Heart & Soul: The Life and Music of Frank Loesser
Encyclopedia
Heart & Soul: The Life and Music of Frank Loesser is a 2006 American
documentary film
about Guys and Dolls composer/lyricist Frank Loesser
. Directed by Walter J. Gottlieb, it is credited as the first-ever TV documentary about Loesser and was produced by Gottlieb and associate producer James F. Cooney in co-operation with Frank Loesser Enterprises and his widow, Broadway
actress and singer Jo Sullivan Loesser. The documentary debuted on Public Broadcasting Service
(PBS) Public television stations nationwide in 2006 and ran throughout 2007. The film details the triumphant musical career of Loesser, who rose from humble New York City
beginnings as the son of German
Jewish immigrant parents to become the acclaimed composer/lyricist of 5 Broadway musicals and several Hollywood movie songs which became American pop standards, such as "Heart and Soul" (with Hoagy Carmichael
), "On a Slow Boat to China", and "Baby It's Cold Outside".
Inspired by daughter Susan Loesser's biography, "A Most Remarkable Fella", the film traces the artistic arc of Loesser's career from his early days on Tin Pan Alley
, to his success in Hollywood as a lyricist and (later) composer/lyricist, to his triumphs as composer/lyricist on Broadway. It also highlights Loesser as a member of that elite club of songwriters who successfully wrote both music and lyrics for Broadway, placing him in the company of Irving Berlin
, Cole Porter
, and (later) Stephen Sondheim
. One commentator in the film calls him, "Cole Porter, without the martini in his hand," because of his ability to capture everyday American speech and emotions in music and lyrics—a songwriter whose common man's touch belied the sophistication of his music.
A significant amount of screen time is spent detailing Loesser's work on Guys and Dolls, considered by many to be the best Broadway musical ever. The Guys and Dolls segment focuses on Loesser's collaboration with co-book writer Abe Burrows
and his use of diverse musical forms to craft what one interviewee characterizes as the first "truly American musical."
Loesser's temperament is also explored, including a perfectionist streak, volatile temper, and colorful lexicon (according to his daughter, he never met a four-letter word he didn't like), improbably combined with a generous heart, a wicked sense of humor, and a commitment to mentoring the next generation of American songwriters. Loesser abhorred amplification in Broadway theaters and favored singers who could belt. According to the film, he even had a sign printed up during rehearsals for his operatic musical The Most Happy Fella
declaiming his favorite slogan, "Loud is Good!"
The film features re-creations from Loesser's early life, home movies, archival footage, performance clips, and interviews with Jo Sullivan Loesser and three of his children: author Susan Loesser, theater owner and manager John Loesser, and actress Emily Loesser. The film also notes Frank Loesser's influence on American popular song through interviews with Broadway
and Hollywood veterans James Burrows
, Cy Feuer
, Stephen Schwartz
, Maury Yeston
, Jerry Herman
, Richard Adler
, Samuel Goldwyn, Jr.
, Isabel Bigley
, Charles Nelson Reilly
, Robert Morse
, and Mathew Broderick, among others. Frank Loesser
was a chronic cigarette
smoker and died from lung cancer
at 59.
The film garnered positive reviews in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Houston Chronicle
, San Francisco Chronicle
, Palm Beach Post, and Time.com, among others. In 2007, it won a Cine Golden Eagle Award
in the non-fiction category. The film was re-broadcast on Turner Classic Movies (TCM) on June 29, 2010, the centennial of Loesser's birth.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
documentary film
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
about Guys and Dolls composer/lyricist Frank Loesser
Frank Loesser
Frank Henry Loesser was an American songwriter who wrote the lyrics and scores to the Broadway hits Guys and Dolls and How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying, among others. He won separate Tony Awards for the music and lyrics in both shows, as well as sharing the Pulitzer Prize for...
. Directed by Walter J. Gottlieb, it is credited as the first-ever TV documentary about Loesser and was produced by Gottlieb and associate producer James F. Cooney in co-operation with Frank Loesser Enterprises and his widow, Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
actress and singer Jo Sullivan Loesser. The documentary debuted on Public Broadcasting Service
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
(PBS) Public television stations nationwide in 2006 and ran throughout 2007. The film details the triumphant musical career of Loesser, who rose from humble New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
beginnings as the son of German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Jewish immigrant parents to become the acclaimed composer/lyricist of 5 Broadway musicals and several Hollywood movie songs which became American pop standards, such as "Heart and Soul" (with Hoagy Carmichael
Hoagy Carmichael
Howard Hoagland "Hoagy" Carmichael was an American composer, pianist, singer, actor, and bandleader. He is best known for writing "Stardust", "Georgia On My Mind", "The Nearness of You", and "Heart and Soul", four of the most-recorded American songs of all time.Alec Wilder, in his study of the...
