Read Online Alan Jay Lerner: A Lyricist's Letters by Dominic McHugh - Free Book Online
Authors: Dominic McHugh
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to Post,”
New York Times
, March 14, 1951, 52. Cyd Charisse (1922–2008) was a leading actress and dancer for MGM in the 1950s, with credits including
The Band Wagon
and
Silk Stockings
.
142 Louis Calta, “
Paint Your Wagon
Will Arrive Oct. 15,”
New York Times
, June 19, 1951, 33 .
143 Lewis Funke, “News and Gossip Gathered on the Rialto,”
New York Times
, September 2, 1951, 53 .
144 Sam Zolotow, “
Paint Your Wagon
to Open on November 5,”
New York Times
, September 26, 1951, 37 .
145 Oscar Levant (1906–72) was a pianist, screen actor, personality, and writer.
146 Leslie Caron (1931–) is an award-winning actress who later appeared in Lerner’s
Gigi
(1958).
147 Thomas M. Pryor, “Decca Would Buy Universal Stock,”
New York Times
, October 4, 1951, 38 .
148 Alan Jay Lerner, “Painting the Wagon,”
New York Times
, November 11, 1951, X1 .
149 Brooks Atkinson, “At the Theatre,”
New York Times
, November 13, 1951, 32 .
150 Brooks Atkinson, “Swell Folks,”
New York Times
, November 18, 1951, X1 .
151 Suskin,
Opening Night
, 531–532.
152 Joe E. Brown (1891–1973) was an American actor and comedian, perhaps best remembered today for his appearances in movies such as
Show Boat
(1951) and
Some Like It Hot
(1959).
153 Jack Oakie (1903–1978) was an American actor, whose Hollywood career lasted from the 1920s through to the Doris Day–Rock Hudson film
Lover Come Back
(1961).
154 Richard LaMarr was a regular casting agent for Lerner and Loewe’s Broadway productions, including the original productions of
The Day Before Spring
and
Brigadoon
.
155 Eddie Dowling (1889–1976) had a wide-ranging career as an actor, producer, director and writer. He appeared in, produced, and directed the original Broadway production of
The Glass Menagerie
.
156 Armand Aulicino, “A Musical that Kept on Growing,”
Theatre Arts
, December, 1952, 33–35 .
CHAPTER 2
“Open Your Eyes”
LERNER WITHOUT LOEWE AND THE MGM YEARS, 1952–1955
In March 1952, Lerner and Loewe entered into discussions with The Theatre Guild about the possibility of writing a musical version of George Bernard Shaw’s hit play
Pygmalion
(1912). The rights to the play were owned by Gabriel Pascal, the Hungarian producer who had been responsible for its 1938 film adaptation. Shaw had forbidden all attempts to write a musical version of any of his plays after the popularity of Oscar Straus’s operetta
The Chocolate Soldier
(1908) had completely eclipsed that of his play
Arms and the Man
(1894), on which it was based. But following Shaw’s death in 1950, Pascal joined forces with The Theatre Guild—the guiding force behind the early Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals
Oklahoma!
and
Carousel
—to try to bring about a musical
Pygmalion
. Rodgers and Hammerstein pondered the idea but could not find a way of developing the adaptation, then Irving Berlin, Frank Loesser, and Cole Porter all considered but turned down the project, mostly because they were too busy with other musicals.
However, Lerner and Loewe sensed the play might suit them and spent several months working on it in 1952. In the following letter, Lerner writes to Pascal about his initial ideas for the adaptation. He also expresses his eagerness for Mary Martin—the star of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s
South Pacific
(1949),in which she was appearing in London’s West End at the time—to take the role of Eliza Doolittle:
To Gabriel Pascal
10 May 1952
Dear Gabriel,
I can’t find a typewriter on the premises so you’ll have to put up with my penmanship. If you have any trouble reading it, call the cryptology division of the F.B.I. and they’ll help you.
