( George Michael Cohan 1878–1942)
a US actor and writer of musical plays that praised America. His best-known songs include Give My Regards to Broadway (1904), You’re A Grand Old Flag (1904) and the World War I song Over There (1917) for which he received a special medal from Congress . The film Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) was the story of his life, with James Cagney playing Cohan.