Adolph Green facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Adolph Green
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Green wearing the Kennedy Center Honors
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| Born | December 2, 1914 |
| Died | October 23, 2002 (aged 87) New York City, U.S.
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| Occupation | Playwright, songwriter |
| Years active | 1944–2002 |
| Spouse(s) |
Elizabeth Reitell
(m. 1941, divorced) |
| Children | Adam Green Amanda Green |
Adolph Green (born December 2, 1914 – died October 23, 2002) was an American lyricist and playwright. He worked closely with his partner, Betty Comden, for many years. Together, they wrote the stories and songs for some of the most famous movie musicals. Many of these were made by Arthur Freed's team at Metro Goldwyn Mayer during the golden age of musicals.
Even though many people thought they were married, Adolph Green and Betty Comden were not a couple. They were, however, a very talented team. They shared a special sense of humor and cleverness. This helped them work together for sixty years. Their partnership created some of Hollywood and Broadway's biggest hits.
Contents
Who Was Adolph Green?
Early Life and The Revuers
Adolph Green was born in the Bronx, New York. His parents were immigrants from Hungary. After high school, he worked on Wall Street. At the same time, he tried to become an actor.
In 1938, he met Betty Comden through friends. She was studying drama at New York University. They formed a group called The Revuers. This group performed at the Village Vanguard, a club in Greenwich Village. A young comedian named Judy Tuvim, who later became Judy Holliday, was part of the group. Green's good friend, a musician named Leonard Bernstein, often played piano for them.
The Revuers became popular. They even got an offer to be in a movie called Greenwich Village (1944). But their parts were very small, so they soon returned to New York.
Broadway and Hollywood Success
Green and Comden then started writing for Broadway. Their first big musical was On the Town (1944). It was about three sailors on leave in New York City. They worked with Leonard Bernstein and choreographer Jerome Robbins on this show. Comden and Green wrote the songs and the story. They even had big parts in the show themselves.
After a couple of less successful musicals, they went to California. They quickly found work at MGM, a big movie studio. They wrote the movie scripts for films like Good News (1947) and The Barkleys of Broadway (1949). They also adapted their own musical, On the Town, into a movie.
Singin' in the Rain and Other Hits
Their most famous project was Singin' in the Rain (1952). This classic movie musical is about Hollywood during the end of the silent film era. Many people think it is the best movie musical ever made. The American Film Institute even ranked it as one of the top 100 American movies of the 20th century.
They followed this success with another hit, The Band Wagon (1953). In this film, two characters who write a play were based on Comden and Green themselves. They were nominated for Oscars twice for their screenplays. They also won Screen Writers Guild Awards for On the Town, Singin' in the Rain, and Bells Are Ringing.
Their stage work included the musical Wonderful Town (1953). This show was about two sisters from Ohio trying to make it in the Big Apple. They also wrote Bells Are Ringing (1956). This musical reunited them with Judy Holliday. It featured popular songs like "Just in Time" and "The Party’s Over."
In 1958, they performed on Broadway in A Party with Betty Comden and Adolph Green. This show featured some of their older skits. It was very popular, and they brought an updated version back to Broadway in 1977.
They also worked on the Mary Martin version of Peter Pan. They wrote for the Metropolitan Opera and for stars like Carol Burnett and Lauren Bacall.
Not all their shows were huge hits. For example, A Doll's Life (1982) only ran for five performances. However, they still received Tony Award nominations for it.
Awards and Recognition
Adolph Green received many honors for his work.
- In 1980, he was added to the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
- In 1981, he joined the American Theatre Hall of Fame.
- In 1989, he acted in Leonard Bernstein's Candide.
- In 1991, Comden and Green received Kennedy Center Honors. This is a very high award for artists in the United States.
Adolph Green passed away on October 23, 2002. A special memorial was held for him on Broadway. Many famous actors and writers attended, including Lauren Bacall and Betty Comden.
Adolph Green's Family Life
Adolph Green was married three times. His third wife was actress Phyllis Newman. She had been a backup actress for Judy Holliday in Bells Are Ringing. They married in 1960 and stayed together until Green's death in 2002. They had two children, Adam and Amanda. Both of their children grew up to be songwriters, just like their parents.
Broadway Shows He Wrote For
- On the Town (1944)
- Billion Dollar Baby (1945)
- Two on the Aisle (1951)
- Wonderful Town (1953)
- Peter Pan (1954)
- Bells Are Ringing (1956)
- Say, Darling (1958)
- A Party with Betty Comden and Adolph Green (1958)
- Do Re Mi (1960)
- Subways Are for Sleeping (1961)
- Fade Out – Fade In (1964)
- Hallelujah, Baby! (1967)
- Applause (1970)
- Lorelei (1974)
- On the Twentieth Century (1978)
- The Madwoman of Central Park West (1979)
- A Doll's Life (1982)
- Singin' in the Rain (1985)
- The Will Rogers Follies (1991)
Movies He Wrote For
- Good News (1947)
- The Barkleys of Broadway (1949)
- On the Town (1949)
- Singin' in the Rain (1952)
- The Band Wagon (1953)
- It's Always Fair Weather (1955)
- Auntie Mame (1958)
- Bells Are Ringing (1960)
- What a Way to Go! (1964)
- My Favorite Year (1982)
Movies and TV Shows He Acted In
- Greenwich Village (1944) as Revuer (uncredited)
- Simon (1980) as Commune Leader
- My Favorite Year (1982) as Leo Silver
- Lily in Love (1984) as Jerry Silber
- Garbo Talks (1984) as himself
- I Want to Go Home (1989) as Joey Wellman
- Candide (1991, TV Movie) as Dr. Pangloss / Martin
- Frasier (1994, TV Series) as Walter (voice)
- The Substance of Fire (1996) as Mr. Musselblatt (his last film role)
Awards He Won
- Writers Guild of America Award
- 1950: On the Town (Best Written American Musical)
- 1953: Singin' in the Rain (Best Written American Musical)
- 1961: Bells Are Ringing (Best Written American Musical)
- 2001: Laurel Award for Screen Writing Achievement (for his lifetime work)
- New York Drama Critics' Circle Award
- 1953: Wonderful Town (Best Musical)
- 1991: The Will Rogers Follies (Best Musical)
- Tony Award
- 1968: Hallelujah, Baby! (Best Composer and Lyricist)
- 1978: On the Twentieth Century (Best Book of a Musical and Best Original Score)
- 1991: The Will Rogers Follies (Best Original Score)
- National Board of Review Award
- 1995: Distinction in Screenwriting
See Also
In Spanish: Adolph Green para niños
