Jimmy Berg (Samuel Weinberg)

1909-1988
Born in Kolomea (Poland), he grew up in Wiener Neustadt and Vienna. One of his cousins was the composer Robert Starer. Studied music as pupil of G. Marcus. Jimmy Berg wrote popular music, and later on, lyrics for popular hits, songs and cabaret. Being the principal composer of the cabaret 'ABC im Regenbogen' he composed the music to Jura Soyfer's plays 'Weltuntergang' and 'Astoria'. Jimmy Berg and his wife, Gertrud, née Hammerschlag, fled 1938 to the USA via Switzerland and Great Britain. His first successes were on Broadway (Revue 'DC Melody') directed by Maria Ley Piscator and Leon Askin and 1943 to 1945 at the 'Jüdisch-politisches cabaret Die Arche'. Finally, he had to abandon the career of a free-lance composer and author and worked for radio-broadcaster 'The Voice of America' for 25 years. Selection of works: Hits and songs, 'Wien ist nicht nur die Walzerstadt'; 'Sperrstund is'; 'Im Vorstadtpark'; 'Broadway-Melody 1942'; 'Man stellt sich um'; 'Walzertraum 1944'.