Jerry Herman: Poet of the Showtune

353 Pages·2004·1.53 MB·English

by  Mr. Stephen Citron

JERRY HERMAN
ALSO BY STEPHEN CITRON
Play It Again,Sam—By Ear! A Piano Method
The Paderewski Memoirs (editor)
The Inn and Us (with Anne Edwards)
Songwriting:A Complete Guide to the Craft
The Musical from the Inside Out
Noel and Cole:The Sophisticates
The Wordsmiths:Oscar Hammerstein 2nd and Alan Jay Lerner
Sondheim and Lloyd-Webber:The New Musical
JERRY HERMAN
poet of the showtune
stephen citron
yale university press / new haven and london
Copyright © 2004 by Stephen Citron.
All rights reserved.
This book may not be reproduced,in whole or in part,including illustrations,in any
form (beyond that copying permitted by Sections 107 and 108 ofthe U.S.Copyright
Law and except by reviewers for the public press),without written permission from the
publishers.
Designed by Mary Valencia
Set in Minion and Franklin Gothic type by The Composing Room ofMichigan,Inc.
Printed in the United States ofAmerica by Vail-Ballou Press.
Library ofCongress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Citron,Stephen.
Jerry Herman :poet ofthe showtune / Stephen Citron.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references (p. ) and index.
“Songs,shows,music in print,and recordings”:p. .
ISBN 0-300-10082-5 (cloth :alk.paper)
1. Herman,Jerry,1933– . 2. Composers—United States—Biography. I. Title.
ML410.H5624C58 2004
(cid:2) (cid:2)
782.14092—dc22
2003027632
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
The paper in this book meets the guidelines for permanence and durability of the
Committee on Production Guidelines for Book Longevity ofthe Council on Library
Resources.
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
For Alexander Citron:
my son, my student, my colleague

CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ix
CHAPTER1
If You Believe 1
CHAPTER2
Early Days 9
CHAPTER3
College and Beyond 26
CHAPTER4
Milk and Honey 47
CHAPTER5
A Damned Exasperating Woman 71
CHAPTER6
Hello, Dolly! 92
CHAPTER7
Mame 122
CHAPTER8
Mame—and Its Movie 147
CHAPTER9
Dear World 162
CONTENTS viii
CHAPTER10
Mack and Mabel 183
CHAPTER11
The Grand Tour 206
CHAPTER12
La Cage aux Folles 225
CHAPTER13
After La Cage 254
CHAPTER14
The Road Ahead 273
APPENDIX: SONGS, SHOWS,
MUSIC IN PRINT, AND RECORDINGS 285
NOTES 301
GLOSSARY OF MUSICAL, LYRIC,
AND THEATRICAL TERMS 307
BIBLIOGRAPHY 313
SONG CREDITS 315
INDEX 325
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
In November 1999,when I first began to write this book,I invited Jerry Her-
man to my apartment in Manhattan for a brunch interview.When he ar-
rived at my door,I could not see the man for the three towering gray baker’s
boxes he bore.That afternoon I began to understand that Herman’s magna-
nimity with Danish pastry,doughnuts,and muffins was typical ofhis forth-
right quality as a man and an artist.I had long acquaintance with the gener-
ous output of music and lyrics that has made him a major force in the
American musical theater. He is that rare subject, a joy for a biographer,
possessed of total recall and never too busy to answer a question.Honest
but never hurtful in discussing colleagues,giving but not controlling.For
his permission to quote generously from his work,I am deeply indebted;for
his magnificent oeuvre,the world is much richer.
Because ofhis big-heartedness and lack ofvitriol (in a profession noted
for its acrimony),Herman is much beloved,and fortunate to have many
close friends,all ofwhom lent a hand in getting to the essence ofthe man as
presented in the pages that follow.Chiefamong them is Sheila Mack,who
has been his secretary/cook/major domo,confidante,and friend for most
ofhis life.Sheila,who keeps extensive and immaculate files ofHerman’s ca-
reer,was most helpful in digging out facts as well as photos,many ofthem
never before published.For open-ended interviews,her insight,and gen-
erosity,a deep bow.
Many thanks also to Herman’s agent,Samuel “Biff”Liffofthe William
Morris Agency, who volunteered opinions, facts, and figures about Her-
man’s career.Thanks also to Jack Hutto,Herman’s agent during the Mame
era and beyond.
Priscilla Morgan was Herman’s first agent.It was she who looked after
him during the late 1950s and early 1960s.She came back into his artistic
life in the 1990s with his television special Mrs.Santa Claus.For several in-
depth interviews,my deep gratitude.
Edwin H.Morris has been Herman’s publisher since the beginning of
his career.I am most grateful to Peter Silvestri there,and to his associates
ix