James Brockman was an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 songwriter. Born in Russia

Russia

Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...

, he emigrated to New York by himself at the age of 9 or 10. His given name was Jacob Brachman but he changed the spelling of the last name because it was mis-pronounced and the rest of the family followed with the change.

Brockman began his career as a comedian in vaudeville

Vaudeville

Vaudeville was a theatrical genre of variety entertainment in the United States and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s. Each performance was made up of a series of separate, unrelated acts grouped together on a common bill...

 and musicals in the early 1900s. He was a partner, along with James Kendis, of the Kendis-Brockman Music Company. In 1919, he was a co-writer of the song "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles

I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles

"I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles" is a popular song which debuted in 1918 and was first published in 1919.-Creation:The music was written by John Kellette. The lyrics are credited to "Jaan Kenbrovin", actually a collective pseudonym for the writers James Kendis, James Brockman and Nat Vincent...

", which years later would become the anthem of the English

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

 football

Football (soccer)

Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...

 club West Ham United

West Ham United F.C.

West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...

. He also co-wrote, with Abe Olman, the song "Down Among The Sheltering Palms

Down Among the Sheltering Palms

"Down Among the Sheltering Palms" is a popular song.The music was written by Abe Olman, the lyrics by James Brockman and Leo Wood. The song was published in 1914....

", published in 1914 and popularized by the Boswell Sisters

Boswell Sisters

The Boswell Sisters were a close harmony singing group, consisting of sisters Martha Boswell , Connee Boswell , and Helvetia "Vet" Boswell , noted for intricate harmonies and rhythmic experimentation...

 in the late 1920s.

He went on to work in Hollywood as a songwriter for films, and wrote the score for Happy Days

Happy Days (1929 film)

Happy Days is an 80 minute musical film, notable for being the first feature film shown entirely in widescreen anywhere in the world. Happy Days (1929) is an 80 minute musical film, notable for being the first feature film shown entirely in widescreen anywhere in the world. Happy Days (1929) is an...

. He died in Santa Monica, California

Santa Monica, California

Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...

 in May 1967, aged 80, and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame

Songwriters Hall of Fame

The Songwriters Hall of Fame is an arm of the National Academy of Popular Music. It was founded in 1969 by songwriter Johnny Mercer and music publishers Abe Olman and Howie Richmond. The goal is to create a museum but as of April, 2008, the means do not yet exist and so instead it is an online...

 in 1970.

External links

• James Brockman at the Songwriters Hall of Fame
  Songwriters Hall of Fame
  The Songwriters Hall of Fame is an arm of the National Academy of Popular Music. It was founded in 1969 by songwriter Johnny Mercer and music publishers Abe Olman and Howie Richmond. The goal is to create a museum but as of April, 2008, the means do not yet exist and so instead it is an online...
  
  Virtual Museum