Lorenz Hart: A Poet on Broadway (Paperback)

by Frederick Nolan (Author)
Key Phrases: conning tower, heart stood still, central theatre, Larry Hart, New York, Lorenz Hart (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
In this engaging biography, Nolan (Rodgers and Hammerstein: The Sound of Their Music) presents an affecting portrayal of the man who teamed up with Richard Rodgers to write A Connecticut Yankee, Pal Joey, On Your Toes and many other successful musical comedies. Hart, who was barely five feet tall, disorganized, homosexual, irresponsible and infinitely witty and charming-the opposite of the conventional and reserved Rodgers-was a genius with words who could transform and revitalize the commercial song lyric. Nevetheless, low self-esteem and a self-destructive tendency colored his life, causing his friend Mabel Mercer to describe him as "the saddest man I ever knew." Eventually his erratic behavior broke up his partnership with Rodgers, who began collaborating instead with Oscar Hammerstein. Hart, dissipated and weakened by alcoholism, died in 1943 at the age of 48, leaving behind a legacy of hundreds of wonderful songs such as "Ten Cents a Dance," "My Funny Valentine" and "My Heart Stood Still." Nolan vividly captures the personality of this talented and unstable man, as well as the spirit of the entertainment world. Photos not seen by PW.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist
A breezy and frank, yet exhaustively researched biography of Broadway's "Laureate of Lyrics," who, with Richard Rodgers, authored the hit musicals Pal Joey and On Your Toes, as well as a host of classic popular songs including "My Funny Valentine," "The Lady is a Tramp," and many others. When the 24-year-old Hart met the 16-year-old Rodgers, some said it was, for Hart, "love at first sight," though Rodgers claimed never to be aware of what Nolan calls Hart's "sexual ambivalence." From their big splash in 1925 with the hit song "Manhattan," through the innovative Pal Joey (1940) and their sort-of falling out in 1942 (which resulted in Rodgers teaming with Oscar Hammerstein to do Oklahoma!), the two set the standard for musical comedy on Broadway and in Hollywood. If Hart's homosexuality was, as Nolan claims, his "personal tragedy," drink and the high life were the means to his early death at 47 in 1943. Nolan's account of Hart's life provides a wonderful look at Broadway's Golden Age, and a quite readable, informal peak backstage. Unfortunately, his failure to secure permission to use Hart's lyrics leaves a hole in an otherwise fine effort. Ron Antonucci --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (March 28, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195102894
• ISBN-13: 978-0195102895
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #274,961 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Standing Ovation for Lorenz Hart!, May 9, 2001

By	Susan Fong (Las Vegas, NV USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Lorenz Hart is one of the finest lyricists in the history of American musical theater. He is largely responsible for elevating the process of writing lyrics into an art form. Before Hart, lyrics were usually trite and predictable with simplistic rhymes such as "I am blue, and so are you."

Hart wrote lyrics that are cerebral and sophisticated. His compositions are infused with wit and wisdom. He used complex rhymes. An example from "My Funny Valentine": "Your looks are laughable, unphotographable. Yet you're my favorite work of art. Is your figure less than Greek? Is your mouth a little weak? When you open it to speak, are you smart?"

Another example from "Bewitched": "I'm wild again, beguiled again, a whimpering simpering child again...." And yet another example from "Lady is a Tramp": "She gets too hungry for dinner at eight. She likes the theater but never comes late. She never bothers with people she hates. That's why the lady is a tramp."

Hart could be wistful and romantic as in "My Romance": "My romance doesn't need to have a moon in the sky. My romance doesn't need a blue lagoon standing by. No month of May. No twinkling star. No hideaway. No soft guitar."

Hart's lyrics are consistently observant and very often ingenious. They are the perfect match for the variety and intricacy of Richard Rodgers' superb music.

This biography is quite detailed with a number of amusing anecdotes. It is a must read for those who want to know more about this endearing, erratic, and gifted artist Lorenz Hart. His contributions to musical theater are profound and timeless.