Fred Ebb (April 8, 1933 [1] — September 11, 2004), was a musical theatre lyricist who had many successful collaborations with composer John Kander. Events 217 - Roman Emperor Caracalla is Assassinated (and succeeded by his Praetorian Year 1933 ( MCMXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 9 - The Battle of the Teutoburg Forest ends 506 - The Bishops of Visigothic Gaul "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Musical theatre is a form of Theatre combining Music, Songs spoken Dialogue and Dance. John Harold Kander (born March 18, 1927 in Kansas City Missouri) is the American Composer The Kander and Ebb team frequently wrote for such performers as Liza Minnelli and Chita Rivera. Kander and Ebb were a highly successful songwriting team consisting of Composer John Kander (born March 18 1927) and Lyricist Liza May Minnelli (born March 12, 1946) is a legendary American actress and singer Chita Rivera (born on January 23, 1933) is an American actress Dancer, and Singer best known for her roles in Musical theater
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Background
Ebb was born in Manhattan to a Jewish family, and worked during the early 1950s bronzing baby shoes, as a trucker's assistant, and was also employed in a department store credit office and at a hosiery company. Manhattan Island, in New York Harbor, is much the largest part of the Borough of Manhattan, one of the Five Boroughs which form the City of New York PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ In 1955, he graduated from New York University with a bachelor’s degree in English Literature, and two years later, he earned his Master’s from Columbia University. New York University ( NYU) is a private, Nonsectarian, Coeducational Research University in New York City. The term English literature refers to Literature written in the English language, including literature composed in English by Writers not necessarily from Columbia University is a private University in the United States and a member of the Ivy League. His first professional writing experience was with Phil Springer, and the first song they wrote together (“I Never Loved Him Anyhow”) was sung by Carmen McRae. Carmen Mercedes McRae ( April 8, 1920 &ndash November 10, 1994) was an American Jazz Singer, Composer Another song Ebb wrote with Springer was “Heartbroken” (1953), which was recorded by Judy Garland, the mother of his future protégée, Liza Minnelli. Judy Garland (born Frances Ethel Gumm; June 10 1922 – June 22 1969 was an American actress and singer Other Springer-Ebb tunes include "How Little We Know," "Moonlight Gambler" and "Nevertheless I Never Lost the Blues".
On his first theatrical writing job he did songs with Norman Martin for the revue Put It in Writing, directed by Christopher Hewitt. He also worked with composer Paul Klein in the late 1950s, contributing songs to the Broadway revue From A to Z. From A to Z is a musical Revue with a book by Woody Allen, Herbert Farjeon and Nina Warner Hook and songs by Jerry Herman, Fred With Klein, Ebb wrote his first book musical, Morning Sun. Originally, Bob Fosse was attached as director. Robert Louis “Bob” Fosse ( June 23, 1927 – September 23, 1987) was an American Musical theater Choreographer and Fosse eventually withdrew from the project, and the show was unsuccessful.
