Cole Porter

Cole Porter was born June 8, 1891 in Peru, Indiana. He learned both violin and piano at age six and composed his first songs as early as 1901 when he was ten. One of his first compositions was dedicated to his mother, a piano piece called Song of the Bird. Porter enrolled in the Worcester Academy in 1905. There he met and important influence in his musical career, Dr. Abercrombie, who taught him the importance and relationship between words and meter, and between words and music in songs. He later attended Yale University. Cole's Yale years included many adventures, many musicals, and the forging of relationships that he carried with him for the rest of his life. Most students soon knew him for the fight songs he would write, many of which continue to be Yale classics. He left Yale with a legacy of approximately 300 songs, including six full-scale productions.

His first Broadway show was See America First in 1916, which was a complete flop. After early success with songs like "Don't Fence Me In," re-released in a World War II musical called Hollywood Canteen, Porter signed some contracts to do work for the film industry. The first film to contain a Cole Porter song was The Battle of Paris in 1929. It wasn't until 1924 in NYC that Porter had his first real Broadway success with "Greenwich Village Follies of 1924." The 1930's proved to be the decade that really shined for Porter. 1930 opened with The New Yorkers, which featured the songs, "I Happen to Like New York", and "Love for Sale." The Gay Divorcee followed in 1931, which contained perhaps one of his most recognizable tunes, "Night and Day." In 1934, Porter composed one of his most popular shows, Anything Goes.

Despite a horseback riding accident that fractured his legs Porter went on to compose some of his finest works, including Something for the Boys and Kiss Me Kate. The last few years of Porter's life were sad ones. His leg was amputated in 1958 and after that, led a lonely and reclusive life. The man of wealth, fame, friends, and incredible talent spent his last years alone except for paid nursing help. At age 73, he died in October of 1964 in a Hollywood nursing home.


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