His second wife, Ellin, was born March 22, 1903. Her father, Clarence H. Mackay was the son of John W. Mackay (1831-1902), one of the principal owner/operators of the Comstock Lode (Consolidated Virginia and California Mine in Nevada, also Bonanza Firm - a four-way partnership worth some $190,000,000 by 1877), one of the major silver discoveries in 1870s. A devout conservative Roman Catholic Irishman, Clarence was horrified his daughter was engaged to a Jew and disowned her. They would later reconcile in the early 1930s.
In 1963, won a Special Tony Award "for his distinguished contribution to the musical theatre for these many years."
Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970.
Interred at Woodlawn Cemetery, Bronx, New York, USA.
Is a character in the musical "Turn of the Century.".
One of his most popular songs "Easter Parade"(1933) had been published earlier as "Smile and Show Your Dimple".
One of the few classic pop songwriters of his era to serve as both composer and lyricist of his songs. Cole Porter and Johnny Mercer were among the others who shared this rare talent.
Only played on the set of black keys. He had a special piano built with pedals that could change the set from F sharp into other keys.
Sang "Oh How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning" in This Is the Army (1943).
Sent a letter to major radio stations requesting that they not play Elvis Presley's version of "White Christmas" because it had been drastically revamped.
Songwriter.
Stepson-in-law of Anna Case.
Was denied a Kennedy Center Honor. By the time he was considered for one, he was too ill to fulfill the requirement that an honoree must attend the award ceremony.
When Berlin married Ellin Mackay, the Comstock Lode heiress, the bride's father wrote her out of his will for marrying a Jew. Berlin then assigned the copyright of his popular song, "Always", to her, which yielded very handsome royalties as the years went by. And true to the sentiments of the song, Berlin devoted himself to his lovely wife for the rest of her long life.
Won a 1963 Special Tony Award (New York City) for his many years of distinguished contribution to the American musical.
Won a 1978 Lawrence Langner Tony Award (New York City) and for a distinguished life in the American theater.
Wrote his first ballad hit, "When I Lost You," in his grief over the death of his first wife, Dorothy Goetz. She had died of typhoid, contracted on her honeymoon, just four months after their marriage in 1912.