Eddie Dowling

Biography

Eddie Dowling was an American composer, songwriter ("Do You Remember?"), author, actor, producer and director. He was president of the USO Camp Shows and held honorary degrees from such Roman Catholic colleges as Boston College, Providence College, Mount Mary College, and Catholic University of America (CUA). The 14th of 17 children born to immigrant parents, Joseph Nelson Goucher (his original name) made a world tour with the St. Paul's Cathedral Choir (of Providence, Rhode Island). His theatrical career was extremely varied. He appeared in vaudeville and on Broadway in "She Took a Chance", "Velvet Lady", "Ziegfeld Follies" (1918 and 1920), "The Girl In the Spotlight", "Blaze of Glory", "Love's Old Song", and "Purple Dust". He wrote the plays "The Greater Love" and "Heart of the North", and produced "His Double Life", "Big Hearted Herbert", "Richard II", "Shadow and Substance", and "Madame Capet". He wrote the librettos for and appeared in "Sally, Irene and Mary", and produced, appeared in and wrote songs for "Thumbs Up!" and produced and appeared in "Here Come the Clowns", produced, directed and appeared in "The Time of Your Life" (Pulitzer Prize, 1940), and was Tom Wingfield in the original production of Tennessee Williams's "The Glass Menagerie" (opposite Laurette Taylor and Julie Haydon). His stage scores and librettos included "Honeymoon Lane" and "The Sidewalks of New York". He was the national chairman of the stage, screen and radio division of the Democratic National Committee from 1932-36 and again in 1940. Joining ASCAP in 1927, his chief musical collaborators included James F. Hanley, J. Fred Coots, Victor Herbert and Bernie Wayne. He wrote or co-wrote such songs as "The Little White House (at the End of Honeymoon Lane)", "Dreams of You", "Half a Moon", "Jersey Walk", "Headin' for Harlem", "Mary Dear", "Wherever You Are", "Little Log Cabin of Dreams", "Row Row With Roosevelt", "Did God Die in Dixie?", "May God Keep You In the Palm of His Hand", "Logic", "Suzie from Sioux City", and "High Up On a Housetop".