria– 1965Los Angeles) had been a sheet music traveling salesman for Richmond-Robbins, Inc. — Maurice Aaron Richmond (1878–1965) and nephew, John J. (Jack) Robbins (1894–1959) — then Robbins-Engel, Inc., the Irving Berlin; then after his affiliation with Davis, Coots & Engel, Inc., he went on to become head of West Coast Operations forBMI

Original copyrights

Catalog of Copyright Entries,Part 3 Musical Compositions, New Series,Library of Congress,Copyright Office

Copyright renewals

Catalog of Copyright Entries,Part 3, Musical Compositions, Third Series,Library of Congress,Copyright Office
  1. ^Vol.15, Part 5, No. 2,July–December 1961, pg. 246, pg. 1706

Inline citations

  1. ^"In the Spotlight's Glare,"New York Times,April 6, 1930
  2. ^The Annual Obituary,Margot Levy (ed.),St. James Press(1985);OCLC153294307
  3. ^Biography Index,H.W. Wilson Co.;ISSN0006-3053
    Vol. 14: Sep. 1984 – Aug. 1986 (1986);OCLC30457106
    Vol. 15: Sep. 1986 – Aug. 1988 (1988);OCLC30326307
    Vol. 16: Sep. 1988 – Aug. 1990 (1990);OCLC30326352
  4. ^Songwriters: A Biographical Dictionary with Discographies,by Nigel Harrison,Jefferson, North Carolina:McFarland & Co.(1998);OCLC38964064
  5. ^The New York Times Biographical Service,Vol. 16, Nos. 1–12,Ann Arbor:University Microfilms International(1985);ISSN0161-2433
  6. ^Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories, 1890–1954,Record Research(1986);OCLC15252908
  7. ^"The Story of the song 'Santa Claus Is Coming to Town,'"The Kiwanis MagazineDecember 1956;ISSN0023-1975(excerpt)
  8. ^ab"Honor Roll of Hits,"Billboard,March 18, 1950
  9. ^"Obituaries".
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