Gershwin, Ira, originally Israel Gershvin 1896-1983
US lyricist

Born in Brooklyn, New York City, he was the brother of George Gershwin, with whom he collaborated to produce more than 20 successful Broadway musicals. Ira first wrote under the pseudonym of Arthur Francis, and wrote the lyrics for Vincent Youmans's Two Little Girls in Blue (1921), which includes 'Oh Me, Oh My'. Later, under his own name, he wrote lyrics for the Ziegfeld Follies (1936), and, most importantly, Lady in the Dark (1941, composed by Kurt Weill), which contains 'Jenny' and 'This is New'.