Jim Cowler, originally named Karl Gustav Herbert Noack, was born on January 23, 1898, in Berlin and passed away on July 15, 1964, in Berlin. He was a German composer known for his work in Schlager and film music, and he also published under the pseudonyms Herbert Henderson and Herbert Kauler.

Cowler's parents ran a restaurant on Große Frankfurter Straße 128. He began piano lessons early and was admitted to the Berlin Music Academy at the age of 12, studying under Julius Schuppmann and Bernhard Heinrich Irrgang. He played music at his parents' establishment and accompanied silent films in various cinemas. His skillful music arrangements earned him a position at the Biophon-Theater in Berlin in 1913.

After serving as a soldier in World War I, Cowler published his first composition, the waltz intermezzo "Liebesklänge," in 1919 through his brother Walter Noack's publishing house. He achieved success with titles like "Berlin-Königsberg," "Tanzelfchen," "Mittsommernacht," "Mohammed Aly," and "Araby." In 1923, the VOX Dance Orchestra recorded "Araby," and "Mohamed Aly" was released by Beka.

In 1922/23, Cowler met music publisher Curt Max Roehr, who advised him to adopt an English pseudonym, leading to the name Jim Cowler. Despite this, he continued to arrange and orchestrate for other composers under his birth name, collaborating with figures like Henry Richards, Walter Kollo, Ray Henderson, Frederick Loewe, and Leo Fall.

Cowler's international breakthrough came in 1927 with "Heut war ich bei der Frida," recorded by numerous labels and released abroad as "All about Frida." He continued to create numerous Schlager compositions with lyricists such as Fritz Rotter, Kurt Schwabach, Bruno Balz, Wolfgang Böttcher, Werner Brink, and Leo Breiten. Notable performers of his songs included the Comedian Harmonists and Richard Tauber. His famous song "Kleine Möwe, flieg nach Helgoland" was sung by Hans Albers and Freddy, among others.