Willie Gilbert
Encyclopedia
Willie Gilbert was an American author and playwright.
Born William Gomberg in Cleveland, Ohio
, Gilbert's proclivity for creating gags emerged as the humor writer for the Glenville High School
Torch on which he worked alongside future playwright Jerome Lawrence
and the creators of Superman
, Jerry Siegel
and Joe Shuster
.
After earning a BS in education he moved to New York City
to pursue a career as a comedian. There he discovered that his physician, Jack Weinstock
, had a skill for writing, and soon the two were contributing sketch comedy to night-club performers including Kaye Ballard
and Eileen Barton, and then to the Broadway
review Tickets Please. They worked extensively in early television, particularly the children's programs Howdy Doody
and Tom Corbett
, Space Cadet, although they also sold material to such mainstream performers as Jackie Gleason
. They achieved their first Broadway success as co-authors of the book for How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying
in 1962, for which they shared in two Tony Awards.
Later, Gilbert and Weinstock wrote the books for Hot Spot
, which starred Judy Holliday, and Catch Me If You Can
, a murder mystery based on a French play by Robert Thomas. Weinstock died in 1969, as the team was writing another Broadway musical, The Candy Store.
In the 1970s, Gilbert returned to children's television, writing gags for Yogi Bear
, Scooby Doo and other Hanna-Barbera
characters. Gilbert died in New York City
.
Born William Gomberg in Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, Gilbert's proclivity for creating gags emerged as the humor writer for the Glenville High School
Glenville High School
Glenville Academic Campus is a public high school in the Glenville neighborhood on the East Side of Cleveland, Ohio. The school is part of the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. Founded in 1905, the school's original campus was located at Everton and Parkwood. The current campus was built in...
Torch on which he worked alongside future playwright Jerome Lawrence
Jerome Lawrence
Jerome Lawrence was an American playwright and author.-Life and career:Lawrence was born Jerome Lawrence Schwartz in Cleveland, Ohio, the son of Sarah , a poet, and Samuel Schwartz, a printer. He worked for several small newspapers as a reporter/editor before moving into radio as a writer for CBS....
and the creators of Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
, Jerry Siegel
Jerry Siegel
Jerome "Jerry" Siegel , who also used pseudonyms including Joe Carter, Jerry Ess, and Herbert S...
and Joe Shuster
Joe Shuster
Joseph "Joe" Shuster was a Canadian-born American comic book artist. He was best known for co-creating the DC Comics character Superman, with writer Jerry Siegel, first published in Action Comics #1...
.
After earning a BS in education he moved to 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...
to pursue a career as a comedian. There he discovered that his physician, Jack Weinstock
Jack Weinstock
Jack Weinstock was an American author and playwright who is best known for writing the musical book for How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. He also co-authored the play Catch Me If You Can with Willie Gilbert and wrote the book for the musical Hot Spot.-External links:...
, had a skill for writing, and soon the two were contributing sketch comedy to night-club performers including Kaye Ballard
Kaye Ballard
Kaye Ballard is an American musical theatre and television actress, comedienne, and singer.-Life and career:Ballard was born as Catherine Gloria Balotta in Cleveland, Ohio, to an Italian American family, the daughter of Lena and Vincent James Balotta.Ballard established herself as a musical...
and Eileen Barton, and then to 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...
review Tickets Please. They worked extensively in early television, particularly the children's programs Howdy Doody
Howdy Doody
Howdy Doody is an American children's television program that was created and produced by E. Roger Muir and telecast on NBC in the United States from 1947 until 1960. It was a pioneer in children's television programming and set the pattern for many similar shows...
and Tom Corbett
Tom Corbett
Thomas W. Corbett is the 46th and current Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States. He is a former Attorney General of Pennsylvania and was elected to that office in 2004 and reelected in 2008...
, Space Cadet, although they also sold material to such mainstream performers as Jackie Gleason
Jackie Gleason
Jackie Gleason was an American comedian, actor and musician. He was known for his brash visual and verbal comedy style, especially by his character Ralph Kramden on The Honeymooners, a situation-comedy television series. His most noted film roles were as Minnesota Fats in the drama film The...
. They achieved their first Broadway success as co-authors of the book for How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying is a musical with music and lyrics by Frank Loesser and book by Abe Burrows, Jack Weinstock, and Willie Gilbert, based on Shepherd Mead's 1952 book of the same name....
in 1962, for which they shared in two Tony Awards.
Later, Gilbert and Weinstock wrote the books for Hot Spot
Hot Spot (musical)
Hot Spot is a musical with the book by Jack Weinstock and Willie Gilbert, lyrics by Martin Charnin, music by Mary Rodgers, and additional lyrics and music by Stephen Sondheim. It had a brief run on Broadway in 1963...
, which starred Judy Holliday, and Catch Me If You Can
Catch Me If You Can (play)
Catch Me if You Can is a play by Jack Weinstock and Willie Gilbert that is taken from a French play by Robert Thomas. The work premiered on Broadway at the Morosco Theatre on March 2, 1965 and closed after 111 performances on June 5, 1965. The production was directed by Vincent J...
, a murder mystery based on a French play by Robert Thomas. Weinstock died in 1969, as the team was writing another Broadway musical, The Candy Store.
In the 1970s, Gilbert returned to children's television, writing gags for Yogi Bear
Yogi Bear
Yogi Bear is a fictional bear who appears in animated cartoons created by Hanna-Barbera Productions. He made his debut in 1958 as a supporting character in The Huckleberry Hound Show. Yogi Bear was the first breakout character created by Hanna-Barbera, and was eventually more popular than...
, Scooby Doo and other Hanna-Barbera
Hanna-Barbera
Hanna-Barbera Productions, Inc. was an American animation studio that dominated North American television animation during the second half of the 20th century...
characters. Gilbert died in 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...
.