Alan Jay Lerner

Nationality:
American
Birthdate:
08/31/1918
Birthplace:
New York, New York
Death Date:
06/14/1986
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biography
Scion of the Lerner Shops fortune whose elegant lyrics reflected the sophisticated world of style and wit in which he lived. A chance meeting in 1942 with German-born composer Frederick Loewe who was fourteen years his senior resulted in one of the most productive and prosperous collaborations in the American musical theater. Wedded to Loewe's operetta-inspired melodious tunes, Lerner's lyrics and his archly romantic and literary librettos--which skillfully integrated music, character and story into a seamless whole--elevated the post-war musical to new heights of sophistication and Continued
Credits
Play as Source Material
1970
screenplay
1964
screenplay
1951
From Story
1951
screenplay
screenplay
screenplay
Play as Source Material
screenplay
Producer
milestones
Year
Milestone
 
Wrote radio scripts while in college
 
Lost left eye in recreational boxing accident
 
First job as advertising copy writer for Lord & Thomas agency; quit in 1942 to write radio scripts for "Philco Hall of Fame"
1942 
Wrote lyrics for first musical collaboration with Frederick Loewe, "The Life of the Party", presented in Detroit
1943 
First Broadway musical with Loewe, "What's Up?"; Was a flop
Continued