Frank Loesser
Frank Henry Loesser ( June 29, 1910 *, † July 28, 1969 in New York) was an American composer and songwriter.
Life
Frank Loesser grew up in a musical family in New York. His German-born father was a piano teacher, his older brother Arthur Loesser a well-known concert pianist and musicologist. He himself, however, never received a higher musical education. In the early 1930s, during the Great Depression, he began his professional career in different jobs at newspapers. He also wrote lyrics and manuscripts for the radio - from the mid-1930s for revues, among others, Irving Actman, which Hollywood became aware of him. In Hollywood he was taken from 1938 under contract and was there primarily involved as a songwriter in a variety of films. Jointly responsible for Loesser success in Hollywood was Burton Lane, who recommended him to the Paramount Pictures. His first hit, Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition was created in 1942. During this time, Loesser also began to compose his own music. After the Second World War, the Broadway producers Cy Feuer and Ernest Martin picked him for the musical adaptation of Charley's Aunt - Where's Charley? - Back to New York. This was followed by musical successes such as Guys and Dolls and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, and the film musical success Hans Christian Andersen. In addition Loesser Frank founded the music publishing Music.
Loesser worked throughout his career with the composer Joseph Meyer, Burton Lane, Jimmy McHugh, Joseph J. Lilley, Arthur Schwartz together. His composition On a Slow Boat to China was by Charlie Parker in 1948, The Inch Worm 1952 by John Coltrane in 1964 to jazz standards. Frank Loesser died at the age of 59 years on July 26, 1969 in New York of lung cancer.
Musicals
Known songs
Awards
- For the song Baby, It's Cold Outside from the movie Neptune 's Daughter ( Director: Edward N. Buzzell ) received Loesser 1950 Oscar
- The Tony Award for Best Musical was Loesser in 1951 for Guys and Dolls and 1962 Award for How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
- For the latter piece he received in 1962, along with Abe Burrows, the Pulitzer Prize for Theatre ( Pulitzer Price for Drama )