May 12, 1975 Issue
Aspects of Show Biz
By Anthony Hiss and Penelope Gilliatt
The New Yorker, May 12, 1975 P. 32
Talk story about lunch at the Algonquin with Betty Comden & Adolph Green, the matchless N.Y. pair who have written the book and/or lyrics for 14 shows and 10 movies. Names some of the scores including "Singin' in the Rain," which opens a one-week run this wk. at the Music Hall as part of a month-long salute to M-G- Comden & Green played the Music Hall beginning on Oct 31, 1940 & lasted 3 wks., which was a long run. They were called the Revuers. Tells about their experiences at the Music Hall & what their musical act was comprised of. The evening before this lunch writer spoke with Leon Leonidoff, the retired senior producer of stage shows at the Music Hall, who had only praise for Comden and Green. Betty said that the big thing in the old days was writing rather serious love songs to themes by famous classical composers. For the final song of their Music Hall act, Adolph had written "Mabel" a tender song set to the fast last movt. of Tchaikovsky's Fourth. Comden & Green think their partnership has survived because they are both happily married to other people--she to Steve Kyle, a businessman; he to Phyllis Newman, the actress and director. They are now writing a musical with Cy Coleman. They are just finishing a non-musical comedy screenplay called "I'm Comin', Virginia."
Published in the print edition of the May 12, 1975, issue.