Evening star., 1947-11-09

lining Even before opened Broadway it had piled up
record 100000 in advance sales.
Not satisfied with writing hit shows Rodgers and Hammer
stein have turned to producing the work of other paygs
So far they have produced three dramatic plays all hits
i Remember Mama, John Loves Mary" and "Happy
Birthday the last starring Helen Hayes. And of course
the aforementioned musical, Annie Get Your Gun"
which they did not write -Four companies playing
and the movie rights have been sold for $685. OOO
At present there l3 theatrical companies PLAYING shows
that Rodgers and Hammesen either wrote or produced Bv
the most modest estimate these shows will gross
during the coming season.
As partners the complement each other Both are
businesske untemperamenta fellows who dress neat
quiet clothes Both still just couple of guys
though they've been in the business Is years. But the
resemblance ends there Dick Rodgers medium tall man
whose black hair shot with gray Normally his nature so
placid that he compose song with the radio going the
next room But the he talking show business
he bursts into enthusiasm He will pace the floor happily
describing problems and prospects of production STOP
ping only to sit down various chairs Rodgers is great
chair tester.
Centest Man Broadway
OSCAR HAMMERsTEN barrechested six hulk of
man who might easily be mistaken for football coach
except that his manner He reputed
gentles man Broadway When he room he sits
stocks in chair till it's time 20 out again He seldom
speaks unless spoken to- and then only in soft tone
Rodgers and Hammerstein keep their writing activities
sharply divided from their producing activities They feel that
either producing show writing fume job The
shows theyve written themselves have all been produced by
the Theatre Guild
When they working at their producing jobs the two
men constantly together Neither will make slight
est decision without consulting the other Michel Mok
the chief press agent 81 cam show them
window card for Chinese laundry without his calling
in the other for a n opinion.'
But close their collaboration producers they seldom
each other at all when they writing show After they
have discussed the broad outlines of the plot they
to do the work their respective homes Hammersen writes
at his farm IN Bucks County Pa where he lives with his wife
and children, and a number of Black Angus cattle
AS fast Hammersein finishes lyric he mails it up to
Rodgers at his home in Fairfield Conn hs reverses the
usual procedure of gwritng generally the music is
written fst Rodgers, lghtningfat worker usually
the lyrics to music the day he gets hem which s
Hammerstein bit. Its discoagng he says Ito deliver
set of lyrics to Dick and have him phone morning and
say It's all done. When's the next coming?'
Song Writers at Work
f1AMMERsTEN does his writing standing up In his study
there is oldashoned tall bookkeepers desk that has
become famous in theatrical circles Standing the desk he
likes to act out lines as he writes them
Rodgers works in conventional fashion, operating at
the family piano the living He doesn't bother to shut
the doors His wife, two pretty daughters the
cook, the maid and a matronly poodle named Penny
wander in and all day. He frequently stops in the
middle of song to chat with the family.