Kander and Ebb
Music publisher Tommy Valando introduced Ebb to Kander in 1962. Kander and Ebb were a highly successful songwriting team consisting of Composer John Kander (born March 18 1927) and Lyricist Thomas F Valando ( March 1, 1916 &ndash February 14, 1995) was a Broadway producer and owner of an important New York City After a few songs such as "My Coloring Book," Kander and Ebb wrote a stage musical, Golden Gate, that was never produced. However, the quality of the score convinced producer Harold Prince to hire them for their first professional production, the George Abbott-directed musical Flora the Red Menace, based on Lester Atwell's novel Love is Just Around the Corner. Harold Smith Prince (born January 30 1928) is an American Theatrical producer and director associated with many of the best-known Broadway George Francis Abbott ( June 25, 1887 - January 31, 1995) was an American Theater producer and director, Playwright Flora the Red Menace is a musical with a book by David Thompson music by John Kander, and lyrics by Fred Ebb. Although it won star Liza Minnelli a Tony Award, the show closed quickly. The Antoinette Perry Awards for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Awards, recognize achievement in live American Theatre and are presented
Their second collaboration, Cabaret, was considerably more successful, running for nearly three years. Cabaret is a musical with a book by Joe Masteroff, lyrics by Fred Ebb, and music by John Kander. Directed by Prince and based on the John Van Druten play I Am a Camera (which, in turn, was based on the writing of Christopher Isherwood), the musical starred Jill Haworth as Sally Bowles, Lotte Lenya as Fraulein Schneider and Joel Grey as the emcee. I Am a Camera was a 1951 play by John Van Druten, inspired by Christopher Isherwood 's The Berlin Stories. Christopher Isherwood ( August 26, 1904 &ndash January 4, 1986) was an Anglo-American Novelist. Valerie Jill Haworth (born 15 August 1945) is a British actress Lotte Lenya ( October 18, 1898 &ndash November 27, 1981) was an Austrian Singer and Actress. Joel Grey (born April 11, 1932) is a Tony - Golden Globe - BAFTA - & Academy Award -winning American stage It won eight of the 11 Tony Awards for which it was nominated, including Best Musical and Best Score. Adapted into a film by Bob Fosse, it won numerous Academy Awards, though not Best Picture. Robert Louis “Bob” Fosse ( June 23, 1927 – September 23, 1987) was an American Musical theater Choreographer and It was revived twice, first in 1987 with Grey reprising his role and again in 1998 in a long-running revival, originally starring Alan Cumming as the emcee and Natasha Richardson as Sally Bowles. Alan Cumming (born 27 January 1965 is a Scottish film and stage Actor, perhaps best known for his supporting roles as Boris Grishenko in the Natasha Jane Richardson (born May 11, 1963) is an English actress known for her performances on stage and in Feature films She
Their next few works were less successful: The Happy Time, directed by Gower Champion and starring Robert Goulet, ran for less than a year. The Happy Time is a 1952 movie directed by the award-winning director Richard Fleischer. Gower Carlyle Champion ( June 22 1919 &ndash August 25 1980) was an American Theatre director, Choreographer Robert Gerard Goulet ( November 26 1933 – October 30 2007) was a Canadian Grammy - and Tony Award - winning Zorba, directed by Prince, also ran less than a year, though it was more successful in its 1983 revival; and 70, Girls, 70, which was originally intended as an off-Broadway production, closed after 35 performances. Zorba is a musical with a book by Joseph Stein, lyrics by Fred Ebb, and music by John Kander. 70 Girls 70 is a musical with a book by Fred Ebb and Norman L
In 1972, he wrote the television special, Liza with a Z. In 1974, Kander, Ebb and Fosse, contributed to Liza (concert), a concert for Minnelli on Broadway. In 1975, the team wrote the score to Funny Lady, the sequel to Funny Girl. Funny Lady is a 1975 film starring Barbra Streisand, James Caan, Omar Sharif, Roddy McDowall, and Ben Vereen Funny Girl is a Musical film based on the stage musical of the same name. Chicago (1975) had mixed reviews but ran for more than two years. Chicago is a Kander and Ebb musical set in prohibition era Chicago. Starring Chita Rivera, Jerry Orbach and Gwen Verdon in her last Broadway role, it suffered from a cynical attitude, which contrasted with the record-breaking popularity of A Chorus Line. Chita Rivera (born on January 23, 1933) is an American actress Dancer, and Singer best known for her roles in Musical theater Jerome Bernard Orbach ( October 20 1935 – December 28 2004) was an American Tony Award -winning Actor, Gwyneth Evelyn “Gwen” Verdon (January 13 1925 – October 18 2000 was an American Dancer and Actress. A Chorus Line is a musical about seventeen Broadway Dancers auditioning for spots on a Chorus line. Though rumors of a film production directed again by Fosse were heard, the show did not seriously re-surface until 1996, when it was revived as part of the Encores! series. New York City Center's Encores! Great American Musicals in Concert has been performing since 1994 A huge hit, the minimalist production transferred to Broadway and as of 2007 is still running after more than 4,000 performances. