George Francis Abbott (June 25, 1887January 31, 1995) was an American theatre producer, director, playwright, screenwriter, film director, and producer, whose career spanned eight decades. He received numerous honors, including six Tony Awards, the Pulitzer Prize, the Kennedy Center Honors in 1982,"George Abbott Biography" kennedy-center.org, accessed August 6, 2019"History, 1982" kennedy-center.org, accessed August 6, 2019Hall, Carla; McCombs, Phil. "Doing the Honours" Washington Post December 6, 1982 the National Medal of Arts in 1990, and was inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame.
Starting as an actor, he later became known for producing numerous Broadway productions, such as Pal Joey (1940), On the Town (1944), Call Me Madam (1950), Wonderful Town (1953), The Pajama Game (1954), Damn Yankees (1955, and again in 1994), New Girl in Town (1957), Once Upon a Mattress (1959), Fiorello! (book, 1959), A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1962), and Broadway (1987).
Abbott also acted in numerous films in the 1920s and 1930s. He received an Academy Award for Best Writing nomination for All Quiet on the Western Front (1930). He later directed the movie musical adaptations of The Pajama Game (1957) and Damn Yankees (1958).
Early years Abbott was born in Forestville, New York, to George Burwell Abbott (May 1858 Erie County, New York – February 4, 1942 Hamburg, New York) and Hannah May McLaury (1869 – June 20, 1940 Hamburg, New York). He later moved to the city of Salamanca, which twice elected his father mayor. In 1898, his family moved to Cheyenne, Wyoming, where he attended Kearney Military Academy. Within a few years, his family returned to New York, and he graduated from Hamburg High School in 1907.
In 1911, he obtained a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Rochester,Sweeney, Louise. "Director George Abbott" Christian Science Monitor, January 6, 1983 where he played football and wrote his first play, Perfectly Harmless, for the University Dramatic Club. Abbott then attended Harvard University to take a course in playwriting from George Pierce Baker. Under Baker's tutelage, he wrote The Head of the Family, which was performed at the Harvard Dramatic Club in 1912. He then worked for a year as "author, gofer, and actor" at the Bijou Theatre in Boston, where his play The Man in the Manhole won a contest.
Career
Abbott started acting on Broadway in 1913, debuting in The Misleading Lady."George Abbott. The Stars" pbs.com, accessed August 5, 2019 While acting in several plays in New York City, he began to write; his first successful play was The Fall Guy (1925).
Abbott acquired a reputation as an astute "show doctor". He frequently was called upon to supervise changes when a show was having difficulties in tryouts or previews prior to its Broadway opening."Theatre's `Mr. Abbott' Dies At 107" Seattle Times, February 1, 1995 His first hit was Broadway, written and directed in partnership with Philip Dunning, whose play Abbott "rejiggered". It opened on September 16, 1926, at the Broadhurst Theatre and ran for 603 performances. Other successes followed, and only a rare year did not have an Abbott production on Broadway.
He also worked in Hollywood as a film writer and director, while continuing with his theatre work.
Among those who worked with Abbott early in their careers are Desi Arnaz, Leonard Bernstein, Carol Burnett, Betty Comden and Adolph Green, June Havoc, John Kander and Fred Ebb, Gene Kelly, Liza Minnelli, Stephen Sondheim, Elaine Stritch, and Jule Styne.Folkart, Burt."George Abbott; Legendary Broadway Producer, 107" Los Angeles Times, February 1, 1995 He introduced the "fast-paced, tightly integrated style that influenced" performers and especially directors such as Jerome Robbins, Bob Fosse, and Hal Prince.
Abbott directed Royal Showcase, a comedy-variety television program that ran on NBC from January 13 to June 26, 1952, and he was the show's host until April 13, 1952.
Autobiography In 1963, he published his autobiography, Mister Abbott.
