Role

:

Composer  

Country

:

United States of America

Birth

:

July 10, 1931 in New York City, NY

Death

:

December 26, 2019 in Miami Beach, FL

Genre

:

Orchestral

 

 

Vocal

 

Jerry Herman was an American composer and lyricist who was born on July 10, 1931, in New York City. He was the son of Ruth and Harry Herman, who were both amateur musicians. His father played the violin, and his mother played the piano. Jerry Herman grew up in Jersey City, New Jersey, and showed an early interest in music. He began playing the piano at the age of six and started composing his own songs when he was in his teens. Herman attended the Parsons School of Design in New York City, where he studied painting and sculpture. However, he soon realized that his true passion was music, and he began to pursue a career in musical theater. He started out as a rehearsal pianist and worked his way up to become a composer and lyricist. Herman's first major success came in 1960 with the musical "Milk and Honey," which was set in Israel and featured a score that blended traditional Jewish music with Broadway-style show tunes. The show was a hit and ran for over 500 performances on Broadway. It also earned Herman his first Tony Award nomination for Best Composer and Lyricist. Herman's next major success came in 1964 with the musical "Hello, Dolly!" The show starred Carol Channing as the irrepressible matchmaker Dolly Levi and featured a score that included such classic songs as "Put On Your Sunday Clothes," "Before the Parade Passes By," and the title song, "Hello, Dolly!" The show was a huge hit and ran for over 2,800 performances on Broadway. It also won a record-breaking 10 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Score, and Best Actress for Channing. Herman's next musical, "Mame," premiered on Broadway in 1966. The show starred Angela Lansbury as the eccentric and free-spirited Mame Dennis and featured a score that included such memorable songs as "We Need a Little Christmas," "Bosom Buddies," and the title song, "Mame." The show was another hit and ran for over 1,500 performances on Broadway. It also earned Herman his third Tony Award nomination for Best Composer and Lyricist. Herman's next musical, "Dear World," premiered on Broadway in 1969. The show starred Angela Lansbury as a madwoman who believes she can save the world from destruction and featured a score that included such songs as "And I Was Beautiful," "I Don't Want to Know," and "Kiss Her Now." The show was not as successful as Herman's previous shows and ran for only 132 performances on Broadway. However, it did earn Herman his fourth Tony Award nomination for Best Composer and Lyricist. Herman's next musical, "Mack and Mabel," premiered on Broadway in 1974. The show starred Robert Preston as the legendary silent film director Mack Sennett and Bernadette Peters as his leading lady, Mabel Normand. The show featured a score that included such songs as "I Won't Send Roses," "Time Heals Everything," and "Tap Your Troubles Away." The show was not a commercial success and ran for only 66 performances on Broadway. However, it has since become a cult favorite among musical theater fans and has been revived several times. Herman's next musical, "The Grand Tour," premiered on Broadway in 1979. The show starred Joel Grey as a Jewish-American soldier who is captured by the Germans during World War II and sent to a prisoner-of-war camp. The show featured a score that included such songs as "I Belong Here," "Marianne," and "You I Like." The show was not a commercial success and ran for only 61 performances on Broadway.

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