Product Details

• Format: Black & White, Color, NTSC
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: A&E Home Video
• VHS Release Date: May 30, 2000
• Run Time: 100 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 0767025385
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #64,940 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Though he was born in 1888 in Russia, he came to be synonymous with the music of his adopted homeland. In a career that spanned half a century, he penned some of the most recognizable and enduring songs of all time. Jerome Kern may have said it best: "Irving Berlin has no place in American music--he is American music." Incredibly, the composer of classics like "Cheek to Cheek," God Bless America" and "White Christmas" never learned to read music. But that didn't stop an astonishing 35 of his compositions from reaching the number one spot on the charts. Filled with wonderful music, illuminating photos and rare clips from throughout his life, this is a fascinating portrait of the legendary composer. From his childhood on New York City's Lower East Side to his hundredth birthday celebration at Carnegie Hall, we'll trace the highs and lows of America's greatest troubadour. This BIOGRAPHY® is more than the story of a man, it is the tale of half a century of American culture captured and crystallized in his inimitable creations.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Immigrant's Love of America, March 9, 2006

By 

D. Bakish "ProfDave" (New York City and Tucson, AZ) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Biography - Irving Berlin: An American Song (A&E DVD Archives) (DVD)

There are so many wonderful stories of immigrants who struggled and overcame poverty to achieve greatness in some field. Irving Berlin's life experience is eloquently captured in this excellent biography. The Russian Jewish boy who left his impoverished Lower East Side New York family to avoid being a burden and became one of the greatest American composers of popular songs, songs like "Alexander's Ragtime Band," "Easter Parade," "White Christmas," and "God Bless America," is the subject of a most inspiring story....There is only one minor correction I would make: the box of the A&E DVD says the running time is "approx. 100 mins.," when in fact the program runs about 87 minutes.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars For the record..., February 12, 2003

By 

Bruce Van Hoven (Boonton, NJ) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Biography - Irving Berlin: An American Song [VHS] (VHS Tape)

I agree, Irving Berlin was a brilliant songwriter, and A&E always does a nice job with their biographies. But he didn't write "Yankee Doodle Dandy," as is written in another review- that was George M Cohan. For a wonderul portrayal of George M, get the movie "Yankee Doodle Dandy" starring Jimmy Cagney- and you thought he just did gangster movies...

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Biography-Irving Berlin: An American Song (A&E DVDArchives, September 6, 2005

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S. R. Petix - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Biography - Irving Berlin: An American Song (A&E DVD Archives) (DVD)

Comprehensive and interesting bio of America's Songwriter, especially to those interested in standard popular music, the style of which is generally no longer being produced, written or appreciated. As good as some of today's music is, can most people really easily hum or whistle any of the score of a "Phantom" or "Les Mis?"