Moss Hart facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Moss Hart
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Hart in 1940
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| Born | October 24, 1904 New York City, New York |
| Died | December 20, 1961 (aged 57) Palm Springs, California |
| Resting place | Ferncliff Cemetery, Hartsdale, New York |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
Moss Hart (born October 24, 1904 – died December 20, 1961) was a famous American playwright and theater director. He wrote many popular plays, often working with another well-known writer, George S. Kaufman. He also directed some of Broadway's biggest hits, including the musical My Fair Lady.
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Early Life and Theater Dreams
Moss Hart was born in New York City in 1904. His father, Barnett Hart, was a cigar maker. Moss grew up in a family that didn't have much money. They lived in the Bronx and later in Sea Gate, Brooklyn.
From a young age, Moss loved the theater. His Aunt Kate helped spark this interest. She often took him to see plays. These trips showed him that the theater was a magical place. It allowed him to imagine being someone else, far from his everyday life.
Moss Hart's Amazing Career
Before becoming famous, Moss Hart directed plays for amateur groups. He also worked as an entertainment director at summer resorts. His big break came in 1930 with his first Broadway hit, Once in a Lifetime. This play was a funny story about how Hollywood changed when movies started having sound.
Working with George S. Kaufman
Moss Hart wrote Once in a Lifetime with George S. Kaufman. Kaufman was already a well-known Broadway writer. Over the next ten years, Kaufman and Hart became a very successful writing team. They created many popular plays together.
Their most famous plays include:
- You Can't Take It with You (1936)
- The Man Who Came to Dinner (1939)
You Can't Take It with You
You Can't Take It with You tells the story of an unusual family living during the Great Depression. This play won the 1937 Pulitzer Prize for drama. It's still one of Moss Hart's most performed plays today. In 1938, it was made into a movie that won the Best Picture Oscar.
The Man Who Came to Dinner
The Man Who Came to Dinner is a comedy about a difficult writer named Sheridan Whiteside. He has to stay in a family's house after hurting himself. The character of Whiteside was based on Kaufman and Hart's real-life friend, a critic named Alexander Woollcott. Other characters in the play were inspired by famous people like Noël Coward and Harpo Marx.
Musicals and Directing Success
Throughout the 1930s, Moss Hart also worked on several musicals. He wrote for shows like As Thousands Cheer (with songs by Irving Berlin) and Jubilee (musical) (with songs by Cole Porter).
After 1940, Hart stopped working with Kaufman. He continued to write plays, but he became even more famous as a director. He directed many successful Broadway shows, including Junior Miss (1941) and Dear Ruth (1944).
His biggest directing success was the musical My Fair Lady (1956). This show was based on the play Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw. My Fair Lady ran for over six years and won a Tony Award for Best Musical. Moss Hart also won a Tony Award for Best Director for his work on the show.
Moss Hart also wrote screenplays for movies. Some of his notable film scripts include Gentleman's Agreement (1947), for which he was nominated for an Oscar, and A Star Is Born (1954).
In 1959, he wrote a book about his life called Act One: An Autobiography by Moss Hart. His last show as a director was the musical Camelot (1960). Even though he had a heart attack during the show's early tryouts, Camelot became a big hit.
Leadership in Theater
Moss Hart served as the tenth president of the Dramatists Guild of America. This organization helps protect the rights of playwrights and composers. He held this important position from 1947 to 1956.
Personal Life
Moss Hart married actress and singer Kitty Carlisle on August 10, 1946. They had two children together.
Death
Moss Hart passed away from a heart attack on December 20, 1961. He was 57 years old. He is buried in Ferncliff Cemetery in Hartsdale, New York.
Moss Hart's Lasting Legacy
In 1972, Moss Hart was honored by being inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame. He was one of the first people to receive this honor.
Moss Hart Awards
The New England Theatre Conference gives out the Moss Hart Memorial Award every year. These awards recognize theater groups in New England that create imaginative and excellent productions. The award is sometimes called the "New England Tony Award" because it celebrates great theater work.
Moss Hart and Kitty Carlisle Hart New Play Initiative
There is also a special program called the Moss Hart and Kitty Carlisle Hart New Play Initiative (Hart NPI). This program helps new playwrights. It gives them a chance to have their plays performed in Los Angeles and even Off-Broadway in New York City. Moss Hart's son, Christopher Hart, helps lead this program. It helps new writers share their stories with a wider audience.
Works by Moss Hart
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