I had a lovely flight down and for the past two days I’ve been eating, sleeping, swimming, and sunbathing, and in general
New York Times
, March 14, 1951, 52. Cyd Charisse (1922–2008) was a leading actress and dancer for MGM in the 1950s, with credits including
The Band Wagon
and
Silk Stockings
.
142 Louis Calta, “
Paint Your Wagon
Will Arrive Oct. 15,”
New York Times
, June 19, 1951, 33 .
143 Lewis Funke, “News and Gossip Gathered on the Rialto,”
New York Times
, September 2, 1951, 53 .
144 Sam Zolotow, “
Paint Your Wagon
to Open on November 5,”
New York Times
, September 26, 1951, 37 .
145 Oscar Levant (1906–72) was a pianist, screen actor, personality, and writer.
146 Leslie Caron (1931–) is an award-winning actress who later appeared in Lerner’s
Gigi
(1958).
147 Thomas M. Pryor, “Decca Would Buy Universal Stock,”
New York Times
, October 4, 1951, 38 .
148 Alan Jay Lerner, “Painting the Wagon,”
New York Times
, November 11, 1951, X1 .
149 Brooks Atkinson, “At the Theatre,”
New York Times
, November 13, 1951, 32 .
150 Brooks Atkinson, “Swell Folks,”
New York Times
, November 18, 1951, X1 .
151 Suskin,
Opening Night
, 531–532.
152 Joe E. Brown (1891–1973) was an American actor and comedian, perhaps best remembered today for his appearances in movies such as
Show Boat
(1951) and
Some Like It Hot
(1959).
153 Jack Oakie (1903–1978) was an American actor, whose Hollywood career lasted from the 1920s through to the Doris Day–Rock Hudson film
Lover Come Back
(1961).
154 Richard LaMarr was a regular casting agent for Lerner and Loewe’s Broadway productions, including the original productions of
The Day Before Spring
and
Brigadoon
.
155 Eddie Dowling (1889–1976) had a wide-ranging career as an actor, producer, director and writer. He appeared in, produced, and directed the original Broadway production of
The Glass Menagerie
.
156 Armand Aulicino, “A Musical that Kept on Growing,”
Theatre Arts
, December, 1952, 33–35 .
CHAPTER 2
“Open Your Eyes”
LERNER WITHOUT LOEWE AND THE MGM YEARS, 1952–1955
In March 1952, Lerner and Loewe entered into discussions with The Theatre Guild about the possibility of writing a musical version of George Bernard Shaw’s hit play
Pygmalion
(1912). The rights to the play were owned by Gabriel Pascal, the Hungarian producer who had been responsible for its 1938 film adaptation. Shaw had forbidden all attempts to write a musical version of any of his plays after the popularity of Oscar Straus’s operetta
The Chocolate Soldier
(1908) had completely eclipsed that of his play
Arms and the Man
(1894), on which it was based. But following Shaw’s death in 1950, Pascal joined forces with The Theatre Guild—the guiding force behind the early Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals
Oklahoma!
and
Carousel
—to try to bring about a musical
Pygmalion
. Rodgers and Hammerstein pondered the idea but could not find a way of developing the adaptation, then Irving Berlin, Frank Loesser, and Cole Porter all considered but turned down the project, mostly because they were too busy with other musicals.
However, Lerner and Loewe sensed the play might suit them and spent several months working on it in 1952. In the following letter, Lerner writes to Pascal about his initial ideas for the adaptation. He also expresses his eagerness for Mary Martin—the star of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s
South Pacific
(1949),in which she was appearing in London’s West End at the time—to take the role of Eliza Doolittle:
To Gabriel Pascal
10 May 1952
Dear Gabriel,
I can’t find a typewriter on the premises so you’ll have to put up with my penmanship. If you have any trouble reading it, call the cryptology division of the F.B.I. and they’ll help you.
I had a lovely flight down and for the past two days I’ve been eating, sleeping, swimming, and sunbathing, and in general
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