Biography for Richard Charles Rodgers
Birth Name
Richard Charles Rodgers
Grandfather of composer/lyricist/actor Adam Guettel and composer Peter Rodgers Melnick.
Wrote over 1,500 songs (at least 85 regarded as standards),and 42 musicals, 19 of which were transferred to film.
He was one of the pioneers, along with Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II, in the creation of a less frivolous type of musical theater than had been the case, in which musicals were adapted from well-known plays or novels, and featured dialog taken directly from those plays and/or novels, as well as believable, realistic characterizations, with dramatic storylines which sometimes contained tragedy and did not necessarily follow the usual formulas. His first musical using an unusual storyline and characters was "Pal Joey" , written with Lorenz Hart and produced in 1940, based on short stories by John O’Hara, about an unprincipled but sympathetic nightclub hoofer who does not reform. It was not very successful in its first run, but became a hit in 1952 (and was unfortunately watered down in its 1957 film version). The musicals Rodgers wrote, beginning in 1943 with Oscar Hammerstein II, overthrew many of the usual musical theater formulas of the time and continued the path begun by Hammerstein and Kern in their 1927 "Show Boat". The Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals sometimes used ballet sequences to reveal what was happening in the mind of one of the characters, the lead characters were not necessarily admirable people (i.e "Carousel"'s Billy Bigelow), one or more characters were sometimes killed off in the storylines, the hero and heroine did not necessarily fall in love or have a love scene (as in "The King and I"), and very often subjects which were then considered taboo in musicals were used. The songs in most of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals (with the exception of some of the musical numbers in "The Sound of Music") developed the storyline and the characters, and could not be removed from the shows without seriously damaging them.
Family name was originally Rojazinsky, becoming Rodgers when his father changed the family name to a more Americanized one sometime in the 1880s.
One of the first Kennedy Center Honorees in 1978.
In addition to their phenomenal success as writers of their own shows, Rodgers and Hammerstein produced shows by other writers, as well, most notably Irving Berlin’s "Annie Get Your Gun" and John Van Druten’s "I Remember Mama." The latter, incidentally, became the basis for Rodgers' last completed show. Written in collaboration with Martin Charnin and starring Liv Ullmann, Rodgers' "I Remember Mama" was one of the most notorious Broadway flops of the 1970s, running only a few months in 1979, largely on advance ticket sales. Rodgers died shortly after it closed. Most agreed that it was a sad end to an otherwise distinguished career.
"The King and I" was performed at the London Palladium in 2000 and was nominated for Outstanding Musical Production at the Laurence Olivier Theatre Awards in 2001.
His musical, "Oklahoma!" was awarded the 1998 London Evening Standard Theatre Award for Best Musical.
Broadway's 46th Street Theater was renamed the Richard Rodgers Theater in 1980. This was somewhat ironic, in that none of Rodgers' major shows ever played at that theater.
Served as Managing Director of the Music Theater of Lincoln Center, 1964-1969. During this period, the Music Theater, whose productions were given at the New York State Theater, presented three successful revivals of Rodgers and Hammerstein shows: "The King and I" with Rise Stevens, Darren McGavin and Frank Porretta in 1964; "Carousel" with John Raitt and Edward Everett Horton in 1965 and "South Pacific" with Florence Hendersion and Giorgio Tozzi in 1967.
Won eleven Tony Awards: three in 1950 for "South Pacific" for his music as part of the Best Musical win; as Best Composer; and as Best Producers (Musical), shared with Oscar Hammerstein UIUI, Leland Hayward and Joshua Logan; one in 1952, for his music with Hammerstein's book and lyrics as part of a Best Musical win for "The King and I"; two in 1960, for his music as part of a Best Musical win for "The Sound of Music" in a tie with "Fiorello!, and as Best Composer, in a tie with Jerry Bock for "Fiorello!"; two in 1962, as Best Composer for "No Strings" and a Special Tony Award "for all he has done for young people in the theatre and for taking the men of the orchestra out of the pit and putting them on stage in 'No Strings';" one in 1972, another Special Tony Award; and one in 1979, the Lawrence Langner Memorial Award for Distinguished Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre. He was also Tony-nominated five other times: in 1956, for his music and as a co-producer of Best Musical nominee "Pipe Dream"; in 1959 for his music for Best Musical nominee "Flower Drum Song;" in 1962 for his music and lyrics and as co-producer of Best Musical nominee "No Strings;" in 1972 for Best Composer and Lyricist with collaborator Stephen Sondheim for "Do I Hear a Waltz?;" and in 1996, posthumously, for Best Original Musical Score, music only for designated songs that were original and not in the previous film version of State Fair (1945). Along with his lyricist-partner Oscar Hammerstein II, he made more than ten appearances on "The Ed Sullivan Show" (1948), Ed Sullivan’s television show. They are probably the only American musical play creators to have made that many personal appearances on one television series.
Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970.
Is a member of Pi Lambda Phi fraternity.
Won a 1961 Special Tony Award (New York City) for his work with young people in the theater and putting the orchestra on the stage in his production "No Strings.".
Won a 1972 individual Special Tony Award (New York City).
Won a 1979 Lawrence Langner Tony Award (New York City) and for a distinguished life in the American theater.
Portrayed by Tom Drake in Words and Music (1948).
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Footnote by the blog author:
An excellent DVD biography of Richard Rodgers is available at Amazon.com and elsewhere. "The Sweetest Sounds" is the title.
Typically, a composer writes a tune for a Broadway show. A lyricist plays around with it for a while and then writes some words to match the melody. But Richard Rodgers could write spectacular, unforgettable tunes merely by being given lyrics that were already written! And this didn’t happen once or twice, but all the time.
Richard Rodgers himself did not like jazz. But jazz performers and improvisers have been entranced by Rodgers’ tunes since the 1930s. Rodgers is over-represented among jazz versions of American standards.
Rodgers also wrote soundtracks (famously, for the television documentary "Victory at Sea.") He and Hammerstein had a hit popular tune not associated with any musical or soundrack, "Blue Moon."
On March 31, 1957, a new version of "Cinderella" was broadcast live on television with music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein. Julie Andrews, then 21, had the lead role. They don’t do new live Broadway productions on television anymore.
Date of Birth
28 June 1902, New York City, New York, USADate of Death
30 December 1979, New York City, New York, USABirth Name
Richard Charles Rodgers
Nickname
DickSpouse
Dorothy Rodgers (1940 – 30 December 1979) (his death) 2 childrenTrivia
Father of writer Mary Rodgers and Linda Rogers Melnick.Grandfather of composer/lyricist/actor Adam Guettel and composer Peter Rodgers Melnick.
Wrote over 1,500 songs (at least 85 regarded as standards),and 42 musicals, 19 of which were transferred to film.
He was one of the pioneers, along with Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II, in the creation of a less frivolous type of musical theater than had been the case, in which musicals were adapted from well-known plays or novels, and featured dialog taken directly from those plays and/or novels, as well as believable, realistic characterizations, with dramatic storylines which sometimes contained tragedy and did not necessarily follow the usual formulas. His first musical using an unusual storyline and characters was "Pal Joey" , written with Lorenz Hart and produced in 1940, based on short stories by John O’Hara, about an unprincipled but sympathetic nightclub hoofer who does not reform. It was not very successful in its first run, but became a hit in 1952 (and was unfortunately watered down in its 1957 film version). The musicals Rodgers wrote, beginning in 1943 with Oscar Hammerstein II, overthrew many of the usual musical theater formulas of the time and continued the path begun by Hammerstein and Kern in their 1927 "Show Boat". The Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals sometimes used ballet sequences to reveal what was happening in the mind of one of the characters, the lead characters were not necessarily admirable people (i.e "Carousel"'s Billy Bigelow), one or more characters were sometimes killed off in the storylines, the hero and heroine did not necessarily fall in love or have a love scene (as in "The King and I"), and very often subjects which were then considered taboo in musicals were used. The songs in most of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals (with the exception of some of the musical numbers in "The Sound of Music") developed the storyline and the characters, and could not be removed from the shows without seriously damaging them.
Family name was originally Rojazinsky, becoming Rodgers when his father changed the family name to a more Americanized one sometime in the 1880s.
One of the first Kennedy Center Honorees in 1978.
In addition to their phenomenal success as writers of their own shows, Rodgers and Hammerstein produced shows by other writers, as well, most notably Irving Berlin’s "Annie Get Your Gun" and John Van Druten’s "I Remember Mama." The latter, incidentally, became the basis for Rodgers' last completed show. Written in collaboration with Martin Charnin and starring Liv Ullmann, Rodgers' "I Remember Mama" was one of the most notorious Broadway flops of the 1970s, running only a few months in 1979, largely on advance ticket sales. Rodgers died shortly after it closed. Most agreed that it was a sad end to an otherwise distinguished career.
"The King and I" was performed at the London Palladium in 2000 and was nominated for Outstanding Musical Production at the Laurence Olivier Theatre Awards in 2001.
His musical, "Oklahoma!" was awarded the 1998 London Evening Standard Theatre Award for Best Musical.
Broadway's 46th Street Theater was renamed the Richard Rodgers Theater in 1980. This was somewhat ironic, in that none of Rodgers' major shows ever played at that theater.
