Steve On Broadway (SOB)

Sadly, Bells Are Ringing For Betty Comden

Sadly, Bells Are Ringing For Betty Comden

It's been reported that Betty Comden died of heart failure yesterday. Comden will certainly be remembered as one of American musical theatre's most prolific and acclaimed writers and performers.

Born in Brooklyn as Elizabeth Cohen on May 3, 1917 (although different years are cited by various sources), Comden was a slice of New York life, celebrating her hometown in countless works. Most certainly, she personified the can-do, urbane spirit of post-World War II women in American society.

Working not only with her longtime partner Adolph Green (pictured together above), but also with the likes of such legends as George Abbott, Leonard Bernstein and Jerome Robbins to name just a few, Comden earned a whopping seven Tony Awards out of a grand total of twelve nominations -- a pretty impressive track record.

She contributed to some of the following best-known musicals of the last sixty-plus years, including:

On The Town (1944)
Wonderful Town (1953) - won a Tony for Best Musical
Peter Pan (1954)
Bells Are Ringing (1956)
Do-Re-Mi (1960)
Hallelujah! Baby (1968) - won Tonys for Best Musical and Best Composer & Lyricist
Applause (1970) - won a Tony for Best Musical
On The Twentieth Century (1978) - won Tonys for Best Original Score and Best Book
Will Roger's Follies (1991) - won a Tony for Best Original Score

Comden's amazing wit and style will be sorely missed.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

Labels: Betty Comden, Broadway, In Memoriam, Musical

posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Friday, November 24, 2006