Adolph Green, lyricist whose six-decade collaboration with Betty Comden contributed to "On the Town" and "Wonderful Town" as well as the classic movie musical "Singin' in the Rain," has died at 87:
- On Broadway, Comden and Green (the billing was always alphabetical) worked most successfully with composers Leonard Bernstein, Jule Styne and Cy Coleman. The duo wrote lyrics and often the books for more than a dozen shows, many of them built around such stars as Rosalind Russell, Judy Holliday, Phil Silvers, Carol Burnett and Lauren Bacall.
Their best lyrics were brash and buoyant, full of quick wit, best exemplified by "New York, New York," an exuberant and forthright hymn to their favorite city. Yet the songwriters' biggest pop hits - "The Party's Over," "Just in Time" and "Make Someone Happy" - were simple, direct and heartfelt.
It was "On the Town," a musical comedy expansion of Jerome Robbins' ballet "Fancy Free," that introduced Comden and Green to Broadway in 1944. The story of three sailors on a 24-hour leave in wartime New York was tailor-made for the time.
The music was by Bernstein, an old friend of Green's. Comden and Green wrote the book and lyrics, and included two plum roles for themselves.
It wasn't the only time they combined performing and writing, most notably in their two-person show "A Party with Betty Comden and Adolph Green," first done on Broadway in 1958 and periodically revived over the years.
They won five Tony Awards, with three of their shows - "Wonderful Town," "Hallelujah, Baby!" and "Applause" - winning the top prize for best musical. The duo received Kennedy Center honors in 1991.
On film, their most celebrated work was the screenplay for "Singin' in the Rain" (1952), considered by many to be the finest movie musical ever made.
The story of the silent movie industry's transition to talkies starred Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds and Donald O'Connor.
Article comments
1 - Aaron
Don't know if Blogcritics know this, but in Internet Explorer 6, the red titles of the products featured is on top of the graphics, rather than to the right of them.
For example: for the last graphic:
the Rain (Special Edition) can be clearly viewed, but the beginning Singin' in is on top of the picture.
2 - Aaron
Forget my last message, I guess it depends on Blogcritics and/or my server. Refreshing the page solved it, but I'm telling you this happens frequently, not just today. (I have a high-speed connection and do not experience this on other sites)
Keep up the great work.
3 - Old Grouch
I'm surprised you missed the DRG Records recordings of C&G in performance: "Comden and Green Perform Their Own Songs" DRG 5247 a reissue combining the contents of a pair of 1955 LPs, and the "original cast" album for "A Party With Betty Comden and Adolph Green" DRG 5177. They're available direct (follow the links) or through most dealers.
4 - Eric Olsen
Thanks Grouch, very good to know.