Steve Lawrence
Encyclopedia
Steve Lawrence is an American
singer and actor
, perhaps best known as a member of a duo
with his wife Eydie Gormé
, billed as "Steve and Eydie
". The two appeared together since appearing regularly on Steve Allen
's The Tonight Show
in the mid-1950s until Gormé's retirement.
, Max, a cantor
and house painter, and Anna (née Gelb). He attended Thomas Jefferson High School
.
in Las Vegas, Nevada
. They had two sons, the younger of whom, Michael, died unexpectedly in 1986 of ventricular fibrillation
resulting from an undiagnosed heart condition at the age of 23. Their elder son, David
, composed the score for High School Musical
.
In the late 1950s, Steve Lawrence was drafted into the Army and served as the official vocal soloist with The United States Army Band "Pershing's Own"
in Washington, D.C.
s in the late 1950s and early 1960s with such hits as "Go Away Little Girl
" (U.S. #1), "Pretty Blue Eyes" (U.S. #9), "Footsteps" (U.S. #7), "Portrait of My Love" (U.S. #9), and "Party Doll
" (U.S. #5). "Go Away Little Girl" sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc
. However, much of his musical career has centered on nightclubs and the musical stage. He is also an actor, appearing in guest roles on television shows in every decade since the 1950s, in shows such as The Danny Kaye Show
, The Judy Garland Show
, The Carol Burnett Show
, The Julie Andrews Hour
, Night Gallery
, Police Story, Murder, She Wrote
, Gilmore Girls
, and CSI
. In the fall of 1965, Lawrence was briefly the star of a variety show
called The Steve Lawrence Show, "the last television show in black and white on CBS".
He and Gormé appeared together in the Broadway
musical
Golden Rainbow
, which ran from February 1968 until January 1969. Although the show was not a huge success (a summary of this experience is chronicled in unflattering detail in William Goldman
's 1968 book The Season), the show contained the memorable song "I've Gotta Be Me
". This song was originally sung by Lawrence at the end of the first act of the musical; Sammy Davis, Jr.
would later record a version of the song that became a Top 40 hit in 1969.
In 1980, Lawrence was introduced to a new generation of fans with his portrayal of Maury Sline in The Blues Brothers
.
He played Mark McCormick's father, Sonny Daye, in two episodes of Hardcastle and McCormick
. In 1999, he appeared as the much talked about, but never before seen, Morty Fine, father of Fran Fine on the final episode of The Nanny
.
Award and a Tony Award
nomination for his performance as Sammy Glick in What Makes Sammy Run? on Broadway (1964), and two Emmy Awards, one for production for Steve & Eydie Celebrate Irving Berlin (1978).
With Gormé, he has been the recipient of two Emmies for Our Love is Here to Stay, a tribute to George
and Ira Gershwin
; a "Best Performance By a Vocal Duo or Group" Grammy Award
for We Got Us; a Film Advisory Board's Award of Excellence and a Television Critics Circle Award for From This Moment On, a tribute to Cole Porter
.
The duo has also won a Las Vegas Entertainment Award for "Musical Variety Act of the Year" four times, three of them consecutively. They have been honoured with a lifetime achievement award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame
, and in 1995 were the recipients of an Ella Lifetime Achievement Award from the Society of Singers
, a non-profit organization that helps professional singers with counseling and financial assistance.
Code:
† Steve & Eydie (Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gorme)
‡ Parker & Penny (Steve & Eydie)
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer and actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, perhaps best known as a member of a duo
Duet (music)
A duet is a musical composition for two performers. In classical music, the term is most often used for a composition for two singers or pianists; with other instruments, the word duo is also often used. A piece performed by two pianists performing together on the same piano is referred to as...
with his wife Eydie Gormé
Eydie Gormé
Eydie Gormé is an American singer, specializing, with her husband, Steve Lawrence, in traditional pop music, in the form of ballads and breezy swing. She has earned numerous awards, including the Grammy and the Emmy...
, billed as "Steve and Eydie
Steve and Eydie
Steve and Eydie is the name of an American pop vocal duet, consisting of Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gormé. They have been a husband and wife team since they wed in 1957. Both have also had separate careers as solo singers. The performer name on their duet releases was denoted as "Steve and Eydie",...
". The two appeared together since appearing regularly on Steve Allen
Steve Allen (comedian)
Stephen Valentine Patrick William "Steve" Allen was an American television personality, musician, composer, actor, comedian, and writer. Though he got his start in radio, Allen is best known for his television career. He first gained national attention as a guest host on Arthur Godfrey's Talent...
's The Tonight Show
The Tonight Show
The Tonight Show is an American late-night talk show that has aired on NBC since 1954. It is the longest currently running regularly scheduled entertainment program in the United States, and the third longest-running show on NBC, after Meet the Press and Today.The Tonight Show has been hosted by...
in the mid-1950s until Gormé's retirement.
