11 Facts About Abe Olman

Abe Olman, born Abraham Olshewitz, was an American songwriter and music publisher.

Abe Olman was later director of ASCAP, and a founder of the Songwriters Hall of Fame which, in 1983, named the annual Abe Olman Publisher Award in his honor.

Abe Olman was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, the son of Julius and Corrlina Olshewitz, who had been born in Russia and Germany respectively.

Abe Olman learned piano as a child, and in the early 1900s started work as a traveling music salesman around Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky.

Abe Olman spent time in Europe, performing in clubs in London and Paris before the outbreak of the First World War.

Abe Olman sold the song to New York publisher Leo Feist; it was performed and recorded by Al Jolson and became a great success.

In 1920, Olman began working in Manhattan for the Forster music publishing firm, and became a member of ASCAP, the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers.

Abe Olman became the secretary and general manager of Leo Feist, Inc in 1935, holding the post until 1956, and began working for the much larger firm of Robbins Music in the early 1940s.

Abe Olman is credited as being one of the first to see the benefits of promoting a song by placing it in a motion picture, particularly by playing the theme song under the opening credits.

Abe Olman married actress Mattie Adele Parker in 1922; they had two daughters.

Abe Olman died in Rancho Mirage, California in 1984, at the age of 96.