Jack Norworth

Norworth worked between 1879 and 1959 across composer, songwriter and singer-songwriter. This article rests on 7 catalogued compositions, 2 published texts and 1 scholarly references drawn from named institutional registers. Every statement below returns to a source shown in the evidence panel; where the record is silent or divided, the article says so instead of resolving it.

• Name — Jack Norworth • Birth Name — John Godfrey Knauff • Born — 5 January 1879 • Birthplace — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. • Died — 1 September 1959 • Place of death — Laguna Beach, California, U.S. • Spouse — Nora Bayes, Louise Dresser • Genre — Tin Pan Alley • Occupation — * Songwriter • singer • vaudeville performer • actor

Norworth is credited as writer of a number of Tin Pan Alley hits. He wrote the lyrics to "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" in 1908, his longest-lasting hit. It wasn't until 1940 that he witnessed a major league baseball game. The song placed at number 8 on the "Songs of the Century" list selected by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Recording Industry Association of America. His "Shine On, Harvest Moon" was a bigger hit at the time. There is some disagreement about his involvement in its creation. Broadway historian John Kenrick credits Edward Madden and Gus Edwards, while the family of Follies songwriter Dave Stamper claims he wrote the song while working as the pianist for Nora Bayes, the officially credited co-writer with Norworth. Another possibility for the music could lie with George Gershwin, who was also a piano player for this vaudeville troupe. Albert Koch, of Wisconsin, also an accomplished songwriter, claims to have written the song himself, and sold it outright for $50, forfeiting the rights to the song. Other popular songs credited to Norworth include "Back to My Old Home Town"; "Come Along, My Mandy"; "Dear Dolly"; "Good Evening, Caroline"; "Holding Hands"; "Honey Boy"; "I'm Glad I'm a Boy/I'm Glad I'm a Girl"; "I'm Glad I'm Married"; "Kitty"; "Meet Me in Apple Blossom Time"; "Over on the Jersey Side"; "Since My Mother Was a Girl"; "Sing an Irish Song" and "Smarty." "Turn Off Your Light, Mr. Moon Man" is a sequel to "Shine on, Harvest Moon." Born John Godfrey Knauff in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Theodore Christian Knauff and Louise H. (Pearson) Knauff, he changed his name to Jack Norworth when he went into show business. His father was an organ builder and also a choir director at St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Philadelphia. The theater was not a reputable career in that time especially coming from a religious family. Following a few years at sea, he landed in New York City at age 20 to embark on a show business career. In 1908, he married Nora Bayes, with whom he performed in vaudeville; the couple divorced in 1913. Following the Ziegfeld Follies (1909), Norworth appeared in a number of Broadway theater productions and was heard on early radio, such as his March 1928 guest appearance on Acousticon Hour. He also appeared April, 13, 1958 on the Ed Sullivan Show to sing "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" along with four players (Ford, Berra, Mantle, Skowron) from the New York Yankees. Before Bayes, he had been married to actress Louise Dresser. He appeared in early sound films with his third wife, Dorothy Adelphi. His last film role came as a doctor in The Southerner (1945) under the direction of Jean Renoir. He was portrayed by Dennis Morgan in the 1944 musical film Shine On, Harvest Moon (in which Ann Sheridan played Bayes as the love of Norworth's life) and by Ron Husmann in the 1978 Ziegfeld biopic Ziegfeld: The Man & His Women. He is a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Jack Norworth died of a heart attack in Laguna Beach, California in 1959 and was interred at Melrose Abbey Memorial Park in Anaheim, California, just across I-5 from the Los Angeles Angels ballpark. On July 11, 2010, a 3 ft black granite monument, paid for by concerned fans, was installed about 100 feet from Jack's actual headstone.

• Jack Norworth (five songs)

Jack Norworth is recorded with the occupation singer-songwriter. Recorded as a citizen of United States. Established in IMSLP under Category:Norworth,_Jack. Established in Library of Congress under n91038972. Recorded at birth as John Godfrey Knauff. Established in Discogs under 741924. Established in VIAF under 1646527. Established in FAST under 1760986. Identity and origins. He also worked under the name Jack Norworth. His recorded language was English. He married Louise Dresser and Nora Bayes.