JERRY HERMAN ALSO BY STEPHEN CITRON Play It Again,Sam—By Ear! A Piano Method The Paderewski Memoirs (editor) The Inn and Us (with Anne Edwards) Songwriting:A Complete Guide to the Craft The Musical from the Inside Out Noel and Cole:The Sophisticates The Wordsmiths:Oscar Hammerstein 2nd and Alan Jay Lerner Sondheim and Lloyd-Webber:The New Musical JERRY HERMAN poet of the showtune stephen citron yale university press / new haven and london Copyright © 2004 by Stephen Citron. All rights reserved. This book may not be reproduced,in whole or in part,including illustrations,in any form (beyond that copying permitted by Sections 107 and 108 ofthe U.S.Copyright Law and except by reviewers for the public press),without written permission from the publishers. Designed by Mary Valencia Set in Minion and Franklin Gothic type by The Composing Room ofMichigan,Inc. Printed in the United States ofAmerica by Vail-Ballou Press. Library ofCongress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Citron,Stephen. Jerry Herman :poet ofthe showtune / Stephen Citron. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references (p. ) and index. “Songs,shows,music in print,and recordings”:p. . ISBN 0-300-10082-5 (cloth :alk.paper) 1. Herman,Jerry,1933– . 2. Composers—United States—Biography. I. Title. ML410.H5624C58 2004 (cid:2) (cid:2) 782.14092—dc22 2003027632 A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. The paper in this book meets the guidelines for permanence and durability of the Committee on Production Guidelines for Book Longevity ofthe Council on Library Resources. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 For Alexander Citron: my son, my student, my colleague CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ix CHAPTER1 If You Believe 1 CHAPTER2 Early Days 9 CHAPTER3 College and Beyond 26 CHAPTER4 Milk and Honey 47 CHAPTER5 A Damned Exasperating Woman 71 CHAPTER6 Hello, Dolly! 92 CHAPTER7 Mame 122 CHAPTER8 Mame—and Its Movie 147 CHAPTER9 Dear World 162 CONTENTS viii CHAPTER10 Mack and Mabel 183 CHAPTER11 The Grand Tour 206 CHAPTER12 La Cage aux Folles 225 CHAPTER13 After La Cage 254 CHAPTER14 The Road Ahead 273 APPENDIX: SONGS, SHOWS, MUSIC IN PRINT, AND RECORDINGS 285 NOTES 301 GLOSSARY OF MUSICAL, LYRIC, AND THEATRICAL TERMS 307 BIBLIOGRAPHY 313 SONG CREDITS 315 INDEX 325 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS In November 1999,when I first began to write this book,I invited Jerry Her- man to my apartment in Manhattan for a brunch interview.When he ar- rived at my door,I could not see the man for the three towering gray baker’s boxes he bore.That afternoon I began to understand that Herman’s magna- nimity with Danish pastry,doughnuts,and muffins was typical ofhis forth- right quality as a man and an artist.I had long acquaintance with the gener- ous output of music and lyrics that has made him a major force in the American musical theater. He is that rare subject, a joy for a biographer, possessed of total recall and never too busy to answer a question.Honest but never hurtful in discussing colleagues,giving but not controlling.For his permission to quote generously from his work,I am deeply indebted;for his magnificent oeuvre,the world is much richer. Because ofhis big-heartedness and lack ofvitriol (in a profession noted for its acrimony),Herman is much beloved,and fortunate to have many close friends,all ofwhom lent a hand in getting to the essence ofthe man as presented in the pages that follow.Chiefamong them is Sheila Mack,who has been his secretary/cook/major domo,confidante,and friend for most ofhis life.Sheila,who keeps extensive and immaculate files ofHerman’s ca- reer,was most helpful in digging out facts as well as photos,many ofthem never before published.For open-ended interviews,her insight,and gen- erosity,a deep bow. Many thanks also to Herman’s agent,Samuel “Biff”Liffofthe William Morris Agency, who volunteered opinions, facts, and figures about Her- man’s career.Thanks also to Jack Hutto,Herman’s agent during the Mame era and beyond. Priscilla Morgan was Herman’s first agent.It was she who looked after him during the late 1950s and early 1960s.She came back into his artistic life in the 1990s with his television special Mrs.Santa Claus.For several in- depth interviews,my deep gratitude. Edwin H.Morris has been Herman’s publisher since the beginning of his career.I am most grateful to Peter Silvestri there,and to his associates ix