), "On a Slow Boat to China", and "Baby It's Cold Outside".
Inspired by daughter Susan Loesser's biography, "A Most Remarkable Fella", the film traces the artistic arc of Loesser's career from his early days on Tin Pan Alley
Tin Pan Alley
Tin Pan Alley is the name given to the collection of New York City music publishers and songwriters who dominated the popular music of the United States in the late 19th century and early 20th century...
, to his success in Hollywood as a lyricist and (later) composer/lyricist, to his triumphs as composer/lyricist on Broadway. It also highlights Loesser as a member of that elite club of songwriters who successfully wrote both music and lyrics for Broadway, placing him in the company of Irving Berlin
Irving Berlin
Irving Berlin was an American composer and lyricist of Jewish heritage, widely considered one of the greatest songwriters in American history.His first hit song, "Alexander's Ragtime Band", became world famous...
, Cole Porter
Cole Porter
Cole Albert Porter was an American composer and songwriter. Born to a wealthy family in Indiana, he defied the wishes of his domineering grandfather and took up music as a profession. Classically trained, he was drawn towards musical theatre...
, and (later) Stephen Sondheim
Stephen Sondheim
Stephen Joshua Sondheim is an American composer and lyricist for stage and film. He is the winner of an Academy Award, multiple Tony Awards including the Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre, multiple Grammy Awards, a Pulitzer Prize and the Laurence Olivier Award...
. One commentator in the film calls him, "Cole Porter, without the martini in his hand," because of his ability to capture everyday American speech and emotions in music and lyrics—a songwriter whose common man's touch belied the sophistication of his music.
A significant amount of screen time is spent detailing Loesser's work on Guys and Dolls, considered by many to be the best Broadway musical ever. The Guys and Dolls segment focuses on Loesser's collaboration with co-book writer Abe Burrows
Abe Burrows
Abe Burrows was a Tony and Pulitzer-winning American humorist, author, and director for radio and the stage.-Early years:...
and his use of diverse musical forms to craft what one interviewee characterizes as the first "truly American musical."
Loesser's temperament is also explored, including a perfectionist streak, volatile temper, and colorful lexicon (according to his daughter, he never met a four-letter word he didn't like), improbably combined with a generous heart, a wicked sense of humor, and a commitment to mentoring the next generation of American songwriters. Loesser abhorred amplification in Broadway theaters and favored singers who could belt. According to the film, he even had a sign printed up during rehearsals for his operatic musical The Most Happy Fella
The Most Happy Fella
The Most Happy Fella is a 1956 musical with a book, music, and lyrics by Frank Loesser. The story, about a romance between an older man and younger woman, is based on the play They Knew What They Wanted by Sidney Howard...
declaiming his favorite slogan, "Loud is Good!"
The film features re-creations from Loesser's early life, home movies, archival footage, performance clips, and interviews with Jo Sullivan Loesser and three of his children: author Susan Loesser, theater owner and manager John Loesser, and actress Emily Loesser. The film also notes Frank Loesser's influence on American popular song through interviews with Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
and Hollywood veterans James Burrows
James Burrows
James Edward Burrows is an American television director who has been working in television since the 1970s.-Biography:...
, Cy Feuer
Cy Feuer
Cy Feuer was an American theatre producer, director, composer, and musician.Born Seymour Arnold Feuerman in Brooklyn, New York,he studied trumpet privately with Max Schlossberg, he became a professional trumpeter at the age of fifteen, working at clubs on weekends to help support his family while...
, Stephen Schwartz
Stephen Schwartz (composer)
Stephen Lawrence Schwartz is an American musical theatre lyricist and composer. In a career spanning over four decades, Schwartz has written such hit musicals as Godspell , Pippin and Wicked...
, Maury Yeston
Maury Yeston
Maury Yeston is an American composer, lyricist, educator and musicologist.He is known for writing the music and lyrics to Broadway musicals, including Nine in 1982, and Titanic in 1997, both of which won Tony Awards for best musical and best score. He also won a Drama Desk Award for Nine...
