Billy Rose

Songwriter

Birthday September 6, 1899

Birth Sign Virgo

Birthplace New York City, NY

DEATH DATE Feb 10, 1966 (66)

#89,263 Most Popular

About

Known for Me and My Shadow and It's Only a Paper Moon. His Diamond Horseshoe nightclub and Ziegfeld Theatre were icons of entertainment.

Before Fame

He used to be a stenographic clerk and studied shorthand with the inventor of the Gregg shorthand notation system, John Robert Gregg.

Trivia

His many productions during the 1930s featured the first Benny Goodman Orchestra, Jimmy Durante, stripper Sally Rand, Esther Williams, and Tarzan star Johnny Weissmuller.

Family Life

He was married to legendary comedian Fanny Brice from 1929 until 1938, then to Olympian Eleanor Holm from 1939 until 1954. His third and fourth wife was showgirl Joyce Matthews to whom he was married from 1956 until 1959, then again from 1961 until 1963. He was married to his fifth wife, Doris Warner Vidor, at the time of his death. Vidor was director Charles Vidor's widow.

Associated With

He was portrayed by James Caan in the film Funny Lady from 1975.