Rodgers and Hammerstein
Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II first crossed paths at Columbia University in 1920. They collaborated on the Varsity Show titled Fly With Me, where Rodgers wrote songs as a freshman while Hammerstein served on the judging committee. Hammerstein added two songs during the revision stage of that production. The three men worked together again on the 1921 Varsity Show You'll Never Know with Hammerstein directing production. Rodgers continued his long collaboration with Lorenz Hart for more than two decades after this early period. By the early 1940s, Hart had sunk deeper into alcoholism and emotional turmoil. He became unreliable, prompting Rodgers to approach Hammerstein to ask if he would consider working with him. Rodgers and Hammerstein began their first official collaboration on Oklahoma! after Jerome Kern declined Hammerstein's offer and Hart refused Rodgers' offer.
Oklahoma! opened at the Shubert Theatre in New Haven on the 11th of March 1943 before moving to Broadway. The original cast included Alfred Drake playing Curly and Joan Roberts playing Laurey. No stars were used in the production despite typical musicals being written around talents like Ethel Merman or Fred Astaire. The show ran for an unprecedented 2,212 performances until closing on the 29th of May 1948. Oklahoma! introduced new storytelling elements including using song and dance to convey plot rather than act as diversion. Every song was firmly integrated into the plot-line instead of serving as mere entertainment. Decca Records recorded the music from the show with original orchestrations creating the first musical cast recording. This format is now a standard practice across the industry. The film version released in 1955 starred Gordon MacRae and Shirley Jones becoming the first feature shot with Todd-AO 70 mm widescreen process.
Carousel opened at Broadway's Majestic Theatre on the 19th of April 1945 running for 890 performances until the 24th of May 1947. John Raitt and Jan Clayton starred alongside Jean Darling and Christine Johnson. The 1956 film version again starred Gordon MacRae and Shirley Jones using CinemaScope 55 technology. State Fair became their only score written directly for film when released in 1945. The Technicolor production starred Jeanne Crain and Dana Andrews winning Rodgers and Hammerstein their lone Oscar together for It Might as Well Be Spring. South Pacific opened on Broadway on the 7th of April 1949 starring Mary Martin and Ezio Pinza. The play ran for over five years featuring songs like Bali Ha'i and Some Enchanted Evening. The King and I opened at the St. James Theatre on the 29th of March 1951 with Gertrude Lawrence and Yul Brynner. Brynner won an Oscar for his portrayal while Deborah Kerr was nominated as Best Actress in the 1956 film adaptation.
Cinderella aired on CBS on the 31st of March 1957 becoming their only collaborative effort written specifically for television. More than 107 million viewers watched the broadcast with Julie Andrews playing Cinderella. The Nielsen TV rating reached 18,864,000 homes during an average minute of the program. Rodgers stated that what won them over was the chance to work with Julie Andrews. Though broadcast in color, a black and white kinescope remains the only existing record since major networks had new Ampex videotape recorders but chose not to use them for preservation. Another version appeared in 1965 starring Lesley Ann Warren while a third premiered in 1997 on ABC produced by Walt Disney Television. Rodgers and Hammerstein appeared on live telecasts including Toast of the Town when it debuted on CBS in June 1948. They were mystery guests on episode number 298 of What's My Line which first aired on the 19th of February 1956.
Their shows garnered 34 Tony Awards fifteen Academy Awards two Pulitzer Prizes and two Grammy Awards. Oklahoma! won a special Pulitzer Prize in 1944 while South Pacific received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1950. The team received The Hundred Year Association of New York's Gold Medal Award in 1950 recognizing contributions to the city. They were honored in 1999 with a United States Postal Service stamp commemorating their partnership. Forbes named Rodgers and Hammerstein second on its list of top-earning dead celebrities in 2009 at $235 million. Stephen Sondheim has cited Rodgers and Hammerstein as having had crucial influence on his work. Mark Lubbock wrote that after Oklahoma! they became the most important contributors to the musical-play form. A Grand Night for Singing revue played on Broadway in 1993 celebrating their songs. Original film arrangements were restored and performed at Proms concerts in London's Royal Albert Hall by the John Wilson Orchestra in 2010.
Continue Browsing
Common questions
When did Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II first meet?
Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II first met at Columbia University in 1920. They collaborated on the Varsity Show titled Fly With Me where Rodgers wrote songs as a freshman while Hammerstein served on the judging committee.
What was the opening date of Oklahoma! at the Shubert Theatre?
Oklahoma! opened at the Shubert Theatre in New Haven on the 11th of March 1943 before moving to Broadway. The show ran for an unprecedented 2,212 performances until closing on the 29th of May 1948.
Which Rodgers and Hammerstein musical addressed racism through the song You've Got to Be Carefully Taught?
South Pacific addressed racism through the song You've Got to Be Carefully Taught supporting interracial marriage. Rodgers and Hammerstein refused to remove it from the show even if it meant failure when lawmakers proposed outlawing entertainment inspired by Moscow due to offense taken.
Who starred in the original cast of Oklahoma? and what role did they play?
The original cast included Alfred Drake playing Curly and Joan Roberts playing Laurey. No stars were used in the production despite typical musicals being written around talents like Ethel Merman or Fred Astaire.
When did Cinderella air on CBS and how many viewers watched the broadcast?
Cinderella aired on CBS on the 31st of March 1957 becoming their only collaborative effort written specifically for television. More than 107 million viewers watched the broadcast with Julie Andrews playing Cinderella.