Porter, Cole (Albert) (1892–1964)

US composer and lyricist. He wrote mainly musical comedies. His witty, sophisticated songs like ‘Let's Do It’ (1928), ‘I Get a Kick Out of You’ (1934), and ‘Don't Fence Me In’ (1944) have been widely recorded and admired. His shows, many of which were made into films, include The Gay Divorce (1932, filmed 1934 as The Gay Divorcee) and Kiss Me Kate (1948, filmed 1953). He also wrote movie musicals, such as Born to Dance (1936) and High Society (1956).

Born in Peru, Indiana, of an affluent family, Porter attended Yale and Harvard universities. While still a student he became well known for his football songs. In 1916 he joined the French Foreign Legion and after World War I studied at the Schola Cantorum in Paris. He became a member of the fashionable set in Europe during the 1920s and established himself with the revue Paris in 1928.

His other songs include ‘Night and Day’ (1932), ‘Begin the Beguine’ (1935), ‘My Heart Belongs to Daddy’ (1938), and ‘You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To’ (1943); other shows include Anything Goes (1934) and Silk Stockings (1955).