Al Hoffman
Al Hoffman was a prolific American songwriter born on September 25, 1902, in Minsk, then part of the Russian Empire (now Belarus). His family emigrated to the United States when he was six, settling in Seattle, Washington. After graduating from Franklyn High School in Seattle, Hoffman formed his own band and moved to New York City in 1928 to pursue a career in music.
In New York, Hoffman worked as a drummer in nightclubs while building a reputation as a talented songwriter. He collaborated with many notable songwriters, including Al Goodhart, Maurice Sigler, Dick Manning, and Jerry Livingston, among others. Hoffman's work spanned several decades, with hit songs in the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s. Some of his most famous compositions include "Mairzy Doats," "Close To You," "Papa Loves Mambo," and "Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo" from Disney's Cinderella.
Hoffman also wrote songs for stage productions and films, including scores for Broadway and the London stage. His music was recorded by legendary artists such as Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, and Perry Como. Despite having little connection to Chicago, he wrote the Chicago Bears fight song "Bear Down, Chicago Bears" under the pseudonym Jerry Downs.
Throughout his career, Hoffman registered over 1,500 songs with A.S.C.A.P. and was posthumously inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1984. Al Hoffman passed away from prostate cancer on July 21, 1960, in New York City and was buried in New Jersey. His legacy endures through the timeless appeal of his music.
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