Joshua Logan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Joshua Logan
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| Born |
Joshua Lockwood Logan III
October 5, 1908 Texarkana, Texas, U.S.
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| Died | July 12, 1988 (aged 79) New York City, U.S.
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| Years active | 1932–1987 |
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| Children | 2 |
Joshua Logan was a talented American director, writer, and actor for both theater and movies. He was born on October 5, 1908, and passed away on July 12, 1988. He helped create many famous shows and films.
Logan won a special award called the Pulitzer Prize. He earned it for helping to write the popular musical South Pacific. He also worked on many other musicals and plays.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Joshua Logan was born in Texarkana, Texas. His family later moved to Mansfield, Louisiana. Years later, Logan used this town as the setting for his play The Wisteria Trees.
After his father passed away, his mother remarried. Logan then attended Culver Military Academy in Indiana. There, he discovered his love for drama class. He felt truly at home on the stage.
After high school, he went to Princeton University. He joined the Triangle Club, a musical theater group. He also worked with a summer theater company called the University Players. Famous actors like James Stewart, Henry Fonda, and Margaret Sullavan were also part of this group.
Before finishing college, Logan received a special scholarship. It allowed him to travel to Moscow to watch famous director Konstantin Stanislavski at work. Logan left Princeton without his diploma to take this amazing opportunity.
Starting on Broadway
Logan began his career on Broadway as an actor. His first play was Carry Nation in 1932. He also acted in I Was Waiting for You in 1933.
After acting, he spent some time in London. There, he directed two shows and helped with a play called Camille. He also worked behind the scenes as an assistant stage manager.
Directing Successes
When Logan returned to Broadway, he started directing more shows. He directed It's You I Want and To See Ourselves in 1935. His first big success as a director was On Borrowed Time in 1938. This play ran for 321 performances.
He then directed the musical I Married an Angel, which was also very popular. It ran for 331 performances. Logan continued to direct many plays and musicals. Some of his notable works included Knickerbocker Holiday (1938) and Morning's at Seven (1939).
His revival of Charley's Aunt (1940) was a hit, running for 233 shows. The musical By Jupiter (1942) with Ray Bolger was even more successful, with 427 performances.
Service in World War II
In 1942, Logan joined the U.S. Army during World War II. He worked as a public relations and intelligence officer. He also helped with Irving Berlin's musical This Is the Army.
In Europe, Logan organized "jeep shows" for soldiers. These were small entertainment shows performed by soldiers near the front lines. After the war, he was discharged as a captain.
Logan married his second wife, actress Nedda Harrigan, in 1945. His first marriage to actress Barbara O'Neil had ended earlier.
Post-War Broadway Hits
After the war, Logan's directing career took off. He directed the musical Annie Get Your Gun (1946). This show was a massive hit, running for 1,147 performances!
He continued with other successful plays like Happy Birthday (1948) and John Loves Mary (1948). Logan's amazing streak continued with Mister Roberts (1948). He not only directed it but also helped write it. This play ran for 1,157 performances and earned him a Tony Award.
South Pacific Success
One of Logan's biggest achievements was South Pacific (1949). He directed and co-wrote this musical. It ran for an incredible 1,925 performances.
Logan shared the 1950 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for co-writing South Pacific. He also won a Tony Award for Best Director for the show. Even though he contributed a lot, his name was sometimes left out at first. This showed him how important it is for artists to get proper credit for their work.
Logan also wrote, produced, and directed The Wisteria Tree (1950). He co-wrote, co-produced, and directed the musical Wish You Were Here (1952). When this show wasn't doing well at first, Logan quickly rewrote parts of it. His changes made the show a huge success, selling out for two years.
He had another hit with the play Picnic (1953), which ran for 477 performances. He also co-wrote, co-produced, and directed the musical Fanny (1953), which ran for 888 performances.
Directing in Hollywood
Logan made his way to Hollywood to direct movies. He helped finish the film Mister Roberts (1955). This movie was a big success.
He then directed the film version of his own play, Picnic (1955). For this film, Logan received an Oscar nomination for Best Director. His next movie, Bus Stop (1956), starred Marilyn Monroe and was another hit.
Logan returned to Broadway to direct Middle of the Night. Then he went to Japan to direct Marlon Brando in Sayonara (1957). This film earned him a second Oscar nomination for Best Director. He also directed the movie version of South Pacific (1958).
He continued to work on both Broadway and in Hollywood. He directed the popular play The World of Suzie Wong (1958) on Broadway. In Hollywood, he directed Tall Story (1960), which introduced actress Jane Fonda to movie audiences. He also directed the film adaptation of Fanny (1961).
Logan continued to direct plays and films throughout the 1960s. His films included Ensign Pulver (1964), Camelot (1967), and Paint Your Wagon (1969).
Later Career and Personal Life
In 1976, Joshua Logan wrote an autobiography called Josh: My Up-and-Down, In-and-Out Life. In this book, he openly discussed his challenges with his mood, which doctors later helped him manage.
From 1983 to 1986, Logan taught theater at Florida Atlantic University. He also helped bring actress Carol Channing to Broadway in a show called Lend an Ear!.
Logan was married to Nedda Harrigan from 1945 until he passed away in 1988. They had a daughter, Harrigan, and a son, Thomas. He died from a rare brain condition called progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP).
Filmography
- I Met My Love Again (1938)
- Mr. Roberts (1955, uncredited)
- Picnic (1955)
- Bus Stop (1956)
- Sayonara (1957)
- South Pacific (1958)
- Tall Story (1960)
- Fanny (1961)
- Ensign Pulver (1964)
- Camelot (1967)
- Paint Your Wagon (1969)
See also
In Spanish: Joshua Logan para niños