Personal life
Lawrence was born Sidney Liebowitz to Jewish parents in BrooklynBrooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, Max, a cantor
Hazzan
A hazzan or chazzan is a Jewish cantor, a musician trained in the vocal arts who helps lead the congregation in songful prayer.There are many rules relating to how a cantor should lead services, but the idea of a cantor as a paid professional does not exist in classical rabbinic sources...
and house painter, and Anna (née Gelb). He attended Thomas Jefferson High School
Thomas Jefferson High School (Brooklyn, New York)
Thomas Jefferson High School is a former high school in the East New York section of Brooklyn, New York. The New York City Department of Education closed the school and broke it into several different schools in 2007, owing to low graduation rates....
.
Marriage
He and Gormé married on December 29, 1957 at the El Rancho HotelThunderbird (resort)
The Thunderbird Hotel was a Paradise, Nevada, hotel and casino that operated from September 2, 1948 to July 6, 1992, and was the fourth resort to open on the Las Vegas Strip. The hotel was founded by developer Marion Hicks and attorney/Lieutenant Governor of Nevada Clifford A. Jones...
in Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
. They had two sons, the younger of whom, Michael, died unexpectedly in 1986 of ventricular fibrillation
Ventricular fibrillation
Ventricular fibrillation is a condition in which there is uncoordinated contraction of the cardiac muscle of the ventricles in the heart, making them quiver rather than contract properly. Ventricular fibrillation is a medical emergency and most commonly identified arrythmia in cardiac arrest...
resulting from an undiagnosed heart condition at the age of 23. Their elder son, David
David Nessim Lawrence
David N. Lawrence is an American musical composer known primarily for his work on television and movie scores. In 2002, he won an ASCAP Award for his work on American Pie 2...
, composed the score for High School Musical
High School Musical
High School Musical is a 2006 American television film, first in the High School Musical film franchise. Upon its release on January 20, 2006, it became the most successful film that Disney Channel Original Movie ever produced, with a television sequel High School Musical 2 released in 2007 and...
.
In the late 1950s, Steve Lawrence was drafted into the Army and served as the official vocal soloist with The United States Army Band "Pershing's Own"
United States Army Band
Founded in 1922, the United States Army Band – known as "Pershing's Own" – is the premier musical organization of the United States Army. Before 2002, the United States Army Band was the only Washington-based military band to have participated in a theater of foreign combat operations...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
Career
Lawrence had success on the record chartRecord chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
s in the late 1950s and early 1960s with such hits as "Go Away Little Girl
Go Away Little Girl
"Go Away Little Girl" is a popular song written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King. The lyrics consist of a young man asking an attractive young woman to stay away from him, so he won't be tempted to betray his steady girlfriend by kissing her...
" (U.S. #1), "Pretty Blue Eyes" (U.S. #9), "Footsteps" (U.S. #7), "Portrait of My Love" (U.S. #9), and "Party Doll
Party Doll
"Party Doll" is a 1957 rockabilly song written by Buddy Knox and Jimmy Bowen. It was performed by Buddy Knox with the Rhythm Orchids and became a hit on the Roulette label....
" (U.S. #5). "Go Away Little Girl" sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
. However, much of his musical career has centered on nightclubs and the musical stage. He is also an actor, appearing in guest roles on television shows in every decade since the 1950s, in shows such as The Danny Kaye Show
The Danny Kaye Show
The Danny Kaye Show is an American variety show hosted by Danny Kaye that aired on CBS from 1963 to 1967 on Wednesday nights. Directed by Robert Scheerer, the show premiered in black-and-white, but later switched to color broadcasts...
, The Judy Garland Show
The Judy Garland Show
The Judy Garland Show is an American musical variety television series that aired on CBS on Sunday nights during the 1963-1964 television season. Despite a sometimes stormy relationship with Judy Garland, CBS had found success with several television specials featuring the star...
, The Carol Burnett Show
The Carol Burnett Show
The Carol Burnett Show is a variety / sketch comedy television show starring Carol Burnett, Harvey Korman, Vicki Lawrence, Lyle Waggoner, and Tim Conway. It originally ran on CBS from September 11, 1967, to March 29, 1978, for 278 episodes and originated from CBS Television City's Studio 33...
, The Julie Andrews Hour
The Julie Andrews Hour
The Julie Andrews Hour is a television variety series starring Julie Andrews that was produced by ATV and distributed by ITC Entertainment. It aired on the ABC network in the United States....
, Night Gallery
Night Gallery
Night Gallery is an American anthology series that aired on NBC from 1970 to 1973, featuring stories of horror and the macabre. Rod Serling, who had gained fame from an earlier series, The Twilight Zone, served both as the on-air host of Night Gallery and as a major contributor of scripts, although...
