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George Abbott

George Abbott
Abbott in 1928
Born	George Francis Abbott (1887-06-25)June 25, 1887 Forestville, New York, U.S.
Died	January 31, 1995(1995-01-31) (aged 107) Miami Beach, Florida, U.S.
Occupation	Theatre producer theatre director playwright screenwriter film producer film director
Education	University of Rochester (BA) Harvard University
Period	1913–1995
Notable awards	Drama Desk Award Outstanding Director (1983) Pulitzer Prize for Drama (1960) Tony Award Best Direction (1960, 1963) Tony Award Best Musical (1955, 1956, 1960) Special Tony Award (1987) National Medal of Arts (1990)
Spouse	Edna Levis ​ ​ (m. 1914; died 1930)​ Mary Sinclair ​ ​ (m. 1946; div. 1951)​ Joy Valderrama ​ ​ (m. 1983)​

George Francis Abbott (June 25, 1887 – January 31, 1995) was an American theatre producer, director, playwright, screenwriter, film director and producer whose career spanned eight decades.^[1] He received numerous honors including six Tony Awards, the Pulitzer Prize, the Kennedy Center Honors in 1982.^[2][3][4] the National Medal of Arts in 1990.^[5] 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), New Girl in Town (1957), Once Upon a Mattress (1959), Fiorello! (book, 1959), A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1962), Broadway (1987), Damn Yankees (1994).

Abbot 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 musicals adaptations of The Pajama Game (1957), and Damn Yankees (1958).

Early years[edit]

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.^[1][6]

In 1911 he obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Rochester,^[1][6] where he 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.^[6] Under Baker's tutelage, he wrote The Head of the Family, which was performed at the Harvard Dramatic Club in 1912.^[7] He then worked for a year as "author, gofer, and actor" at the Bijou TheatreinBoston, where his play The Man in the Manhole won a contest.^[6]

Career[edit]

Abbott started acting on Broadway in 1913, debuting in The Misleading Lady.^[1][8] While acting in several plays in New York City, he began to write; his first successful play was The Fall Guy (1925).^[1][8]

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.^[9] His first hit was Broadway, written and directed in partnership with Philip Dunning, whose play Abbott "rejiggered".^[10] It opened on September 16, 1926, at the Broadhurst Theatre and ran for 603 performances. Other successes followed, and it was a rare year that did not have an Abbott production on Broadway.

He also worked in Hollywood as a film writer and director ^[11] while continuing with his theatre work.

Among those who worked with Abbott early in their careers are Desi Arnaz, Gene Kelly, June Havoc, Betty Comden, Adolph Green, Leonard Bernstein, Jules Styne, Stephen Sondheim, Elaine Stritch, John Kander, Fred Ebb, Carol Burnett and Liza Minnelli.^[11] He introduced the "fast-paced, tightly integrated style that influenced" performers and especially directors such as Jerome Robbins, Bob Fosse and Hal Prince.^[8]

Autobiography[edit]

In 1963, he published his autobiography, Mister Abbott.^[1]

Personal life[edit]

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.^[12] He had a long romance with actress Maureen Stapleton^[7] from 1968 to 1978. She was 43 and he was 81 when they began their affair, then ten years later Abbott left her for a younger woman.^[13] His third wife was Joy Valderrama. They were married from 1983 until his death in 1995.^[12][14]

Abbott was a vigorous man who remained active past his 100th birthday by golfing and dancing. He died 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.^[14]

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 thirteen 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.^[14]

He was cremated at Woodlawn Park Cemetery in Miami and the ashes were taken by his wife.^[15]

Family[edit]

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.^[14]

Honours[edit]

In 1965, the 54th Street Theatre was rechristened the George Abbott Theatre in his honour. The building was demolished in 1970.^[7][16] 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 Centre Honors in 1982.^[17][18][19] He was also inducted into the Western New York Entertainment Hall of Fame^[20] and the American Theatre Hall of Fame. In 1990, he was awarded the National Medal of Arts.^[21]

Work[edit]

Stage[edit]

Source: Playbill ^[22]

Filmography[edit]

Awards and nominations[edit]

Source: Playbill^[22]

Awards

Nominations

See also[edit]

• List of centenarians (actors, filmmakers and entertainers)

References[edit]

External links[edit]

• George Abbott at the Internet Broadway Database
• George AbbottatIMDb 
• George Abbott at the Internet Off-Broadway Database
• George Abbott fansite
• George Abbott Biography
• George Abbott, on Enciclopedia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc
• George Abbott, on Discogs, Zink Media
• George Abbott, on MusicBrainz, MetaBrainz Foundation
• George Abbott, on AllMovie, All Media Network