Perhaps best remembered as the writer and composer of the ever-popular Guys and Dolls and the Pulitzer Prizewinning How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Frank Loesser was one of the great songwriters of the twentieth century. Lyricist of over 700 songsamong them such cherished favorites as Baby, Its Cold Outside, Once in Love with Amy, and I Believe in Youhis work has received both Tony and Academy Awards. Here Thomas L. Riis, in a deeply informed and lively discussion of Loessers life and musical career, presents a critical look at one of the most importantthough often overshadowedBroadway composers.
Immensely prolific and a personally magnetic man, Loesser was a major figure during the Broadway golden age that included Rodgers and Hammerstein, Lerner and Loewe, and Bernstein. Riis traces Loessers early career as a Hollywood songwriter and a noted contributor to the war effort. He discusses in depth each of Loessers musicals and provides a look at the legacy of a man admired as a mentor who inspired dozens of assistants, protégés, young songwriters, novice singer-actors, and aspiring producers. This book offers a concise look at Loessers life along with an engaging examination of the totality of his works.