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. A film version was eventually produced (in 2002) and won Best Picture at the Academy Awards. Chicago is a Musical film adaptation of the satirical stage musical Chicago, the film explores the themes of
Ebb himself wrote the book for Shirley MacLaine’s Broadway solo revue in 1976. Shirley MacLaine (born April 24, 1934) is an American Academy Award -winning Film and Theater Actress, well-known The following year, Kander and Ebb worked with Minnelli and Martin Scorsese twice: first, in the film New York, New York, which had them write what is perhaps their best-known song, the title track; and, again in The Act, a musical about a fictional nightclub act. New York New York is a musical - Drama Film directed by Martin Scorsese, released in 1977. The Act was a popular and critically acclaimed Norwegian rock band in the mid 1980s It ran for under ten months. After contributing a song to Phyllis Newman’s one woman musical, the team wrote Woman of the Year, which starred Lauren Bacall and won the team their second Tony Award for Best Score. Phyllis Newman (born March 19, 1933) is a American Actress and Singer.
The Rink (1984) teamed Kander and Ebb again with Minnelli and Rivera. The Rink is a musical with a book by Terrence McNally, lyrics by Fred Ebb, and music by John Kander, the tenth Kander and Ebb collaboration The cast also included Jason Alexander and Rob Marshall. Jason Alexander (born September 23 1959 as Jay Scott Greenspan) is an American television cinema and Musical theatre comedic actor best known for his role Rob Marshall (born October 17 1960 in Madison, Wisconsin, US) is an American theater and Film director Following the closure of the show after six months, Kander and Ebb would not produce new material, save for a song in Hay Fever in 1985, for nine years. Hay Fever is a comic play written by Noel Coward in 1924 and first produced in 1925 with Marie Tempest as the first Judith Bliss In 1991, the revue And The World Goes 'Round opened off-Broadway, which brought Karen Ziemba, Susan Stroman and Scott Ellis to the attention of the theatre community. And the World Goes 'Round is a musical Revue showcasing the songs of John Kander and Fred Ebb. Karen Ziemba (born November 12, 1957) is an American actress singer and dancer best known for her work in Musical theatre Biography Susan Stroman (born October 17, 1954) is an American Broadway director, Choreographer, Film director, and Scott Ellis ( 19 April[[ 957]] Washington DC) is an American Stage director and Television director. The team’s musical adaptation of Kiss of the Spider Woman opened in 1993, starring Chita Rivera. Kiss of the Spider Woman is a musical with music by John Kander and Fred Ebb, book by Terrence McNally. Chita Rivera (born on January 23, 1933) is an American actress Dancer, and Singer best known for her roles in Musical theater Reunited with director Harold Prince, the show ran for more than two years and won them their third and last Tony Award for best score. Harold Smith Prince (born January 30 1928) is an American Theatrical producer and director associated with many of the best-known Broadway
The team’s last original work on Broadway opened in 1997. Steel Pier brought together Ziemba, Ellis and Stroman and though the show was nominated for 11 Tonys, it won none and closed after two months. Steel Pier is a musical written by the songwriting team of Kander and Ebb from the original book by David Thompson. It also featured Kristin Chenoweth. Kristin Chenoweth (born July 24, 1968) is an American Singer and Musical theatre, Film and Television Actress In 1997, Ebb reworked lyrics to Richard Rodgers' melody for the television production of Cinderella. Richard Charles Rodgers ( June 28, 1902, Arverne Queens, New York City &ndash December 30, 1979, New York Cinderella ( French: Cendrillon, Slovak: Popoluška, German: Aschenputtel, Spanish: Cenicienta Two decades earlier, Ebb refused the opportunity to write the musical Rex with Rodgers. Rex is a musical by Richard Rodgers, Sheldon Harnick, and Sherman Yellen.
