Sam Coslow (December 27, 1902 – April 2, 1982) was an American songwriter, singer, film producer, publisher and market analyst. Coslow was born in New York City.[1] He began writing songs as a teenager. He contributed songs to Broadway revues, formed the music publishing company Spier and Coslow with Larry Spier and made a number of recordings as a performer.[2]

Sam Coslow
Sam Coslow c. 1930
Sam Coslow c. 1930
Background information
Born(1902-12-27)December 27, 1902
New York City, U.S.
DiedApril 2, 1982(1982-04-02) (aged 79)
Bronxville, New York, U.S.
Occupation(s)Composer, film producer
Formerly ofArthur Johnston, Al Sherman

With the explosion of film musicals in the late 1920s, Hollywood attracted a number of ambitious young songwriters, and Coslow joined them in 1929.[1] Coslow and his partner Larry Spier sold their publishing business to Paramount Pictures and Coslow became a Paramount songwriter.[2] One of his first assignments for the studio was the score for the 1930 film The Virtuous Sin. He formed a successful partnership with composer Arthur Johnston and together they provided the scores for a number of films including Bing Crosby vehicles.[3]

Coslow became a film producer in the 1940s and won the Academy Award for Best Short Film for his production Heavenly Music in 1943.[2] He was married to actress Esther Muir from 1934 to 1948, and they had a daughter, Jacqueline Coslow, who also worked as an actress. In 1953 he married cabaret singer, Frances King, of Cafe Societie duo Noble & King. Sam and Frances remained married until his death in 1982. Together they had a daughter, Cara Coslow, who gained notoriety as Head of Casting for Carsey Werner Productions and the Producer of the television series Dante's Cove. Cara Coslow is also an author of two books.[citation needed]

During the 1960s Coslow's work shifted from music and film to market analysis. During this time Coslow founded the publishing company Investor's Press, which published investing books and the newsletter "Indicator Digest."[4] During the 1970s Coslow wrote two books, "Cocktails for Two" which focused on his musical career and "Super Yields" which focused on investing. He died in Bronxville in 1982, aged 79.[5]

Partial song list

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External audio
  You may hear Sam Coslow's song "An Old Curiosity Shop" played by Shep Fields with Hal Derwin and John Serry in 1938 Here

Filmography

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  • Close Shave (1942), musical short with Aurora Greeley and Leroy Broomfield and chrosu girls dancing in an R.G.M. Productions film[7]

Bibliography

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  • Super Yields: How to Get the Highest Possible Returns on your Savings and Investments (1975)
  • Cocktails for Two: The Many Lives of Giant Songwriter Sam Coslow (1977)

References

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  1. ^ a b Layne, Joslyn. "Sam Coslow". Allmusic. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
  2. ^ a b c "Sam Coslow". Songwriters Hall of Fame. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
  3. ^ Burlingame, Sandra. "Sam Coslow Biography". JazzBiographies.com. Retrieved May 4, 2012.
  4. ^ Sam Coslow papers, Collection 8537, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming
  5. ^ Lawson, Carol (April 6, 1982). "Sam Coslow, 79, Songwriter". The New York Times. New York City. Retrieved December 28, 2021.
  6. ^ "Discography of American Historical Recordings" - "An Old Curiosity Shop" Composer Sam Coslow, performers: Shep Fields, Hal Derwin, John Serry on adp.library.ecsb.edu
  7. ^ "Close Shave – Aurora Greeley and Leroy Broomfield".
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