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American composer renowned for iconic Broadway musicals and timeless jazz standards during the Roaring Twenties.Pioneering Broadway composer whose innovative syncopated rhythms defined 1920s musical theater. Created enduring standards like 'Tea for Two' and 'I Want to Be Happy' while revolutionizing musical comedy structures.

• Abandoned a Wall Street career after WWI naval service, where he first composed for military revues.
• His masterpiece 'No, No, Nanette' (1925) faced disastrous out-of-town previews but became a global phenomenon after major rewrites.
• Lost his entire fortune in the 1929 stock market crash despite previous earnings exceeding $1 million.
• Perfectionism led him to scrap entire scores; only 14 of 100+ written songs made it into 'Hit the Deck!' (1927).
• Died of tuberculosis at 47 after a decade-long health decline, cutting short a brilliant career.