Sammy Cahn
Sammy Cahn was a burlesque violinist who grew up to write the lyrics to some of America's favorite songs and win four Academy Awards for such tunes as "Three Coins in the Fountain" and "All the Way."
Cahn also won an Emmy in 1955 for the witty song "Love and Marriage," written with composer Jimmy Van Heusen for a musical version of Thornton Wilder's "Our Town." The song was the theme song of the popular television series "Married ... With Children." Cahn also wrote lyrics for the children's television show "Sesame Street."
He was considered the nation's highest-paid songwriter during his time, often earning more than $1,000 a word.
Over 33 years, 26 numbers with lyrics by Cahn were nominated for Academy Awards as best song of the year, and in four separate years, two of his songs competed for the award.
The Oscar contenders were written with several composers, most notably Jule Styne and Van Heusen. His many other collaborators included Sammy Fain and George Barrie.
Cahn's highly successful association with Styne led Time magazine to say the team was as important to popular music as Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II were to the theater. Their tunes read like a hit parade—"I've Heard That Song Before," "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!," "I'll Walk Alone," "Give Me Five Minutes More," "Time After Time," "It's Been a Long, Long Time" and "It's Magic."
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Points of interest
Academy Awards
| Year | Category | Work | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1942 | Best Song | "It Seems I Heard That Song Before" from Youth on Parade | Nomination* |
| 1944 | Best Song | "I'll Walk Alone" from Follow the Boys | Nomination* |
| 1945 | Best Song | "Anywhere" from Tonight and Every Night | Nomination* |
| 1945 | Best Song | "I Fall in Love Too Easily" from Anchors Aweigh | Nomination* |
| 1948 | Best Song | "It's Magic" from Romance on the High Seas | Nomination* |
| 1949 | Best Song | "It's a Great Feeling" from It's a Great Feeling | Nomination* |
| 1950 | Best Song | "Be My Love" from The Toast of New Orleans | Nomination* |
| 1951 | Best Song | "Wonder Why" from Rich, Young and Pretty | Nomination* |
| 1952 | Best Song | "Because You're Mine" from Because You're Mine | Nomination* |
| 1954 | Best Song | "Three Coins in the Fountain" from Three Coins in the Fountain | Win* |
| 1955 | Best Song | "(Love Is) The Tender Trap" from The Tender Trap | Nomination* |
| 1955 | Best Song | "I'll Never Stop Loving You" from Love Me or Leave Me | Nomination* |
| 1956 | Best Song | "Written on the Wind" from Written on the Wind | Nomination* |
| 1957 | Best Song | "All the Way" from The Joker Is Wild | Win* |
| 1958 | Best Song | "To Love and Be Loved" from Some Came Running | Nomination* |
| 1959 | Best Song | "The Best of Everything" from The Best of Everything | Nomination* |
| 1959 | Best Song | "High Hopes" from A Hole in the Head | Win* |
| 1960 | Best Song | "The Second Time Around" from High Time | Nomination* |
| 1961 | Best Song | "Pocketful of Miracles" from Pocketful of Miracles | Nomination* |
| 1963 | Best Song | "Call Me Irresponsible" from Papa's Delicate Condition | Win* |
| 1964 | Best Song | "My Kind of Town" from Robin and the 7 Hoods | Nomination* |
| 1964 | Best Song | "Where Love Has Gone" from Where Love Has Gone | Nomination* |
| 1967 | Best Song | "Thoroughly Modern Millie" from Thoroughly Modern Millie | Nomination* |
| 1968 | Best Song | "Star!" from Star! | Nomination* |
| 1973 | Best Song | "All That Love Went to Waste" from A Touch of Class | Nomination* |
| 1975 | Best Original Song | "Now That We're in Love" from Whiffs | Nomination* |
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