, Jerry Herman
Jerry Herman
Jerry Herman is an American composer and lyricist, known for his work in Broadway musical theater. He composed the scores for the hit Broadway musicals Hello, Dolly!, Mame, and La Cage aux Folles. He has been nominated for the Tony Award five times, and won twice, for Hello, Dolly! and La Cage...
, Richard Adler
Richard Adler
Richard Adler is an American lyricist, composer and producer of several Broadway shows.-Biography:Born in New York City, Adler had a musical upbringing, his father being a concert pianist. After serving in the Navy he began his career as a lyricist, teaming up with Jerry Ross in 1950...
, Samuel Goldwyn, Jr.
Samuel Goldwyn, Jr.
Samuel Goldwyn, Jr. is an American film producer.Samuel Goldwyn, Jr. was born in Los Angeles, California. He is the son of actress Frances Howard and the pioneer motion picture mogul Samuel Goldwyn...
, Isabel Bigley
Isabel Bigley
Isabel Bigley was an American actress, perhaps best remembered for originating the part of Sarah Brown in Frank Loesser's Guys and Dolls.-Biography:...
, Charles Nelson Reilly
Charles Nelson Reilly
Charles Nelson Reilly was an American actor, comedian, director and drama teacher known for his comedic roles in theater, movies, children's television, animated cartoons, and as a panelist on the game show Match Game....
, Robert Morse
Robert Morse
Robert Morse is an American actor and singer. Morse is best known for his appearances in musicals and plays on Broadway. He has also acted in movies and television shows. His best known role is that of J. Pierrepont Finch in the 1961 Broadway musical, and 1967 film How to Succeed in Business...
, and Mathew Broderick, among others. Frank Loesser
Frank Loesser
Frank Henry Loesser was an American songwriter who wrote the lyrics and scores to the Broadway hits Guys and Dolls and How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying, among others. He won separate Tony Awards for the music and lyrics in both shows, as well as sharing the Pulitzer Prize for...
was a chronic cigarette
Cigarette
A cigarette is a small roll of finely cut tobacco leaves wrapped in a cylinder of thin paper for smoking. The cigarette is ignited at one end and allowed to smoulder; its smoke is inhaled from the other end, which is held in or to the mouth and in some cases a cigarette holder may be used as well...
smoker and died from lung cancer
Lung cancer
Lung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung in a process called metastasis into nearby tissue and, eventually, into other parts of the body. Most cancers that start in lung, known as primary...
at 59.
The film garnered positive reviews in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Houston Chronicle
Houston Chronicle
The Houston Chronicle is the largest daily newspaper in Texas, USA, headquartered in the Houston Chronicle Building in Downtown Houston. , it is the ninth-largest newspaper by circulation in the United States...
, San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco Chronicle
thumb|right|upright|The Chronicle Building following the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake|1906 earthquake]] and fireThe San Francisco Chronicle is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, but distributed throughout Northern and Central California,...
, Palm Beach Post, and Time.com, among others. In 2007, it won a Cine Golden Eagle Award
CINE
CINE is a consortium formulated to depict American life and thought realistically for a global audience. CINE recognizes and fosters the highest quality of non-theatrical film and video production through its semi-annual film competitions....
in the non-fiction category. The film was re-broadcast on Turner Classic Movies (TCM) on June 29, 2010, the centennial of Loesser's birth.
External links
- http://www.loessermovie.org - the film's official website
- http://www.frankloesser.com - Frank Loesser's estate's official website
- http://imdb.com/title/tt1067916/ at the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
- http://imdb.com/name/nm0004230/ Frank LoesserFrank LoesserFrank Henry Loesser was an American songwriter who wrote the lyrics and scores to the Broadway hits Guys and Dolls and How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying, among others. He won separate Tony Awards for the music and lyrics in both shows, as well as sharing the Pulitzer Prize for...
's entry at the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million... - http://www.playbill.com/news/article/104003.html - article on the debut
- http://www.nypost.com/seven/12172006/tv/the_dont_miss_list_tv_robert_rorke.htm?page=2 - a review of the broadcast at the New York PostNew York PostThe New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and is generally acknowledged as the oldest to have been published continuously as a daily, although – as is the case with most other papers – its publication has been periodically interrupted by labor actions...
- http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/03/04/PKGRJN88IK1.DTL - a review of the DVDDVDA DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
- http://news.turner.com/article_print.cfm?article_id=520 Listing at Turner Classic Movies