Churchill Kohlman (January 28, 1906 – May 25, 1983) was an African American songwriter best known for writing the 1951 hit song "Cry," which became a major success for Johnnie Ray. At the time, Kohlman was working as a night watchman at a dry cleaning factory in Pittsburgh. Despite writing hundreds of other songs, none matched the success of "Cry." The royalties from the song led to a legal dispute with Perry Alexander, owner of Mellow Music, which was resolved in 1953 when Alexander was ordered to pay Kohlman $15,331.24.

Kohlman was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and had siblings named Homer Kohlman and Alyse Kohlman Klaytor. Following his success with "Cry," he worked as a correspondent for Prevue, a Chicago-based show-business magazine. He was married to Viola and had three children: Phyllis Kohlman O'Leary, Eleanor Kohlman Smith, and Carl Kohlman. Kohlman passed away at the age of 77 from a heart attack in the Point Breeze neighborhood of Pittsburgh, where he was buried at Homewood Cemetery. His song "Cry" continued to have cultural significance, being featured in the 1987 film "Someone to Watch Over Me" and covered by various artists, including Ronnie Dove in 1966.