, Police Story, Murder, She Wrote
Murder, She Wrote
Murder, She Wrote is an American television mystery series starring Angela Lansbury as mystery writer and amateur detective Jessica Fletcher. The series aired for 12 seasons from 1984 to 1996 on the CBS network, with 264 episodes transmitted. It was followed by four TV films and a spin-off series,...
, Gilmore Girls
Gilmore Girls
Gilmore Girls is an American family comedy-drama series created by Amy Sherman-Palladino, starring Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel. On October 5, 2000, the series debuted on The WB and was cancelled in its seventh season, ending on May 15, 2007 on The CW...
, and CSI
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation is an American crime drama television series, which premiered on CBS on October 6, 2000. The show was created by Anthony E. Zuiker and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer...
. In the fall of 1965, Lawrence was briefly the star of a variety show
Variety show
A variety show, also known as variety arts or variety entertainment, is an entertainment made up of a variety of acts, especially musical performances and sketch comedy, and normally introduced by a compère or host. Other types of acts include magic, animal and circus acts, acrobatics, juggling...
called The Steve Lawrence Show, "the last television show in black and white on CBS".
He and Gormé appeared together in the 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...
musical
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
Golden Rainbow
Golden Rainbow
Golden Rainbow is the title of a Broadway musical that opened in 1968. It starred Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gormé for its entire run until it closed in early 1969....
, which ran from February 1968 until January 1969. Although the show was not a huge success (a summary of this experience is chronicled in unflattering detail in William Goldman
William Goldman
William Goldman is an American novelist, playwright, and Academy Award-winning screenwriter.-Early life and education:...
's 1968 book The Season), the show contained the memorable song "I've Gotta Be Me
I've Gotta Be Me
"I've Gotta Be Me" is a popular song that first appeared in the Broadway musical Golden Rainbow, which starred Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gormé. The musical opened in New York City at the Shubert Theatre on February 4, 1968, and closed less than a year later, on January 11, 1969...
". This song was originally sung by Lawrence at the end of the first act of the musical; Sammy Davis, Jr.
Sammy Davis, Jr.
Samuel George "Sammy" Davis Jr. was an American entertainer and was also known for his impersonations of actors and other celebrities....
would later record a version of the song that became a Top 40 hit in 1969.
In 1980, Lawrence was introduced to a new generation of fans with his portrayal of Maury Sline in The Blues Brothers
The Blues Brothers (film)
The Blues Brothers is a 1980 musical comedy film directed by John Landis and starring John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd as "Joliet" Jake and Elwood Blues, characters developed from a musical sketch on the NBC variety series Saturday Night Live. It features musical numbers by R&B and soul singers James...
.
He played Mark McCormick's father, Sonny Daye, in two episodes of Hardcastle and McCormick
Hardcastle and McCormick
Hardcastle and McCormick is a 1980s action/drama television series from Stephen J. Cannell Productions, shown on ABC from 1983–1986, starring Brian Keith as Judge Milton C. Hardcastle and Daniel Hugh Kelly as ex-con and race car driver Mark "Skid" McCormick.The show's premise involves the...
. In 1999, he appeared as the much talked about, but never before seen, Morty Fine, father of Fran Fine on the final episode of The Nanny
The Nanny
Nanny may refer to:* Nanny, a child's caregiver* A grandmother * A Cajun word for godmother * A female goat* Nanny , a 1981–83 British drama series starring Wendy Craig* Nanny of the Maroons...
.
Awards
Lawrence received a New York Drama Critics' CircleNew York Drama Critics' Circle
The New York Drama Critics' Circle is made up of 24 drama critics from daily newspapers, magazines and wire services based in the New York City metropolitan area. The organization was founded in 1935 at the Algonquin Hotel by a group that included Brooks Atkinson, Walter Winchell, and Robert Benchley...
Award and a Tony Award
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway...
nomination for his performance as Sammy Glick in What Makes Sammy Run? on Broadway (1964), and two Emmy Awards, one for production for Steve & Eydie Celebrate Irving Berlin (1978).
With Gormé, he has been the recipient of two Emmies for Our Love is Here to Stay, a tribute to George
George Gershwin
George Gershwin was an American composer and pianist. Gershwin's compositions spanned both popular and classical genres, and his most popular melodies are widely known...
and Ira Gershwin
Ira Gershwin
Ira Gershwin was an American lyricist who collaborated with his younger brother, composer George Gershwin, to create some of the most memorable songs of the 20th century....
; a "Best Performance By a Vocal Duo or Group" Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
for We Got Us; a Film Advisory Board's Award of Excellence and a Television Critics Circle Award for From This Moment On, a tribute to 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...
.
