“Your Broadway and Mine” (Walter Winchell poem)
New York-born newspaper gossip columnist Walter Winchell (1897-1972) got his start on the Vaudeville News in 1920. He published the Broadway-themed poem “Your Broadway and Mine” on March 24, 1922, and it would also be reprinted in his syndicated columns in 1925 and 1955, with several verses slightly changed. The title “Your Broadway and Mine” would be frequently used as a title in many of his columns.
In Winchell’s 1955 column, it was stated: “WW in the Vaudeville News (1920).” Winchell did start on the Vaudeville News in 1920, but it’s not known that the poem was published before 1922.
Wikipedia: Walter Winchell
Walter Winchell (April 7, 1897 – February 20, 1972) was a syndicated American newspaper gossip columnist and radio news commentator. Originally a vaudeville performer, Winchell began his newspaper career as a Broadway reporter, critic and columnist for New York tabloids in the Roaring Twenties. He rose to national celebrity in the 1930s with Hearst newspaper chain syndication and a popular radio program. He was known for an innovative style of gossipy staccato news briefs, jokes and Jazz Age slang. He found both hard news and embarrassing stories about famous people by exploiting his exceptionally wide circle of contacts, first in the entertainment world and the Prohibition era underworld, then in law enforcement and politics. He was known for trading gossip, sometimes in return for his silence. His outspoken style made him both feared and admired. Novels and movies were based on his wisecracking gossip columnist persona, as early as the play and film Blessed Event in 1932.
Old Fulton NY Post Cards
24 March 1922, The Vaudeville News (New York, NY), “Broadway Hearsay” by Walter Winchell, pg. 10, col. 4:
YOUR BROADWAY AND MINE
Broadway bred me, Broadway fed me,
Broadway led me—
to a goal;
Then it boo’d me and “pooh-poohed” me,
Disapproved me—
in the role.
Broadway scared me, Broadway dared me,
But it spared me—
to earn food;
Broadway nursed me and it cursed me,
It rehearsed me—
how to brood.
Broadway canned me and it banned me,
Then it panned me—
and my muse;
Broadway slammed me, rammed and damned me,
Broadway taught me—
how to lose.
Broadway ruled me and it fooled me,
Broadway schooled me—
how to cry;
Though it trumped me, bumped and dumped me,
Broadway’s where I—
want to die!
4 May 1922, The Evening Tribune (San Diego, CA), pg. 8, col. 3:
AN ACTOR’S LAMENT
Broadway bred me, Broadway fed me,
Broadway led me—
to a goal;
Then it boo’d me and pooh-poohed me,
Disapproved me—
in the role.
Broadway scared me, Broadway dared me,
But it spared me—
to earn food;
Broadway nursed me and it cursed me,
It rehearsed me—
how to brood.
Broadway canned me and it banned me,
Then it panned me—
and my muse;
Broadway slammed me, rammed and damned me,
Broadway taught me—
how to lose.
Broadway ruled me and it fooled me,
Broadway schooled me—
how to cry;
Though it trumped me, bumped me and dumped me,
Broadway’s where I—
want to die.
Old Fulton NY Post Cards
6 September 1924, New York (NY) Telegram and Evening Mail, “Round the Town,” pg. 4, col. 4:
Justified.
And now Walter Winchell is to be dined. Or rather fed at midnight. “Broadway bred me, Broadway fed me,” is given as the slogan which is said to justify the night. But that’s nonsense. Winchell’s doing the work of scores of people justifies the night. Winchell’s locks turning white here and there due to worries for others justifies it. Oh, just being Walter Winchell justifies it. The night, September 18th.
2 August 1925, St. Louis Daily Globe-Democrat, pg. 2B, col. 3:
Walter Winchell, who writes of Broadway for a New York newspaper, hands this garland of poetry to “the street that whips the universe”—Broadway:
Broadway bred me, Broadway fed me,
Broadway led me—to a goal.
Then it shoo’d me and “pooh-poohed” me,
Broadway boo’d me in the role.
Broadway nursed me, Broadway cursed me,
It rehearsed me how to brood.
Broadway dared me, Broadway scared me,
It prepared me—to be shrewd.
Broadway rammed me, Broadway slammed me,
It flim-flammed me and my muse.
Broadway banned me, Broadway canned me,
Broadway panned me so I’d lose.
Broadway ruled me, Broadway fooled me,
Broadway schooled me how to cry—
Tho’ it trumped me, bumped and dumped me,
Broadway’s where I want to die.
Old Fulton NY Post Cards
14 April 1955, Buffalo (NY) Courier-Express, “Walter Winchell of New York,” pg. 96, col. 1:
Your Broadway and Mine
Broadway bred me, Broadway fed me,
Broadway led me—to a goal;
Broadway wooed me, Broadway booed me,
It pooh-poohed me— in the role.
Broadway dared me, Broadway scared me,
It prepared me—to be shrewd.
Broadway nursed me, Broadway cursed me,
It rehearsed me—how to brood.
Broadway banned me, Broadway canned me,
Broadway panned me—and my muse.
Broadway slammed me, rammed and damned me,
Broadway taught me—how to lose.
Broadway fooled me, Broadway rued me,
Broadway schooled me—how to cry,
Tho, it trumped me, bumped and dumped me,
Broadway’s where I—want to die.
WW in the Vaudeville News (1920).