Howard Ashman facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Howard Ashman
Ashman in 1989
Born	Howard Elliott Ashman (1950-05-17)May 17, 1950 Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Died	March 14, 1991(1991-03-14) (aged 40) Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
Resting place	Ohev Shalom Memorial Park, Reisterstown, Maryland, U.S.
Alma mater	Indiana University Boston University
Occupation	Playwright lyricist stage director
Years active	1977–1991
Partner(s)	Stuart White (1969-1980, 1983) Bill Lauch (1984-1991)

Howard Elliott Ashman (born May 17, 1950 – died March 14, 1991) was an amazing American writer, lyricist, and theater director. He is best known for creating songs for famous Walt Disney Animation Studios movies. Howard Ashman worked closely with composer Alan Menken. Ashman wrote the words for the songs, and Menken created the music.

Together, they made magic for films like Little Shop of Horrors, The Little Mermaid, and Beauty and the Beast. He also started working on Aladdin. Sadly, he passed away in 1991 before Aladdin was finished. Another talented lyricist, Tim Rice, completed the songs for that film.

Early Life and Learning Years

Howard Ashman was born in Baltimore, Maryland. His father, Raymond Albert Ashman, made ice cream cones. Howard's family was Jewish. He loved theater from a young age. He started acting with the Children's Theater Association (CTA). One of his first roles was playing Aladdin!

Ashman studied at several universities. He went to Boston University and Goddard College. He also attended a summer theater program at Tufts University. In 1974, he earned a master's degree in Fine Arts from Indiana University.

Howard Ashman's Creative Career

After college, Howard moved to New York City. He first worked as an editor. Soon, he became the artistic director of the WPA Theater in New York in 1977. This is where he met Alan Menken, who would become his long-time music partner. They met at a special workshop for songwriters.

Working with Alan Menken

Howard Ashman and Alan Menken first worked together on a musical in 1979. It was called Kurt Vonnegut's God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater. Their next project was a huge success: Little Shop of Horrors. Howard directed the musical, wrote the lyrics, and helped write the story. This musical won an award for its amazing lyrics.

Howard also directed a workshop for another musical called Nine. He asked a question that inspired a famous song in that musical.

Broadway and Film Projects

In 1986, Howard Ashman directed and wrote songs for a Broadway musical called Smile. Later that year, he wrote the movie script for Little Shop of Horrors. He also added two new songs for the film. One of these songs, "Mean Green Mother from Outer Space", was even nominated for an Academy Award.

Making Magic at Disney

Howard Ashman joined Walt Disney Animation Studios in 1986. He first wrote lyrics for a song in the movie Oliver & Company. While there, he heard about a new project: The Little Mermaid. This was Disney's first fairy tale movie in 30 years!

Howard and Alan Menken wrote all the songs for The Little Mermaid. Howard was a key person during this time, which is now called the "Disney Renaissance". He believed that animation and music were perfect together. He also helped choose actors who were great at both singing and acting.

The Little Mermaid came out in 1989 and was a huge hit. Ashman and Menken won an Academy Award for "Under the Sea". They were also nominated for "Kiss the Girl".

Creating Aladdin and Beauty and the Beast

In 1988, while working on The Little Mermaid, Howard suggested making an animated musical of Aladdin. He wrote some songs and a story idea with Alan Menken. Even though the story changed a lot, three of Howard's songs ended up in the final movie. Aladdin was released after his death.

During this time, Howard and Alan were also asked to help with Beauty and the Beast. This movie was not going well as a non-musical. Howard agreed to help, even though he wanted to focus on Aladdin and his health. He finished the lyrics for Beauty and the Beast before he passed away. The movie was released just months after his death and was dedicated to him.

Many people believe Howard Ashman was the most important person behind the "Disney Renaissance." He helped Disney make amazing musical movies again.

Howard Ashman's Passing

While working on The Little Mermaid in 1988, Howard Ashman became very ill. Despite this, he kept writing songs. Disney supported him greatly, even setting up a special work unit near his home in New York City. This allowed him to get treatment while still working on Beauty and the Beast. He even saw an early private showing of the film.

Howard Ashman passed away on March 14, 1991, at 40 years old. He never saw the finished Beauty and the Beast movie. The film was dedicated to him with a special message after the credits: To our friend Howard, who gave a mermaid her voice, and a beast his soul. We will be forever grateful. Howard Ashman 1950-1991. He was buried in the Ohev Shalom Cemetery in Reisterstown, Maryland.

Howard Ashman's Personal Life

Howard Ashman met Stuart White in 1969. They became close friends and later partners. They both earned master's degrees from Indiana University. Then they moved to upstate New York. Together, they reopened the Workshop of Players Art Foundation (WPA) as artistic directors. They separated in 1980 but briefly got back together in 1983.

In 1984, Howard met Bill Lauch, who worked as an architect. Bill Lauch accepted Howard's Academy Award for Beauty and the Beast in 1992, after Howard had passed away.

Awards and Special Honors

Howard Ashman won many awards for his incredible work. He won two Academy Awards (one after his death) out of seven nominations. Four of his nominations were given after he passed away, which is the most in Academy Awards history. He also won a Laurence Olivier Award (after his death) and five Grammy Awards (three after his death).

Accolades

Special Recognitions

• 1990 – Special Award for his great work on the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences' anti-drug TV special for children. This was for the song "Wonderful Ways to Say No" from Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue.
• 2001 – He was named a Disney Legend after his death.

Tributes to Howard Ashman

On the 2002 Special Edition DVD of Beauty and the Beast, Disney animators added a new song. It was called "Human Again". Howard Ashman and Alan Menken had written it for the film, but it was cut. The DVD also included a short film called Howard Ashman: In Memoriam. In it, many people who worked on Beauty and the Beast talked about Howard's important role and how much they missed him.

Jeffrey Katzenberg, a former Disney executive, said that Howard Ashman and Walt Disney himself were like angels. He felt they brought magic to every film they made.

An album of Howard Ashman singing his own songs was released in 2008. It was called Howard Sings Ashman.

The 2009 documentary Waking Sleeping Beauty is about Disney's animation comeback. It is dedicated to Howard Ashman and other important people.

In 2017, a documentary film about Howard Ashman was confirmed. It was called Howard. The film premiered in 2018 and was released on Disney+ in 2020.

Howard Ashman's Work List

• The Confirmation (1977) (writer)
• God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater (1979) (lyricist, story writer, and director)
• Little Shop of Horrors (1982) (lyricist, story writer, and director)
• Smile (1986) (lyricist, story writer, and director)
• Little Shop of Horrors (1986) (lyricist and movie writer)
• Oliver & Company (1988) (lyricist for "Once Upon a Time in New York City")
• The Little Mermaid (1989) (lyricist, producer, extra dialogue)
• Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue (1990) (lyricist for "Wonderful Way to Say No")
• Beauty and the Beast (1991) (lyricist, executive producer) (dedicated to him)
• Aladdin (1992) (lyricist for "Arabian Nights", "Friend Like Me", and "Prince Ali").

See also

In Spanish: Howard Ashman para niños