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Fred Ebb (April 8, 1928 – September 11, 2004)U.S. Census, April 1, 1930, State of New York, County of Bronx, enumeration district 188, p. 1-B. was an American musical theatre lyricist who had many successful collaborations with composer John Kander. The Kander and Ebb team frequently wrote for such performers as Liza Minnelli and Chita Rivera.
One of his early collaborators was Philip Springer, and a song they wrote together ("I Never Loved Him Anyhow") was recorded by Carmen McRae in 1956. "Carmen McRae Discography" carmenmcraediscography.com, generated on August 22, 2006, accessed August 21, 2011. The song was registered for copyright and recorded by McRae under the title "Never Loved Him Anyhow". Another song Ebb wrote with Springer was "Heartbroken" (1953), which was recorded by Judy Garland, the mother of his future protégée, Liza Minnelli. Other Springer-Ebb tunes include "Nevertheless I Never Lost the Blues". "Don't Forget", which he wrote with Norman Leyden, was recorded by singer Eddy Arnold in 1954."Full Notes on Arnold's Top Records", Billboard, January 15, 1955, special Eddy Arnold section, p. 28.
On his first theatrical writing job, he co-wrote the lyrics for the musical revue Baker's Dozen in 1951."‘Baker's Dozen’ to Open March 8", The New York Times, February 26, 1951, p. 32. He wrote songs with Norman Martin for the Off-Broadway revue Put It in Writing (1962). Put It in Writing lortel.org, retrieved January 21, 2019 He also worked with composer Paul Klein from the early 1950s onward,A few of their songs from U.S. Copyright Catalog registrations: "Chummley the Camel" (1951), "Little Toy Song" (1951), "Live" (1951), "I Got Your Number" (1953), "Return to Sender" (1953), "Varsity, U.S.A" (1953), "Alone Again" (1954), "Lovin' Around" (1954). contributing songs to the cabaret revue Isn't America Fun (1959)"Isn't American Fun?" (advertisement), The New York Times, April 5, 1959, p. X4. and the Broadway revue From A to Z (1960), directed by Christopher Hewett.
Fred Ebb was the voice of the "Little Blue Man", on Betty Johnson's novelty song from 1958, repeating the words: "I Rov You... to Bits".
With Klein, Ebb wrote his first book musical, Morning Sun. Originally, Bob Fosse was attached as director. Fosse eventually withdrew from the project, and the show ran for 6 performances Off-Broadway in October 1963. Morning Sun lortel.org, retrieved January 21, 2019 "Fred Ebb Biography" masterworksbroadway.com, retrieved January 21, 2019
Their second collaboration, Cabaret, was considerably more successful, running for 1,165-performances. Directed by Prince and based on the John Van Druten play I Am a Camera (which, in turn, was based on the writing of Christopher Isherwood), the musical starred Jill Haworth as Sally Bowles, Bert Convy as Clifford Bradshaw, Lotte Lenya as Fräulein Schneider and Joel Grey as the emcee. The original Broadway production opened on November 20, 1966 and won eight of the 11 Tony Awards for which it was nominated, including Best Musical and Best Score. Cabaret Playbill (vault), retrieved January 21, 2019 Adapted into a film by Bob Fosse, it won eight Academy Awards, though not Best Picture. It was revived three times, first in 1987 with Grey reprising his role and again in 1998 in a long-running revival, originally starring Alan Cumming as the emcee and Natasha Richardson as Sally Bowles. The third revival began in 2014 and also starred Alan Cumming this time alongside Michelle Williams. " 'Cabaret' Broadway" ibdb.com, retrieved January 21, 2019
Their next few works were less successful: The Happy Time (1968), directed by Gower Champion and starring Robert Goulet, ran for less than a year. The Happy Time ibdb.com, retrieved January 21, 2019 Zorba (1968), directed by Prince, also ran less than a year, though it was more successful in its 1983 revival; Zorba ibdb.com, retrieved January 21, 2019 and 70, Girls, 70 (1971), which was originally intended as an off-Broadway production, closed after 35 performances. 70, Girls, 70 ibdb.com, retrieved January 21, 2019
In 1972, he wrote the television special, Liza with a Z for Liza Minnelli.Stanley, Alessandra. "In 'Liza With a Z,' a Broadway Baby Knocks 'Em Dead" The New York Times, March 31, 2006Patterson, Troy. "Divas Gone Wild" Slate March 31, 2006 In 1974, Kander, Ebb and Fosse contributed to a concert for Liza Minnelli on Broadway. In 1973 Ebb wrote the television special that marked Frank Sinatra's comeback from retirement, Magnavox Presents Frank Sinatra (also known as Ol' Blue Eyes Is Back). The show featured Sinatra and guest star Gene Kelly in duet on the song "Can't Do That Anymore", written by Ebb for his abandoned musical with Kander and Dale Wasserman, Wait for Me, World!. In 1975, the team wrote the score to Funny Lady, the sequel to Funny Girl.
