Word: loessers
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...none other than David Merrick, who then, as now, conceived of musicals as a kind of vaudeville show tailored for big stars. In Take Me Along's case, Merrick's original choice of a star was Anthony Perkins (in the role of Richard). Perkins, however, took another offer (Frank Loesser's Greenwillow), and Jackie Gleason was hired to star instead, in the role...
...song that epitomizes Loesser's direct style. Rarely was his music concerned exclusively with itself. The lyrics came first, and he proved it by the way he wedded his tunes to the rhythms of the words-by the way he always left room in his songs for a good laugh. Loesser also had a knack for turning the harsh into the lyric. While Guys and Dolls was still on its pre-Broadway tour, Loesser became fascinated with a line in Abe Burrows' book and decided to make a song out of it: The Oldest Established Permanent Floating Crap...
...Loesser was something of a family black sheep. He showed a distinct preference for baseball, slang and jazz-all alien to the cultural traditions of his European-emigrant parents. His German father was an eminent New York piano teacher, his Czech mother a lecturer and translator of books. Brother Arthur was a well-known concert pianist, critic and teacher until his death last January. As for Frank, he lasted out the early days of the Depression on hustle and odd jobs, then began singing his own songs for his supper at an East Side night spot. That...
...Loesser was a tough-minded and competitive businessman who managed his own publishing, producing, management and booking companies. But he was devoid of pretense and the professional jealousy that afflicted so many others in the business. It was Loesser who refused Author-Director George Abbott's offer to write Pajama Game, instead pressured Abbott into giving two young writers named Jerry Ross and Richard Adler a chance. They made the most of it. Pajama Game (1954) was a smash. If Frank Loesser believed in his friends and proteges, he also believed in himself. And who could blame...
Died. Frank Loesser, 59, composer-lyricist who gave Broadway Guys and Dolls and many other hits (see Music...