Though he was born in 1888 in Russia, he came to be synonymous with the music of his adopted homeland. In a career that spanned half a century, he penned some of the most recognizable and enduring songs of all time
Actor:Irving Berlin Genres:Television, Documentary Sub-Genres:Television, Documentary Studio:A&E Home Video Format:DVD - Color - Closed-captioned DVD Release Date: 07/26/2005 Release Year: 2005 Run Time: 1hr 40min Screens: Color Number of Discs: 1 SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Total Copies: 0 Members Wishing: 2 MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated) Languages:English
D. Bakish | New York City and Tucson, AZ | 03/10/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"There are so many wonderful stories of immigrants who struggled and overcame poverty to achieve greatness in some field. Irving Berlin's life experience is eloquently captured in this excellent biography. The Russian Jewish boy who left his impoverished Lower East Side New York family to avoid being a burden and became one of the greatest American composers of popular songs, songs like "Alexander's Ragtime Band," "Easter Parade," "White Christmas," and "God Bless America," is the subject of a most inspiring story....There is only one minor correction I would make: the box of the A&E DVD says the running time is "approx. 100 mins.," when in fact the program runs about 87 minutes."
Biography-Iriving Berlin:An American Song
Penelope J. Parisi | 07/28/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"An excellent video! It follows you from Russia to the streets of New York to Broadway to Hollywood telling you of the genius of this Song Writer of the Ages. It's 100 minutes of entertaining education!"
For the record...
Bruce Van Hoven | Boonton, NJ | 02/12/2003
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I agree, Irving Berlin was a brilliant songwriter, and A&E always does a nice job with their biographies. But he didn't write "Yankee Doodle Dandy," as is written in another review- that was George M Cohan. For a wonderul portrayal of George M, get the movie "Yankee Doodle Dandy" starring Jimmy Cagney- and you thought he just did gangster movies..."
Biography-Irving Berlin: An American Song (A&E DVDArchives
S. R. Petix | 09/06/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Comprehensive and interesting bio of America's Songwriter, especially to those interested in standard popular music, the style of which is generally no longer being produced, written or appreciated. As good as some of today's music is, can most people really easily hum or whistle any of the score of a "Phantom" or "Les Mis?""
Very informative and interesting
Chris | Leipzig | 06/29/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I watched this DVD and wished it would never end, respective not as soon as it did. It's a very well-made biography about a very interesting, very smart, very gifted, very straight and non-boring man - Irving Berlin - and his social environment. I dearly regret not ever have had the opportunity to met him in person."