Alan Jay Lerner Biography (1918-1986)

Born August 31, 1918, in New York, NY; died of throat cancer, June 14, 1986,in New York, NY, son of Joseph J. and Edith (Adelson) Lerner; married Ruth Boyd; married Marion Bell (a singer and actress); married Nancy Olsen (an actress); married Micheline Mussellin Posso di Bergo; married Karen Gundersson; married Sandra Payne; married Nina Bushkin; married Liz Robertson (an actress),August, 1981.

Alan Jay Lerner worked with some of the most creative theatrical practitioners of the twentieth century. Most of his works (The Day Before Spring, Brigadoon, Paint Your Wagon, My Fair Lady, Camelot, Gigi, and The Little Prince) were written with the composer Frederick Loewe. Love Life was written with composer Kurt Weill; 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue with Leonard Bernstein; A Royal Wedding, On a Clear Day You Can See Forever and Carmelina were written with Burton Lane; Coco was written with Andre Previn. Lerner also wrote a version of Ona Clear Day..., then titled I Picked a Daisy, with Richard Rodgers.

Lerner appeared at the YMHA series in New York City, Lyrics and Lyricists, discussing and performing his own works, on December 12, 1971.

Nationality: American
Gender: Male
Birth Details: August 31, 1918; New York, New York, United States
Death Details: June 14, 1986; New York, New York, United States

Famous Works

Credits; PRINCIPAL STAGE WORK
Producer, On a Clear Day You Can See Forever, Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, NY,1965.
director, Dance a Little Closer, Minskoff Theatre, NY, 1983.
Brigadoon, original cast recording, Victor.
Paint Your Wagon, original cast recording, RCA Victor.
My Fair Lady, original cast recording, Columbia.
Camelot, original cast recording, Columbia.
On a Clear Day You Can See Forever, original cast recording, Victor.
Coco, original cast recording, ABC-Paramount Records.
Gigi, original cast recording, RCA.
Carmelina, Original Cast Records.
An American in Paris, original soundtrack recording, Metro-Goldwyn- Mayer.
Brigadoon, original soundtrack recording, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
A Royal Wedding, original soundtrack recording, Metro-Goldwyn- Mayer.
Gigi, original soundtrack recording, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
My Fair Lady, original soundtrack recording, Columbia.
Camelot, original soundtrack recording, Warner Brothers.
Paint Your Wagon, original soundtrack recording, Paramount.
On a Clear Day You Can See Forever, original soundtrack recording, Columbia.
Collected lyrics: Alan Jay Lerner Revisited, Painted Smiles Records.
Lyrics by Lerner (some performed by Lerner himself), DRG Records.

Kurt Weill Revisited, Volumes I and II, Painted Smiles Records.
Burton Lane Revisited, Painted Smiles Records.
Writings;MUSICAL PLAYS
The Life of the Party, Detroit, 1942.
What's Up?, 1943.
The Day Before Spring, Broadway production, NY, 1945.
Brigadoon, Broadway production, NY, 1947.
Love Life, 46th Street Theatre, NY, 1948.
Paint Your Wagon, Shubert Theatre, NY, 1951.
My Fair Lady, Mark Hellinger Theatre, NY, 1956.
Camelot, Majestic Theatre, NY, 1960.
On a Clear Day You Can See Forever, Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, NY, 1965.
Coco, Mark Hellinger Theatre, NY, 1969.
Lolita, 1971.
Gigi, Broadway production, NY, 1973.
Music! Music!, Broadway production, NY, 1974.
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Broadway production, NY, 1976.
Carmelina, St. James Theatre, NY, 1979.
Dance a Little Closer, Minskoff Theatre, NY, 1983.
lyrics featured in Mighty Fine Music, TOMI Theatre, NY, 1983.
Writings;MAJOR TOUR
Book, Gene Kelly's Salute to Broadway, 1975.
SCREENPLAYS AND/OR LYRICS Script only, An American in Paris, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1951.
lyrics only, A Royal Wedding, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1951.
script and lyrics, Gigi, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1958.
script and lyrics, The Little Prince, Paramount, 1974.
Also: Brigadoon, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1954; My Fair Lady, Warner Brothers, 1964; Camelot, Warner Brothers/Seven Arts, 1967; Paint Your Wagon, Paramount, 1969; On a Clear Day You Can See Forever, Paramount, 1970.
MUSICAL FILMS,UNPRODUCED Script and lyrics, "Huckleberry Finn."
Writings;AUTOBIOGRAPHY
The Street Where I Live.

User Contributions:

Comment about this article, ask questions, or add new information about this topic:

forum