Personal life Abbott was married to Edna Lewis from 1914 to her death in 1930; they had one child. Actress Mary Sinclair was his second wife. Their marriage lasted from 1946 until their 1951 divorce.Arias, Ron (July 6, 1987). Marking His First Century, George Abbott Once Again Brings Broadway to Broadway". People. Vol. 28, No. 1. Retrieved August 28, 2013. He had a long romance with actress Maureen Stapleton from 1968 to 1978. She was 43 and he was 81 when they began their affair, then 10 years later, Abbott left her for a younger woman.Database (undated). "Maureen Stapleton". Notable Names Database. His third wife was Joy Valderrama. They were married from 1983 until his death in 1995.
Abbott was a vigorous man who remained active past his 100th birthday by golfing and dancing. He died from complications of a stroke on January 31, 1995, at his home on Sunset Island off Miami Beach, Florida, at age 107. The New York Times obituary read, "Mrs. Abbott said that a week and a half before his death, he was dictating revisions to the second act of Pajama Game with a revival in mind, in addition to working on a revival of Damn Yankees.
At the age of 106, he walked down the aisle on opening night of the Damn Yankees revival and received a standing ovation. He was heard saying to his companion, "There must be somebody important here." Just 13 days before his 107th birthday, Abbott made an appearance at the 48th Tony Awards, coming onstage with fellow Damn Yankees alumni Gwen Verdon and Jean Stapleton at the end of the opening number, a medley performed by the nominees for Best Revival of a Musical, which included Grease, She Loves Me, Carousel, and his own Damn Yankees.Berger, Marilyn (February 2, 1995). "George Abbott, Broadway Giant with Hit after Hit, Is Dead at 107". The New York Times. Retrieved August 28, 2013.
He was cremated at Woodlawn Park Cemetery in Miami and the ashes were taken by his wife.Resting Places: The Burial Places of 14,000 Famous Persons, by Scott Wilson
Family
In addition to his wife, who died in 2020 at 88, Abbott was survived by a sister, Isabel Juergens, who died a year later at the age of 102; two granddaughters, Amy Clark Davidson and Susan Clark Hansley; a grandson, George Clark, and six great-grandchildren.
Honors In 1965, the 54th Street Theatre was rechristened the George Abbott Theatre in his honor. The building was demolished in 1970."George Abbott Theatre" ibdb.com, accessed August 5, 2019 New York City's George Abbott Way, the section of West 45th Street northwest of Times Square, is also named after him.
He received New York City's Handel Medallion in 1976, honorary doctorates from the Universities of Rochester and Miami, and the Kennedy Center Honors in 1982. He was also inducted into the Western New York Entertainment Hall of Fame and the American Theatre Hall of Fame. In 1990, he was awarded the National Medal of Arts..
Work Stage Source: Playbill "George Abbott Broadway" Playbill (vault), accessed August 5, 2019
1913: The Misleading Lady (actor) 1915: The Yeomen of the Guard (actor) 1918: Daddies (actor) 1920: The Broken Wing (actor) 1923: Zander the Great (actor) 1924: Hell-Bent Fer Heaven (actor) 1925: The Fall Guy (playwright) 1926: Love 'em and Leave 'em (playwright, director) 1926: Chicago (director) 1926: Broadway (playwright, director) 1927: Coquette (playwright, director) 1928: Gentlemen of the Press (director) 1932: Lilly Turner (playwright, director, producer) 1932: Twentieth Century (director, producer) 1934: Small Miracle (director) 1935: Three Men on a Horse (playwright, director) 1935: Jumbo (director) 1936: On Your Toes (book) 1937: Room Service (director, producer) 1937: Brown Sugar (director, producer) 1938: The Boys from Syracuse (book, director, producer) 1939: Too Many Girls (director, producer) 1939: The Primrose Path (director, producer) 1940: Pal Joey (director, producer) 1940: The Unconquered (producer, director) 1941: Best Foot Forward (producer, director) 1943: Kiss and Tell (play) (producer, director) 1944: A Highland Fling (play) (producer, director) 1944: On the Town (director) 1945: Billion Dollar Baby (musical) (director) 1947: High Button Shoes (director) 1948: Where's Charley? (book, director) 1949: Mrs. Gibbons' Boys (producer, director) 1950: Call Me Madam (director) 1951: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (book, director, producer) 1953: Wonderful Town (director) Me and Juliet (director) 1954: The Pajama Game (book, director) 1955: Damn Yankees (book, director) 1957: New Girl in Town (book, director) 1959: Once Upon a Mattress (director) 1959: Fiorello! (book, director) 1960: Tenderloin (book, director) 1961: Take Her, She's Mine (director) 1962: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (director) 1962: Never Too Late (director)Never Too Late ibdb.com, accessed August 5, 2019 1964: Fade Out – Fade In (director) 1965: Flora the Red Menace (book, director) 1965: Anya (book, director) 1967: How Now, Dow Jones (director) 1968: The Education of H*Y*M*A*N K*A*P*L*A*N (director) 1969: The Fig Leaves Are Falling (director) 1970: Norman, Is That You? (director) 1976: Music Is (book, director) 1987: Broadway (revival, book, director) 1994: Damn Yankees (revival, book, consultant, script revisions)
Filmography Year Title Credit 1918 The Imposter Writer, actor (Lem) 1926 Love 'Em and Leave 'Em Writer 1927 Hills of Peril Playwright, A Holy Terror 1928 Four Walls Playwright, writer 1929 Coquette Playwright 1929 The Carnival Man Director 1929 Broadway Playwright, writer 1929 The Bishop's Candlesticks Director 1929 Why Bring That Up? Director, writer 1929 The Saturday Night Kid Playwright, Love 'Em and Leave 'Em 1929 Night Parade Playwright, Ringside 1929 Half Way to Heaven Director, writer 1930 El Dios del mar Writer 1930 All Quiet on the Western Front Writer 1930 The Fall Guy Playwright 1930 Manslaughter Director, writer 1930 The Sea God Director, writer 1931 The Leap into the Void Writer 1931 Stolen Heaven Director; writer 1931 The IncorrigiblePlaywright, Manslaughter 1931 Sombras del circo Playwright, Halfway to Heaven 1931 À mi-chemin du ciel Playwright, Halfway to Heaven 1931 Secrets of a Secretary Director, writer 1931 My Sin Director; writer 1931 The Cheat Director 1932 Halvvägs till himlen Writer 1932 Those We Love Playwright 1933 Lilly Turner Playwright 1934 Heat Lightning Playwright 1934 Straight Is the Way Playwright, Four Walls 1936 Three Men on a Horse Playwright 1938 Broadway Writer 1939 On Your Toes Playwright 1940 Too Many Girls Director 1940 The Boys from Syracuse Playwright, director 1941 Highway West Playwright, Heat Lightning 1942 Broadway Playwright 1947 Beat the Band Playwright 1957 The Pajama Game Writer, director, producer 1958 Damn Yankees Writer, director, producer
Awards and nominations Source: Playbill
Awards
1955 Tony Award for Best Musical – The Pajama Game 1956 Tony Award for Best Musical – Damn Yankees 1960 Pulitzer Prize for Drama – Fiorello!"Prize Winners by Category" pulitzer.org, accessed August 6, 2019 1960 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical – Fiorello! 1960 Tony Award for Best Musical – Fiorello! 1963 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical – A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum 1976 Special Tony Award: The Lawrence Langer award 1983 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Director of a Musical – On Your Toes 1987 Special Tony Award on the occasion of his 100th birthday
Nominations
1930 Academy Award for Best Achievement in Writing – All Quiet on the Western Front 1958 Writers Guild of America Award for Best Written American Musical – Damn Yankees 1958 Tony Award for Best Musical – New Girl in Town 1958 Writers Guild of America Award for Best Written American Musical – The Pajama Game 1959 Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures – Damn Yankees