Cole Porter 1891to –1964
Composer and lyricist, responsible for some of the most well known musicals and standards from the 20s and 30s. Songs to his credit include “Night and Day,” “Love for Sale,” “I Get a Kick Out of You," "I’ve Got You Under My Skin,” “My Heart Belongs to Daddy,” “Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye,” “Too Darn Hot,” and so on. Porter came from a wealthy family that supported his interest in music from a young age. During his years in Paris, he married Linda Lee Thomas, a socialite and Porter’s confidante who did not mind that her husband was gay. Nor did she mind his weekend all-male parties and string of intense love affairs, as long as he was discrete. In 1937, he suffered a traumatic injury to his leg that left him in constant pain, and eventually led to an amputation. By the 1940s, many thought his career was over. But he made a comeback in 1948 with Kiss Me Kate, which became by far his most successful musical.