Chicago (1975) had mixed reviews but ran for more than two years on Broadway. Starring Chita Rivera, Jerry Orbach and Gwen Verdon in her last Broadway role, it suffered from a cynical attitude, which contrasted with the record-breaking popularity of A Chorus Line. Though rumors of a film production directed again by Fosse were heard, the show was revived in 1996 as part of the Encores! staged concert series. A hit, the minimalist production transferred to Broadway, starring Ann Reinking (Roxie) and Bebe Neuwirth (Velma). " 'Chicago' Broadway" ibdb.com, retrieved January 22, 2019 The revival holds the record as the longest-running musical revival and the longest-running American musical in Broadway history. It is the second longest-running show in Broadway history, behind only The Phantom of the Opera, having played its 7,486th performance on November 23, 2014, surpassing Cats.Gans, Andrew. " "All That Jazz": 'Chicago' Becomes Second Longest-Running Broadway Show Tonight" Playbill, November 23, 2014Staff. "Longest-Running Shows on Broadway" Playbill, January 4, 2019
Ebb wrote the book for Shirley MacLaine’s Broadway solo revue in 1976. "Shirley MacLaine" Playbill (vault), retrieved January 21, 2019 The following year, Kander and Ebb worked with Minnelli and Martin Scorsese twice: first, in the film New York, New York, which had them write what is their best-known song, the title track; and, again in The Act (1977) a musical about a fictional nightclub act. It ran for under ten months. The Act Playbill (vault), retrieved January 21, 2019 After contributing a song to Phyllis Newman’s one-woman musical, The Madwoman of Central Park West (1979), The Madwoman of Central Park West Playbill (vault), retrieved January 21, 2019 the team wrote Woman of the Year (1981), which starred Lauren Bacall and won the team their second Tony Award for Best Score. Woman of the Year Playbill (vault), retrieved January 21, 2019
The Rink (1984) teamed Kander and Ebb again with Minnelli and Rivera. The cast also included Jason Alexander and Rob Marshall. The Rink Playbill (vault), retrieved January 21, 2019 Following the closure of the show after six months, Kander and Ebb would not produce new material, save for a song in Hay Fever in 1985, for nine years. "Fred Ebb" Playbill (vault), retrieved January 21, 2019
In 1991, the revue And The World Goes 'Round opened Off-Broadway, featuring Karen Ziemba, Susan Stroman and Scott Ellis. And The World Goes 'Round lortel.org, retrieved January 21, 2019 The team's musical adaptation of Kiss of the Spider Woman opened in 1993, starring Chita Rivera. Reunited with director Harold Prince, the show ran for more than two years and won them their third and last Tony Award for best score. Kiss of the Spider Woman Playbill (vault), retrieved January 21, 2019
The team's last original work to reach Broadway during Ebb's life opened in 1997. Steel Pier brought together Ziemba, Ellis and Stroman and though the show was nominated for 11 Tonys, it won none and closed after two months. It also featured Kristin Chenoweth. In 1997, Ebb reworked lyrics to Richard Rodgers' melody for the television production of Cinderella. Two decades earlier, Ebb refused the opportunity to write the musical Rex with Rodgers.
The team had two works produced outside New York. Over & Over, an adaptation of the Thornton Wilder play The Skin of Our Teeth, was performed at the Signature Theatre in Arlington, Virginia in 1999Davidson, Susan. "Some Thoughts on Over and Over", curtainup.com, February 10, 1999 and was revamped for a 2007 staging by the Westport Country Playhouse under the title All About Us.Pincus-Roth, Zachary. "New Kander & Ebb Musical Is 'All About Us'" Playbill, March 30, 2007
The Visit, starring Chita Rivera and John McMartin, was presented by the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, as well as the Signature Theatre in Arlington (with George Hearn replacing McMartin).Jones, Kenneth. " 'The Visit', With Rivera, Hearn and Jacoby, Opens May 27" Playbill, May 27, 2008
The story of the long collaboration between Fred Ebb and John Kander is told in James Leve's Kander and Ebb (2009). Through in-depth primary research and interviews with writers, producers, and various musical theater collaborators, Leve introduces the writing process of Kander and Ebb and explores the many revisions and stagings of their shows as each work moved from tryouts to Broadway.
At the time of his death, Ebb was working on a new musical with Kander, . The project had already lost its book writer, Peter Stone, who died in 2003.Lyman, Rick. "Peter Stone, Award-Winning Writer of '1776,' Dies at 73" The New York Times, April 28, 2003 The show's orchestrator, Michael Gibson, also died (in 2005) while the project was underway. Coincidentally, the show is about a series of deaths during the production of a Broadway musical.Green, Jesse. "Kander Without Ebb? Start Spreading the News", The New York Times, August 27, 2006.
Kander continued working on the project with a new librettist Rupert Holmes, writing new lyrics when necessary. The musical had its world premiere at the Ahmanson Theater in Los Angeles in July 2006, and ran on Broadway theatre at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre from March 2007 through June 2008. Curtains Playbill (vault); retrieved January 21, 2019
At its 2007 ceremony, the Drama Desk honored Kander and the late Ebb with a special award for "42 years of excellence in advancing the art of the musical theater." "Ebb Awards" ibdb.com; retrieved January 21, 2019
In 2010 The Scottsboro Boys, a musical with lyrics by Ebb, music by Kander, and book by David Thompson premiered, first Off-Broadway at the Vineyard Theatre, and then on Broadway at the Lyceum Theatre. The Scottsboro Boys Playbill (vault); retrieved January 21, 2019.
Ebb and Kander both were inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame in 1991. Notes for Fred Ebb, tcm.com; accessed January 10, 2018.
Ebb is interred in a mausoleum with Edwin “Eddie” Aldridge (1929–1997) and Martin Cohen (1926–1995) on the banks of Sylvan Water at Green-Wood Cemetery, a National Historic Landmark in Brooklyn, New York. In addition to the names and dates of each man, the phrase, "Together Forever" is chiseled on the front of the mausoleum. On June 14, 2014, Ebb was featured in the first gay-themed tour of Green-Wood Cemetery.
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