Cole Porter Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Cole Porter

Background information
Born	(1891-06-09)June 9, 1891 Peru, Indiana, U.S.
Died	October 15, 1964(1964-10-15) (aged 73) Santa Monica, California, U.S.

Cole Albert Porter (born June 9, 1891 – died October 15, 1964) was a famous American composer and songwriter. He wrote many popular musical plays, often called musical comedies. Some of his well-known musicals include Kiss Me, Kate, Fifty Million Frenchmen, and Anything Goes.

Porter also wrote many famous songs. These include "Night and Day", "I Get a Kick out of You", and "I've Got You Under My Skin". People loved his songs because they had clever lyrics (words) and fun rhymes. Many of his songs are part of the "Great American Songbook", which is a collection of the most important American songs.

Early Life and Music Beginnings
Later Life and Success
Tributes and Legacy
Images for kids
See also

Early Life and Music Beginnings

Cole Porter was born in Peru, Indiana. His family was very wealthy. His grandfather had made a lot of money from coal and timber. This grandfather had a lot of influence over the family.

Cole started learning music at a very young age. He began playing the violin when he was six years old. By the time he was eight, he was learning the piano. When he was just 10, he and his mother wrote a small musical play called an operetta. His mother, Kate, always supported his love for music.

However, his grandfather wanted Cole to become a lawyer. So, Cole went to Worcester Academy in Worcester, Massachusetts in 1905. Later, in 1909, he went to Yale University.

While at Yale, Cole was very busy with music. He wrote about 300 songs during his time there. Some of these were football fight songs that are still played at Yale today!

After Yale, he went to Harvard Law School in 1913 for a year. But he soon realized his true passion was music. He then switched to studying arts and sciences.

In 1915, one of his songs, "Esmeralda", was performed on Broadway. Broadway is a famous theater district in New York City. The next year, in 1916, he had a full musical show on Broadway. Sadly, it was not very successful.

Because his music wasn't doing well, Porter decided to move to Paris, France. He was living there when World War I began. He traveled around Europe for a bit. In 1917, he joined the French Foreign Legion, which is a part of the French army. He served as a soldier in North Africa. He also helped teach American soldiers how to shoot.

In 1919, Cole Porter married Linda Lee Thomas. They were married until she passed away in 1954.

Later Life and Success

Cole Porter started having successful musicals on Broadway again in 1926. He wrote many famous songs during this time. Some of these hits included "Let's Do It, Let's Fall in Love", "What Is This Thing Called Love?", and "Night and Day".

He became very popular and successful with his musicals and songs in the 1920s and 1930s. He also enjoyed a very active social life and often hosted many parties.

In 1937, Porter had a serious accident while horse-riding. This accident caused him a lot of pain. He had to have many operations because of his injuries. After this, he felt very sad and down.

Despite his health challenges, he kept working. In 1948, he wrote a very popular musical called Kiss Me, Kate. This musical was a huge hit! He even won a special award called a Tony Award for it. He also wrote music for movies.

In 1952, Cole Porter's mother passed away. Two years later, in 1954, his wife also died. In 1958, his injured leg had to be amputated (removed) because of the pain from his accident. After all these difficult events, he decided to retire from music.

Cole Porter died in 1964 in Santa Monica, California. He was 73 years old. He passed away from kidney failure.

Tributes and Legacy

Porter family gravesite in Peru, Indiana

Many singers and musicians have recorded Cole Porter's songs. Dozens of artists have even released entire albums filled only with his music. Some of these albums include Oscar Peterson Plays the Cole Porter Songbook (1959), Rosemary Clooney Sings the Music of Cole Porter (1982), and Love for Sale by Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga (2021).

In May 2007, Cole Porter received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. This is a special honor for people who have made great contributions to entertainment. In December 2010, his picture was added to the Hoosier Heritage Gallery in the office of the Governor of Indiana.

Many symphony orchestras have honored Porter's music since he passed away. The Seattle Symphony Orchestra and the Boston Pops both performed tributes to him in 2011. Every June, a special event called the Cole Porter Festival is held in his hometown of Peru, Indiana. This festival helps people enjoy music and art.

At the Indiana Historical Society in Indianapolis, there is a special Cole Porter Room. Here, singers perform his hit songs for visitors. Since the mid-1930s, Porter used a special Steinway grand piano to compose his music. This piano is now displayed and often played in the lobby of the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City.

Cole Porter is a member of the American Theater Hall of Fame and the Great American Songbook Hall of Fame. These honors recognize his "musically complex [songs] with witty, urbane lyrics."