George Michael Cohan (1878-1942) a US actor and writer of musical plays that praised America. His best-known songs include Give My Regards to Broadway (1904), You're A Grand Old Flag (1904) and the First World War song Over There (1917) for which he received a special medal from Congress. The film Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) was the story of his life, with James Cagney playing Cohan.