The duo has also won a Las Vegas Entertainment Award for "Musical Variety Act of the Year" four times, three of them consecutively. They have been honoured with a lifetime achievement award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame
Songwriters Hall of Fame
The Songwriters Hall of Fame is an arm of the National Academy of Popular Music. It was founded in 1969 by songwriter Johnny Mercer and music publishers Abe Olman and Howie Richmond. The goal is to create a museum but as of April, 2008, the means do not yet exist and so instead it is an online...
, and in 1995 were the recipients of an Ella Lifetime Achievement Award from the Society of Singers
Society of Singers
Society of Singers, known appropriately as "SOS" is the only nonprofit 5013 charitable organization devoted exclusively to helping professional singers.-Foundation:...
, a non-profit organization that helps professional singers with counseling and financial assistance.
Single discography
| Year | Single | Chart positions | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
US AC Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks The Adult Contemporary chart is a weekly chart published in Billboard magazine that lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary and "lite-pop" radio stations in the United States... |
US R&B Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,... |
UK UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
||
| 1952 | "Poinciana" | 21 | - | — | — |
| 1953 | "How Many Stars Have To Shine" | 26 | - | — | — |
| 1957 | "The Banana Boat Song" | 18 | - | — | — |
| "Party Doll" | 5 | - | — | — | |
| "(The Bad Donkey) Pum-Pa-Lum" | 45 | - | — | — | |
| "Can't Wait For Summer" | 42 | - | — | — | |
| "Fabulous" | 71 | - | — | — | |
| "Fraulein" | 54 | - | — | — | |
| 1958 | "Uh-Huh, Oh Yeah" | 73 | - | — | — |
| "Many a Time" | 97 | - | — | — | |
| 1959 | "(I Don't Care) Only Love Me" | 62 | - | — | — |
| "Pretty Blue Eyes" | 9 | - | — | — | |
| 1960 | "Footsteps" | 7 | - | — | 4 |
| "Girls, Girls, Girls" | - | - | — | 49 | |
| 1961 | "Portrait of My Love" | 9 | - | — | — |
| "My Clair De Lune" | 68 | 13 | — | — | |
| "In Time" | 94 | 19 | — | — | |
| "Somewhere Along the Way" | 67 | 16 | — | — | |
| 1962 | "Our Concerto" | 107 | - | — | — |
| "The Lady Wants To Twist" | 120 | - | — | — | |
| "Go Away Little Girl" | 1 | 1 | 14 | — | |
| 1963 | "Don't Be Afraid, Little Darlin'" | 26 | 12 | — | — |
| "Poor Little Rich Girl" | 27 | 11 | — | — | |
| "More" | 117 | - | — | — | |
| "I Want To Stay Here"† | 28 | 8 | — | 3 | |
| "Walking Proud" | 26 | - | — | — | |
| "I Can't Stop Talking About You"† | 35 | 14 | — | — | |
| 1964 | "My Home Town" | 106 | - | — | — |
| "A Room Without Windows" | 120 | - | — | — | |
| "Everybody Knows" | 72 | 18 | — | — | |
| "Yet...I Know" | 77 | 15 | — | — | |
| 1965 | "Bewitched..." | 103 | - | — | — |
| "I Will Wait For You" | 113 | - | — | — | |
| "Last Night I Made a Little Girl Cry" | 126 | - | — | — | |
| "Millions of Roses" | 106 | 11 | — | — | |
| 1966 | "The Week-end" | 131 | 24 | — | — |
| "The Ballad of the Sad Young Men" | - | 36 | — | — | |
| 1967 | "The Honeymoon Is Over"† | - | 14 | — | — |
| "Sweet Maria" | - | 23 | — | — | |
| "I've Gotta Be Me" | - | 6 | — | — | |
| 1968 | "The Two of Us"# | - | 33 | — | — |
| "Runaround" | - | 27 | — | — | |
| 1969 | "Real True Lovin'"† | 119 | 20 | — | — |
| "The Drifter" | - | 14 | — | — | |
| 1970 | "Mama, a Rainbow" | - | 38 | — | — |
| "(You're My) Soul & Inspiration"† | - | 21 | — | — | |
| "Groovin'" | - | 25 | — | — | |
| 1971 | "Love is Blue/Autumn Leaves"† | - | 37 | — | — |
| 1972 | "Ain't No Sunshine/You Are My Sunshine" | - | 24 | — | — |
| "We Can Make It Together (featuring the Osmonds)"† | 68 | 7 | — | — | |
| 1973 | "Feelin'"† | - | 31 | — | — |
| "The End (At the End of a Rainbow)" | - | 46 | — | — | |
| 1975 | "Now That We're In Love" | - | 16 | — | — |
| 1979 | "Hallelujah"‡ | - | 46 | — | — |
Code:
† Steve & Eydie (Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gorme)
‡ Parker & Penny (Steve & Eydie)