Served as Managing Director of the Music Theater of Lincoln Center, 1964-1969. During this period, the Music Theater, whose productions were given at the New York State Theater, presented three successful revivals of Rodgers and Hammerstein shows: "The King and I" with Rise Stevens, Darren McGavin and Frank Porretta in 1964; "Carousel" with John Raitt and Edward Everett Horton in 1965 and "South Pacific" with Florence Hendersion and Giorgio Tozzi in 1967.
Won eleven Tony Awards: three in 1950 for "South Pacific" for his music as part of the Best Musical win; as Best Composer; and as Best Producers (Musical), shared with Oscar Hammerstein UIUI, Leland Hayward and Joshua Logan; one in 1952, for his music with Hammerstein's book and lyrics as part of a Best Musical win for "The King and I"; two in 1960, for his music as part of a Best Musical win for "The Sound of Music" in a tie with "Fiorello!, and as Best Composer, in a tie with Jerry Bock for "Fiorello!"; two in 1962, as Best Composer for "No Strings" and a Special Tony Award "for all he has done for young people in the theatre and for taking the men of the orchestra out of the pit and putting them on stage in 'No Strings';" one in 1972, another Special Tony Award; and one in 1979, the Lawrence Langner Memorial Award for Distinguished Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre. He was also Tony-nominated five other times: in 1956, for his music and as a co-producer of Best Musical nominee "Pipe Dream"; in 1959 for his music for Best Musical nominee "Flower Drum Song;" in 1962 for his music and lyrics and as co-producer of Best Musical nominee "No Strings;" in 1972 for Best Composer and Lyricist with collaborator Stephen Sondheim for "Do I Hear a Waltz?;" and in 1996, posthumously, for Best Original Musical Score, music only for designated songs that were original and not in the previous film version of State Fair (1945). Along with his lyricist-partner Oscar Hammerstein II, he made more than ten appearances on "The Ed Sullivan Show" (1948), Ed Sullivan’s television show. They are probably the only American musical play creators to have made that many personal appearances on one television series.
Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970.
Is a member of Pi Lambda Phi fraternity.
Won a 1961 Special Tony Award (New York City) for his work with young people in the theater and putting the orchestra on the stage in his production "No Strings.".
Won a 1972 individual Special Tony Award (New York City).
Won a 1979 Lawrence Langner Tony Award (New York City) and for a distinguished life in the American theater.
Richard Rodgers won the 1950 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for the musical "South Pacific" collaborating with Osar Hammerstein II and Joshua Logan.
Ex-father-in-law of Daniel Melnick.
Portrayed by Tom Drake in Words and Music (1948).
Brother-in-law of Ben Feiner Jr.
Is one of the only 12 people who are an EGOT, which means that he won at least one of all of the four major entertainment awards: Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony. The other ones in chronological order are Barbara Steisand, Helen Hayes, Rita Moreno, Liza Minelli, John Geilgud, Audrey Hepburn, Marvin Hamlisch, Jonathan Tunick, Mel Brooks, Mike Nichols and Whoopi Goldberg. Barbra Streisand, however, won a Special Tony Award, not a competitive one, and Liza Minnelli won a Special Grammy.
Personal Quotes Defending his songs and style in a changing world:
Personal Quotes Defending his songs and style in a changing world:
"What's wrong with sweetness and light? It's been around quite awhile."
"Whenever I get an idea for a song, even before jotting down the notes, I can hear it in the orchestra, I can smell it in the scenery, I can see the kind of actor who will sing it, and I am aware of an audience listening to it."
Referring to Oscar Hammerstein II and what became the song "It Might As Well Be Spring": "He gave me a lyric. And when he gives me a lyric, I write music."
"Whenever I get an idea for a song, even before jotting down the notes, I can hear it in the orchestra, I can smell it in the scenery, I can see the kind of actor who will sing it, and I am aware of an audience listening to it."
Referring to Oscar Hammerstein II and what became the song "It Might As Well Be Spring": "He gave me a lyric. And when he gives me a lyric, I write music."
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Footnote by the blog author:
An excellent DVD biography of Richard Rodgers is available at Amazon.com and elsewhere. "The Sweetest Sounds" is the title.
Typically, a composer writes a tune for a Broadway show. A lyricist plays around with it for a while and then writes some words to match the melody. But Richard Rodgers could write spectacular, unforgettable tunes merely by being given lyrics that were already written! And this didn’t happen once or twice, but all the time.
Richard Rodgers himself did not like jazz. But jazz performers and improvisers have been entranced by Rodgers’ tunes since the 1930s. Rodgers is over-represented among jazz versions of American standards.
Rodgers also wrote soundtracks (famously, for the television documentary "Victory at Sea.") He and Hammerstein had a hit popular tune not associated with any musical or soundrack, "Blue Moon."
On March 31, 1957, a new version of "Cinderella" was broadcast live on television with music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein. Julie Andrews, then 21, had the lead role. They don’t do new live Broadway productions on television anymore.
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