Goodbye Jerry....sad news

[edjames]

Broadway great Jerry Herman has passed away. His brilliant talent will be missed but lives on in his award winning scores.

 

 

Jerry Herman, Composer of ‘Hello, Dolly!’ and Other Broadway Hits, Dies at 88

 

His rich melodies and powerful lyrics, also heard in “Mame” and “La Cage aux Folles,” dazzled critics and kept audiences returning for more.

Jerry Herman, the Broadway composer-lyricist who gave America the rousing, old-fashioned musicals “Hello, Dolly!” and “Mame” in the 1960s and Broadway’s first musical featuring gay lovers, “La Cage aux Folles,” in the 1980s, died on Thursday in Miami. He was 88.

His death, at a hospital, was confirmed by Jane Dorian, his goddaughter.

Mr. Herman wrote music that left the nation singing — rich melodies with powerful lyrics that stopped shows, dazzled critics, kept audiences returning for more and paved Broadway with gold for producers and performers.

 

Obit too long to post, please go to NYTimes website for entire article.

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/27/theater/jerry-herman-dead.html

[+ WilliamM]

 

 

 

I never understood the appeal of "Hello, Dolly."

[+ Charlie]

In the summer of 1967, I went to Fire Island for a weekend with my friend Dale, who had just broken up with his longtime boyfriend, and was looking for some fun. We got a hotel room in Cherry Grove, and on Saturday night we went to the dance bar. I was tired and went back to the room, and was just falling asleep, when Dale arrived back....with Jerry, who was staying with straight friends in the Pines. I was not about to get dressed and go out again, so I tried to lie there unobtrusively while the two of them carried on in the darkened room. Afterwards, the three of us chatted pleasantly for awhile before Jerry left to return to the Pines.

 

Many years later, Jerry was having a "friends with benefits" relationship in New York with my best friend Richard. I told Richard about that incident on Fire Island, and Jerry was amazed when Richard reminded him of it. He couldn't believe I could remember it in such detail. How could I not? It had made our trip to Fire Island a wild success for Dale.

[+ WilliamM]

By 1967 "Hello, Dolly" had opened in New York and London, toured the United States and played Japan and even Vietnam military bases with Mary Martin.

 

Right?

[bostonman]

With Herman’s passing, I think we really can say that we’ve lost all the great songwriters from the classic “golden age” era. I’m not counting some we still have like Sondheim and Kander, as I feel they also helped define an era beyond that, while Herman really stayed in the more classic feel of songs and shows. He kept writing only as he knew how to write and never strayed from that, even as he clearly felt that the musical theatre world was otherwise moving away from the “simple show tune.” He will be very much missed.

[+ WilliamM]

With Herman’s passing, I think we really can say that we’ve lost all the great songwriters from the classic “golden age” era. I’m not counting some we still have like Sondheim and Kander, as I feel they also helped define an era beyond that, while Herman really stayed in the more classic feel of songs and shows. He kept writing only as he knew how to write and never strayed from that, even as he clearly felt that the musical theatre world was otherwise moving away from the “simple show tune.” He will be very much missed.

 

I look forward to seeing the Puccini opreras with Anna Netrebko tomorrow afternoon at the Met. Sorry about Jerry Herman though

[TruthBTold]

With Herman’s passing, I think we really can say that we’ve lost all the great songwriters from the classic “golden age” era. I’m not counting some we still have like Sondheim and Kander, as I feel they also helped define an era beyond that, while Herman really stayed in the more classic feel of songs and shows. He kept writing only as he knew how to write and never strayed from that, even as he clearly felt that the musical theatre world was otherwise moving away from the “simple show tune.” He will be very much missed.

 

I think that you are right that Herman maintained the musical tradition that was more the 50s and 60s. The Sondheim and Kander built on that in the 70s and 80s, altering the tradition in unexpected ways and becoming Broadways kings. Unfortunately in my eyes then came those men who seem to write musicals that had one or two decent songs to them. Many became movie musicals. Oh well, I am getting old and will always see Sondheim as my god. (I'm not saying he did not produce a disaster or two - have you seen Assassins?)

[+ WilliamM]

Jerry Herman was a contestant on "What's My Line" after "Hello, Dolly" opened in New York.

 

He signed in as Mr. x. The panel narrowed his line to music composer. But, didn't recognize him until John Daly mentioned he was composer & lyrist for Dolly. Arlene Francis: I read for Dolly; angry at myself for not recognizing Jerry.

 

I didn't remember how good looking Mr. Herman was. Episode is available on YouTube.

Edited January 1, 2020 by WilliamM