Cole Porter American composer, author of musicals: "Kiss Me, Kat", "Can-Can", etc., music for films Date of Birth: 09.06.1891 Country: USA

Biography of Cole Porter

Born on June 9, 1891, Cole Porter was an American composer and lyricist who became one of the most influential figures in Broadway and Hollywood. His extensive body of work includes numerous songs for musicals and films, with his compositions filling several pages worth of a song list. One of his most famous standards, "I've Got You Under My Skin," exemplifies his talent and popularity.

Cole Porter's name was derived from his parents, Kate Cole and Sam Porter, who defied the objections of Kate's wealthy and influential father, James Omar, to be together. Although he started his career as the son of a shoemaker, Cole Porter became incredibly successful through his natural talent and determination. James Omar had hoped to arrange a marriage between Kate and a prosperous young man, but Kate chose to marry a shy pharmacist instead. James Omar supported their wedding and provided them with a comfortable life. When Cole was born, J.O. spared no expense in supporting the young boy's endeavors.

From the age of six, Cole Porter pursued music, taking piano and violin lessons and composing his own pieces. Kate published his works and sent them to acquaintances, arranging for her son to have solo performances in concerts by children's ensembles. In 1905, Cole Porter was accepted into the "Worcester Academy," where he was recognized as a promising young musician. It was during his time there that he met Dr. Ambercrombie, who played a crucial role in shaping Cole's development as a composer, revealing the intricacies of music and notation.

Cole Porter went on to attend Yale University, where his two passions, music and athletic young men, became prominent in his life. Inspired by football players and other athletes, he composed numerous spirited songs for matches, many of which became classics at Yale. Throughout his time at Yale, Cole formed friendships that would later support his Broadway career, maintaining connections with the university and his fellow students until the end of his days.

Despite his father's wish for him to pursue law at Harvard after Yale, Cole only remained in the law school for a year before quietly transferring to the Harvard School of Arts to continue studying music. However, he ultimately settled in New York to embark on a serious music career.

In America, Hollywood became Cole Porter's main employer and his second Yale. The film industry embraced him, partly due to his sexual orientation. Linda Thomas, an American divorcee, became close friends with Cole in 1919, and they decided to register their relationship - not as lovers, but solely for business purposes. Linda, who had previously been mistreated by her first husband, was content with a marriage devoid of intimacy and pretensions. Cole provided her with social status and financial security, while she offered him a legitimate cover for the passions that were not deemed respectable at the start of the century. They married on December 19, 1919, and enjoyed a harmonious relationship until Linda's death in 1954.

Cole Porter's compositions were widely celebrated, and Hollywood provided him with countless opportunities. However, Linda disliked their Hollywood home due to its scandalous reputation, which was constantly fueled by Cole's extravagant and controversial parties. Despite her concerns for his career, Cole dismissed them, enjoying his fame, wealth, and the absence of obstacles. Their happiness abruptly came to an end in 1937 when Cole fell off a horse, breaking both of his legs. He spent a prolonged period in the hospital, enduring physical pain and emotional torment. He felt like an unwanted cripple who no longer attracted the attention of the attractive young men he was accustomed to.

Remarkably, over the next ten years following the accident, Cole Porter wrote more cheerful melodies than he had in his entire previous life. Confined to a wheelchair and plagued by constant pain, he penned his final song, "Wouldn't It Be Fun?," in 1958. Gradually, his musical abilities faded away, and he slowly deteriorated.

Cole Porter passed away on October 15, 1964. In accordance with his final wishes, he was buried alongside his wife Linda and his father Sam Porter in Santa Monica, California.

Throughout his creative life, Cole Porter composed an extensive repertoire of music and lyrics for Broadway shows and Hollywood films. The list of his songs spans several decades and includes timeless classics. His compositions have been performed by a wide range of artists, from Ella Fitzgerald and Sinéad O'Connor to Frank Sinatra and Bono, Iggy Pop and Tom Waits, Annie Lennox and Jimmy Somerville. A tribute to Cole Porter with contemporary artists' interpretations of his standards can be found on the album "Red Hot + Blue: A Tribute to Cole Porter" (1990).