Morrie Ryskind
Morrie Ryskind ( born October 20, 1895 in New York City, NY; † August 24, 1985 in Washington, DC) was an American librettist and director on Broadway and a screenwriter in Hollywood. In 1931, he received together with George Simon Kaufman and Ira Gershwin the Pulitzer Prize for Musical political satire Of Thee I Sing (music by George Gershwin ). It was the first musical that had received until then, this prestigious award.
Life
Morrie Ryskind was born the son of Russian Jewish immigrants. Shortly before his graduation from Columbia University's School of Journalism is expelled him in 1917 because of articles in which he criticized the University President. With George Simon Kaufman and Ira Gershwin wrote a humorous column in the New York Evening Mail, worked until 1921 as a reporter for the New York World and published the humorous poetry collection Unaccustomed As I Am ( 1921). In the twenties he wrote for several revues and musicals and assisted George Simon Kaufman at the Marx Brothers vehicle The Cocoanuts (1925 ). A collection of Broadway shows on which he was involved, can be found below.
According to his testimony before the Committee on Un-American Activities in 1947 he became a theater and movie Author increasingly sidelined. In 1954 he helped found the conservative National Review, for which he also served as a columnist and director. From 1960 to 1971 he wrote for the Los Angeles Times, and until 1978 for the Los Angeles Herald - Examiner.
His Broadway shows include:
- Merry- Go-Round (1927 ) (lyrics and book by Howard Dietz Music by Henry Souvaine and Jay Gorney
- Animal Crackers (1929 ) (Book with George Simon Kaufman with music and lyrics by Bert Kalmar and Harry Ruby, stars were the Marx Brothers)
- Ned Wayburn 's Gambols (1929 ) - revue - (Book with music by Walter G. Samuels )
- The Gang 's All Here ( 1931) ( co-author )
- Louisiana Purchase ( 1941) ( book music and lyrics by Irving Berlin)
- The Lady Comes Across (1942 ) (director)