George Abbott facts for kids

Quick facts for kids George Abbott
Born	George Francis Abbott (1887-06-25)June 25, 1887 Forestville, New York, U.S.
Died	Error: Need valid death date (first date): year, month, day Miami Beach, Florida, U.S.
Occupation	Theatre producer theatre director playwright screenwriter film producer film director
Alma mater	University of Rochester
Period	1913–1995
Notable awards	Drama Desk Award Outstanding Director (1983) Pulitzer Prize for Drama (1960) Tony Award Best Direction (1960, 1963) Tony Award Best Musical (1955, 1956, 1960) Special Tony Award (1987) National Medal of Arts (1990)
Spouse	Edna Levis ​ ​ (m. 1914; died 1930)​ Mary Sinclair ​ ​ (m. 1946; div. 1951)​ Joy Valderrama ​ ​ (m. 1983)​

George Francis Abbott (June 25, 1887–January 31, 1995) was an American theatre and film legend. He worked as a producer, director, writer, and more for over 80 years! He won many awards, including six Tony Awards, a Pulitzer Prize, and the Kennedy Center Honors. He is also part of the American Theatre Hall of Fame.

George Abbott even acted in movies in the 1920s and 1930s. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his writing on the movie All Quiet on the Western Front (1930).

Early Life and Education

George Abbott was born in Forestville, New York. His family later moved to Salamanca, where his father was elected mayor twice. In 1898, his family moved to Cheyenne, Wyoming. He went to Kearney Military Academy there. A few years later, his family returned to New York. He graduated from Hamburg High School in 1907.

In 1911, he earned a degree from the University of Rochester. While there, he wrote his first play, Perfectly Harmless. He then studied playwriting at Harvard University. His play The Head of the Family was performed at Harvard in 1912. After college, he worked at the Bijou Theatre in Boston. His play The Man in the Manhole won a contest there.

A Long and Successful Career

George Abbott and Philip Dunning (1928)

George Abbott started acting on Broadway in 1913. His first role was in a play called The Misleading Lady. While acting, he also began to write. His first successful play was The Fall Guy (1925).

Abbott became known as a "show doctor." This meant he was great at fixing plays that were having problems before they opened on Broadway. He would help make them better and more successful. His first big hit was Broadway in 1926. He wrote and directed it with Philip Dunning. The play ran for over 600 performances! After that, he had many more hits. It was rare for a year to pass without an Abbott show on Broadway.

He also worked in Hollywood, writing and directing films. But he always kept working in theatre too.

Many famous people worked with George Abbott when they were just starting out. These include Gene Kelly, Carol Burnett, Liza Minnelli, Leonard Bernstein, and Stephen Sondheim. He helped create a fast-paced, exciting style of theatre. This style influenced many future directors like Jerome Robbins and Bob Fosse.

His Own Story

In 1963, George Abbott wrote a book about his life. It was called Mister Abbott.

Personal Life

George Abbott was married to Edna Lewis from 1914 until she passed away in 1930. They had one child together. Later, he married actress Mary Sinclair in 1946. They were married for five years. His third wife was Joy Valderrama. They were married from 1983 until his death.

George Abbott was a very active person. He stayed busy golfing and dancing even after he turned 100! He passed away from a stroke on January 31, 1995, at his home in Miami Beach, Florida. He was 107 years old. He was cremated, and his ashes were kept by his wife.

Family

George Abbott was survived by his wife, Joy, who passed away in 2020. He also had a sister, Isabel Juergens, who lived to be 102. He had two granddaughters, Amy Clark Davidson and Susan Clark Hansley, and a grandson, George Clark. He also had six great-grandchildren.

Honors and Tributes

George Abbott received many honors for his amazing career. In 1965, a theatre on 54th Street in New York City was named the George Abbott Theatre in his honor. Even though the building was taken down in 1970, part of West 45th Street in New York City is still named George Abbott Way after him.

He received the Handel Medallion from New York City in 1976. He also got honorary degrees from the Universities of Rochester and Miami. In 1982, he received the Kennedy Centre Lifetime Achievement Award. He was also inducted into the Western New York Entertainment Hall of Fame and the American Theatre Hall of Fame. In 1990, he was given the National Medal of Arts.

His Work

George Abbott worked on many plays and musicals throughout his long career. Here are some of them:

Stage Productions

• 1915: The Yeomen of the Guard (actor)
• 1918: Daddies (actor)
• 1920: The Broken Wing (actor)
• 1923: Zander the Great (actor)
• 1924: Hell-Bent Fer Heaven (actor)
• 1925: The Fall Guy (playwright)
• 1926: Love 'em and Leave 'em (playwright, director)
• 1926: Chicago (director)
• 1926: Broadway (playwright, director)
• 1928: Gentlemen of the Press (director)
• 1932: Lilly Turner (playwright, director, producer)
• 1932: Twentieth Century (director, producer)
• 1934: Small Miracle (director)
• 1935: Three Men on a Horse (playwright, director)
• 1935: Jumbo (director)
• 1936: On Your Toes (book)
• 1937: Room Service (director, producer)
• 1937: Brown Sugar (director, producer)
• 1938: The Boys from Syracuse (book, director, producer)
• 1939: Too Many Girls (director, producer)
• 1940: Pal Joey (director, producer)
• 1940: The Unconquered (producer, director)
• 1941: Best Foot Forward (producer, director)
• 1943: Kiss and Tell (play) (producer, director)
• 1944: A Highland Fling (play) (producer, director)
• 1944: On the Town (director)
• 1945: Billion Dollar Baby (musical) (director)
• 1947: High Button Shoes (director)
• 1948: Where's Charley? (book, director)
• 1949: Mrs. Gibbons' Boys (producer, director)
• 1950: Call Me Madam (director)
• 1951: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (book, director, producer)
• 1953: Wonderful Town (director) Me and Juliet (director)
• 1954: The Pajama Game (book, director)
• 1957: New Girl in Town (book, director)
• 1959: Once Upon a Mattress (director)
• 1959: Fiorello! (book, director)
• 1960: Tenderloin (book, director)
• 1961: Take Her, She's Mine (director)
• 1962: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (director)
• 1962: Never Too Late (director)
• 1964: Fade Out – Fade In (director)
• 1965: Flora, The Red Menace (book, director)
• 1965: Anya (book, director)
• 1967: How Now, Dow Jones (director)
• 1968: The Education of H*Y*M*A*N K*A*P*L*A*N (director)
• 1969: The Fig Leaves Are Falling (director)
• 1970: Norman, Is That You? (director)
• 1976: Music Is (book, director)
• 1987: Broadway (revival, book, director)

Filmography

Awards and Nominations

George Abbott won many awards and was nominated for others throughout his career.

Awards

• 1955 Tony Award for Best Musical – The Pajama Game
• 1960 Pulitzer Prize for Drama – Fiorello!
• 1960 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical – Fiorello!
• 1960 Tony Award for Best Musical – Fiorello!
• 1963 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical – A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
• 1976 Special Tony Award: The Lawrence Langer award
• 1983 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Director of a Musical – On Your Toes
• 1987 Special Tony Award on the occasion of his 100th birthday

Nominations

• 1930 Academy Award for Best Achievement in Writing – All Quiet on the Western Front
• 1958 Tony Award for Best Musical – New Girl in Town
• 1958 Writers Guild of America Award for Best Written American Musical – The Pajama Game
• 1963 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play – Never Too Late
• 1968 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical – How Now, Dow Jones

See also

In Spanish: George Abbott para niños

• List of centenarians (actors, filmmakers and entertainers)