Hanako Greensmith

November 2015
Musical History and Rep
Betty Comden and Adolph Green

BETTY COMDEN and ADOLPH GREEN

BETTY COMDEN:
Originally named Elizabeth Cohen.
Born May 3, 1919 in Brooklyn, NY.
Studied drama at NYU (class of 1938).
Had plastic surgery on her nose to look more stage worthy.
Married Stephen Kyle (designer and businessman) in 1942.
Has two children: Susanna and Alan.
Wrote a popular memoir, Off Stage, on her personal life, away from the professional
world.
Died on November 23, 2006 due to a heart attack.
ADOLPH GREEN:
Born December 2, 1915 in the Bronx, NY.
From a family of Hungarian immigrants (with an awful relationship with his father).
Post high school (class of 1934), he worked an assortment of small jobs, including a
Wall Street runner.
Green met the great Leonard Bernstein at summer camp in 1937, they were lifelong
friends forever after.
Married the actress, Phyllis Newman, as his third wife - they were married for 42
years.
Green, one of the last great figures of Broadway's Golden Age, composed lyrics and
musical librettos that sang and danced him into the nation's dream life. - The New
Yorker, Adolph Green.
Died on October 23, 2002 due to natural causes.
BETTY COMDEN AND ADOLPH GREEN:
The famed two met in the cabaret act, The Revues, with Judy Holliday. The two
writers banded together due to a lack of success in their theatrical endeavors.
Their first big break as a writing team was Leonard Bernsteins Fancy Free (later
renamed to On the Town - sound familiar?)
In the 50s and 60s, Comden and Green collaborated with Bernstein again on
Wonderful Town, Two on the Aisle, Peter Pan, Say Darling, Do Re Mi, Subways Are
for Sleeping, Fade Out-Fade In, Halleluja, Baby!, and Bells Are Ringing.
 Among their films are Singin in the Rain (1952), The Band Wagon (1953), Its
Always Fair Weather (1955), Auntie Mame (1958), Bells are Ringing (1968),
writing the screenplay for all of the above works.
This duo was the winner of multiple Tony awards, a Grammy, and Kennedy Center
Awards.
Elected to the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Theater Hall of Fame.
Considered the longest running partnership in theatre history - their partnership
ended the day Green passed away. 60 years after it had begun.

(SOME) OF THEIR MOST FAMOUS SONGS:

Just In Time
Make Someone Happy
Lonely Town
Some Other Time
Never Never Land
Its Love
Long Before I Knew You
Lucky To Be Me
New York, New York
The Partys Over

The Right Girl For Me

After Mr. Greens death in October 2002, Broadway turned out in force two months
later for a memorial program at the Shubert Theater. Kevin Kline, Joel Grey, Ms. Bacall
and others paid affectionate tribute to Mr. Green in song and story. At one point during
her own reminiscence about Mr. Green, Ms. Comden paused and said to the audience,
Its lonely up here. After six decades, the perfect relationship was over.

- New York Times, Betty Comden, Lyricist for Musicals, Dies at 89

Youtube:
Party with Betty Comden and Adolph Green, 1979 TV (Minute 11:30)
Betty Comden on the Seriousness of Her Work