Irving Berlin, the iconic composer and musician who created American musical standards including “White Christmas,” “Easter Parade,” “God Bless America” and “There’s No Business Like Show Business,” was born on this day in history, May 11, 1888.
Berlin was born as Israel Baline in Temun, Siberia.
His family immigrated to America to escape Russian persecution of the Jewish people when the future music star was a young boy.
“[The family] arrived in New York in 1893, settling in Manhattan’s Lower East Side,” notes PBS.org.
ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY, MAY 10, 1977, ICONIC AMERICAN ACTRESS JOAN CRAWFORD DIES IN NEW YORK CITY
Berlin had to work as a child and didn’t attend school. Instead, he sang on street corners to earn money, the same site also reports.
Later, Berlin worked as a singing waiter in New York City in Chinatown’s Pelham Cafe.
Studio headshot portrait of American composer Irving Berlin, circa 1935. Berlin was born in Temun, Siberia — his family immigrated to…