The team also had two works produced outside New York. Over & Over, an adaptation of the Thornton Wilder play The Skin of Our Teeth, was performed at the Signature Theatre in Arlington, Virginia in 1999 and has been revamped for a 2007 staging by the Westport Country Playhouse under the title All of Us. Thornton Niven Wilder ( April 17, 1897 &ndash December 7, 1975) was an American Playwright and Novelist. The Skin of Our Teeth is a play by Thornton Wilder which won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The Westport Country Playhouse is a Theatre in Westport, Connecticut, founded in 1930 by Lawrence Langner All About Us is a musical with a book by Joseph Stein, lyrics by Fred Ebb, and music by John Kander. The Visit, starring Chita Rivera, was presented by the Goodman Theatre in Chicago. The Visit is a musical with a book by Terrence McNally, lyrics by Fred Ebb, and music by John Kander. The Goodman Theatre is a Theater in Chicago 's Loop, and part of Chicago theatre. Chicago (ʃɪˈkɑːgoʊ is the largest City by population in the state of Illinois and the American Midwest of the United States.
Death
Ebb died of a heart attack at his home in New York City. Myocardial infarction ( MI or AMI for acute myocardial infarction) also known as a heart attack, occurs when the blood supply The City of New York
At the time of his death, Ebb was working on a new musical with Kander, Curtains: A Backstage Murder Mystery Musical Comedy. Curtains is a musical with a book by Rupert Holmes, lyrics by Fred Ebb, and music by John Kander, with additional lyrics by Kander The project had already lost its book writer, Peter Stone, who died in 2001. Peter Stone ( February 27, 1930 – April 26, 2003) was a writer for theater television and movies The show's orchestrator, Michael Gibson, also died while the project was underway. Michael Gibson may refer to Michael Gibson (musician Michael Gibson (TV presenter Michael Gibson (soldier Coincidentally, the show is about a series of deaths during the production of a Broadway musical. [1]. Kander continued working on the project with a new librettist Rupert Holmes, writing new lyrics when necessary. Rupert Holmes (born February 24, 1947) is an American - British Composer, Singer-songwriter, Musician and The musical had its world premiere at the Ahmanson Theater in Los Angeles on July 25, 2006, in a cast featuring David Hyde Pierce, Debra Monk, Edward Hibbert, Jill Paice, Karen Ziemba and Jason Danieley, opening to positive reviews. Ahmanson Theatre is one of the four main venues that comprise the Los Angeles Music Center. Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West Events 285 - Diocletian appoints Maximian as Caesar, co-ruler Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. David Hyde Pierce (born April 3, 1959) is an American Actor, best known for his role as Psychiatrist Dr Debra Monk (born February 27, 1949) is an American Tony Award -winning actress singer and writer Edward Hibbert (born September 9, 1955 on Long Island, New York) is an American actor Voice actor, and Literary agent Jill Paice (28 is an American Broadway and Theatre actress Biography Paice attended Beavercreek High School in Beavercreek Karen Ziemba (born November 12, 1957) is an American actress singer and dancer best known for her work in Musical theatre Biography Jason Danieley (b July 31 1971) is an American Broadway performer best known for playing the lead in Candide. A Broadway transfer began at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre with previews on February 27, 2007 and an opening night on March 22. Broadway theater, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 39 large professional theaters with 500 seats or more located
At its 2007 ceremony, the Drama Desk honored Kander & (the late) Ebb with a special award for "42 years of excellence in advancing the art of the musical theater. "
Notes
- ^ Ebb’s birth year is a source of mystery. Many sources list 1933 as his birth year, 1, others, such as Colored Lights, claim 1936. After his death, many said that his actual birth year was 1928 2.
External links
- Fred Ebb Foundation
- Fred Ebb's Papers in the Music Division of The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts
- New York Review of Books: Hilton Als' "Girls & Guns" (3/27/03)
- Fred Ebb at Allmusic
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