1905 Arlen born in
Buffalo, New York
1920 (15) He formed his first professional band, Hyman Arluck's Snappy Trio.
1921 (16) Against his parent's wishes he left home.
1923 (18) With his new band - The Southbound Shufflers, performed on the Crystal Beach lake boat "Canadiana" during the summer of 1923.
1924 (19) Performed at Lake Shore Manor during the summer of 1924.
1924 (19) Wrote his first song, collaborating with friend Hyman Cheiffetz to write "My Gal, My Pal". Copyrighting the song as "My Gal, Won't You Please Come Back to Me?" and listed lyrics by Cheiffetz and music by Harold Arluck.
1925 (20) Makes his way to
New York City with the group,
The Buffalodians, with Arlen playing piano.
1926 (21) Had first published song, collaborating with Dick George to compose "Minor Gaff (Blues Fantasy)" under the name Harold Arluck.
1928 (23) Chaim (Life) (or Hyman) Arluck renames himself Harold Arlen, a name that combined his parents' surnames (his mother's maiden name was Orlin).
1929 (24) Landed a singing and acting role as Cokey Joe in the musical "The Great Day"
1929 (24) Composed his first well known song - (Get Happy) under the name Harold Arlen.
1929 (24) Signed a yearlong song writing contract with the George and Arthur Piantadosi firm.
1930-1934 (25-29) Wrote music for the
Cotton Club.
1933 (28) At a party, along with partner
Ted Koehler, wrote the major hit song "Stormy Weather"
1933 (28) Billboard heralded Shakespeare as the most prolific playwright in history, and Arlen as the most prolific composer.
1935 (30) Went back to California after being signed by
Samuel Goldwyn to write songs for the film "Strike Me Pink"
1937 (32) Married 22-year-old
Anya Taranda, a celebrated
Powers Agency model and former
Earl Carroll and
Busby Berkeley showgirl, actress, and one of the Original "Breck Girls."
1938 (33) Hired by
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer to compose songs for
The Wizard of Oz.
1938 (33) While driving along
Sunset Boulevard in
Hollywood and stopping in front of
Schwab's Drugstore came up with the song "
Over the Rainbow"
1941 (36) Wrote "
Blues in the Night"
1942 (37) Along with
Johnny Mercer, he wrote one of his most famous songs, "
That Old Black Magic"
1943 (38) Wrote "My Shining Hour"
1944 (39) While driving with songwriter partner
Johnny Mercer came up with the song "
Accentuate the Positive".
1945 (40) In a single evenings work in October with
Johnny Mercer came up with the song "
Come Rain or Come Shine"
1949 (44) Collaborated with Ralph Blane to write the score for "
My Blue Heaven".
1950 (45) Worked with old pal
Johnny Mercer on the film "The Petty Girl", out of which came the song "Fancy Free".
1951 (46) His wife Anya was institutionalized in a sanitarium for 7 years after repeatedly threatening her husband and others with physical harm.
1952 (47) Teamed up with
Dorothy Fields on the film "The Farmer Takes a Wife"
1953 (48) Harold's father, Cantor Samuel Arluck, died.
1954 (49) The Musical "
A Star is Born" starring
Judy Garland singing the now classic, Harold Arlen and
Ira Gershwin collaboration, "
The Man That Got Away"
1954 (49) Becomes dangerously ill with a bleeding ulcer and is hospitalized but recovers to work with
Truman Capote on the musical
House of Flowers.
1956 (51) His mother Celia Arluck dies and Harold doesn't touch music for over a year, mourning her loss.
1961-1976 (55-71) Wrote over 50 songs and continued a successful career.
1970 (65) Arlen's wife
Anya Taranda dies from a brain tumor. Arlen begins to lose interest in life, withdrawing from friends and family and becoming more and more reclusive.
1986 (81) Harold Arlen dies in
New York City and is interred next to his wife in
Ferncliff Cemetery in
Hartsdale, New York.
