Al Hoffman

Al Hoffman was born in Minsk, Russia on September 25, 1902. At the age of 6, Hoffman and his family moved to the United States and settled in Seattle, Washington. After graduating from Franklyn High School in Seattle, Hoffman started his own band and in 1928, moved to New York City to pursue a music career.

In New York, Hoffman found work as a drummer in night club bands while he began some of the most prolific collaborations on Tin Pan Alley. Working with songwriters such as Al Goodhart, Maurice Sigler, Ed Nelson, Sammy Lerner, Dick Manning, Jerry Livingston, Milton Drake, Mack David, Mann Curtis, Leo Corday, Leon Carr, Bob Merrill and Walter Kent, Hoffman produced several hit songs including “Heartaches”, “I Apologize”, “Auf Wiedersehn, My Dear”, “Fit as a Fiddle”, “Black-Eyed Susan Brown”, “Who Walks in When I Walk Out?”, “I Saw Stars”, “Why Don’t You Practice What You Preach?”, “Little Man You’ve Had Busy Day”, “Roll Up the Carpet”, “I’m in a Dancing Mood”, “Without Rhythm”, “There Isn’t Any Limit to My Love”, “Everything Stops for Tea” and “From One Minute to Another”.

In 1934, Hoffman moved to London and worked on West End stage productions including This’ll Make You Whistle, Going Greek and Hide and Seek.

Returning to the US in 1937, Hoffman continued his work for the stage, producing scores for Broadway including Come Out of the Pantry, First a Girl, When Knights Were Bold, Gangway and She Shall Have Music. Hoffman also wrote the score for the film Cinderella.

Other highlights from the Hoffman catalog include “Apple Blossoms and Chapel Bells”, “Goodnight, Wherever You Are”, “The Story of a Starry Night”, “Close to You”, “What’s the Good Word, Mr. Bluebird?”, “I Must Have One More Kiss Kiss Kiss”, “Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo”, “Takes Two to Tango”, “Don’t Stay Away Too Long” and “Mama, Teach Me to Dance”.

Al Hoffman died in New York City on July 21, 1960.