George C. Cory Jr.

Joseph L. Alioto were in attendance. After a good response to the song, Bennett recorded it shortly thereafter and released it in February 1962.^[3] The song became an enduring hit and in 1969 was named as the official song of San Francisco. The two authors were present at the meeting when the city's Board of Supervisors selected it by a unanimous decision.^[4]

San Francisco Opera Company in 1941 when his career was interrupted by the war. During the war, Cory and Cross collaborated on musical shows for servicemen.^[9] After military service, the two moved to Brooklyn, New York, to make a career of songwriting and met with mixed success. They wrote over 200 songs together, but only 30 were published. The song, "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" was their only commercial success. The song provided them income for life when it became an international hit.^[10] In 2003, authors Cory and Cross received the "Towering Song Award" for the song, given by the Songwriters Hall of Fame and presented at the National Academy of Popular Music's 34th annual induction ceremony. Tony Bennett received the "Towering Performance Award" for his trademark rendition of the song.^[11]

New York Times reported to be a drug overdose.^[2] The Los Angeles Times reported that he left a handwritten note, but its contents were not revealed.^[10] He had been despondent in previous weeks over failing health, according to the coroner's office.^[10] He was 57. His former partner, Douglass Cross, had died about 3 years before him, (Tuesday January 7, 1975) in a hospital in Petaluma, California.^[12]