Editing Jerry Herman

{{short description|American composer and lyricist (1931–2019)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2024}}
{{Infobox person
| module             = {{Infobox musical artist |embed=yes
    | background          = non_performing_personnel
    | instrument          = Piano
    | genre               = Musical theatre
    | occupation          = Composer, Lyricist
    | years_active        = 1954–2019
    }}
| name               = Jerry Herman
| image              = Jerry Herman 2010.jpg
| caption            = Herman at the [[White House]] for the 2010 Kennedy Center Honors
| birth_date         = {{birth date|1931|7|10}}<ref>{{cite news |last1=Trounson |first1=Rebecca |title=Jerry Herman, composer behind 'Hello, Dolly!' and 'La Cage aux Folles,' dies at 88 |url=https://www.latimes.com/obituaries/story/2019-12-27/jerry-herman-dead |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date = December 27, 2019}}</ref>
| birth_place        = New York City, U.S.
| death_date         = {{Death date and age|2019|12|26|1931|07|10}}
| death_place        = Miami, Florida, U.S.
| alma_mater         = [[University of Miami]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])
| occupation         =
| partner            = Martin Finkelstein (d. 1990)<ref name=Zak_2010/><ref name="weinraubNYT26jul1998"/><br>Terry Marler (?–2019)<ref name=apobit/>
| monuments          = [[Jerry Herman Ring Theatre]], [[University of Miami]], [[Coral Gables, Florida]], U.S.
| website            = {{url|http://jerryherman.com}}
| footnotes          =<ref name=Citron_2004/><ref>{{cite book |title=Celebrity Locator 2006-2007   <!-- |author-link=Rob Ten-Tronck --> |first=Rob |last=Ten-Tronck |year=2005 |publisher=Axiom Information Resources |isbn=9780943213798 |access-date=December 5, 2013
|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NDT11q5kOj8C&pg=PA135 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=History of the Jerry Herman Ring Theatre
   |publisher=[[University of Miami]]
   |access-date=December 5, 2013 |url=http://www.as.miami.edu/theatrearts/ring-history.html}}</ref><ref>
{{cite web |title=Jerry Herman Biography |publisher=[[IMDb]] |access-date=December 5, 2012
|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0379154/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm
  |quote=University of Miami (Bachelor of Arts) and the Parsons School of Design}}</ref><ref>{{cite news
    |newspaper=[[Miami Herald]] |date=August 14, 2013
|series=La vida local |quote=...Herman, 82, of Miami Beach...
    |title=Jerry Herman recalls Eydie Gorme
    |url=http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/08/14/3560103/jerry-herman-recalls-eydie-gorme.html|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131211040153/http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/08/14/3560103/jerry-herman-recalls-eydie-gorme.html|archive-date = December 11, 2013 }}</ref>
}}
'''Gerald Sheldon Herman''' (July 10, 1931{{snd}}December 26, 2019) was an American composer and lyricist, known for his work in Broadway theatre.

One of the most commercially successful Broadway songwriters of his time, Herman was the composer and lyricist for a number of hit musicals, starting in the 1960s, that were characterized by an upbeat and optimistic outlook and what Herman called "the simple, hummable showtune". His shows include ''[[Hello, Dolly! (musical)|Hello, Dolly!]]'' (1964), at one time the longest-running musical in Broadway history, which also produced [[Hello, Dolly! (song)|the hit title song for Louis Armstrong]]; ''[[Mame (musical)|Mame]]'' (1966), a vehicle for [[Angela Lansbury]]; and ''[[La Cage aux Folles (musical)|La Cage aux Folles]]'' (1984), the first hit Broadway musical about a gay couple.

In 2009, Herman received the [[Special Tony Award|Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre]].  He was a recipient of the 2010 [[Kennedy Center Honors]].

==Early life==
Herman was born in [[Manhattan]] and raised in [[Jersey City, New Jersey]], the only child of musically inclined, middle-class Jewish parents.<ref name=glbtq>{{cite web|title=Herman, Jerry |url=http://www.glbtq.com/arts/herman_j.html |work=[[glbtq.com]] |access-date=September 6, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061208112400/http://www.glbtq.com/arts/herman_j.html |archive-date= December 8, 2006 }}</ref><ref name = NYT>{{cite news|url = https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/27/theater/jerry-herman-dead.html|title = Jerry Herman, Composer of 'Hello, Dolly!' and Other Hits, Dies at 88|work = [[The New York Times]]|date = December 27, 2019|access-date = December 27, 2019|last = McFadden|first = Robert D.|author-link = Robert D. McFadden}}</ref> He learned to play piano at an early age, and he frequently attended [[Broadway musicals]].

Herman's father Harry was a gym teacher and in the summer worked in the [[Catskill Mountains]] hotels. His mother Ruth (née Sachs) also worked in the hotels as a singer,<ref name=":2">{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/jerry-herman-composer-of-hello-dolly-and-other-broadway-hits-dies-at-88/2019/12/27/4c7f993a-28ba-11ea-9c21-2c2a4d2c2166_story.html|title=Jerry Herman, composer of 'Hello, Dolly!' and other Broadway hits, dies at 88|last=Schudel|first=Matt|date=December 27, 2019|newspaper=The Washington Post|language=en|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191227205003/https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/jerry-herman-composer-of-hello-dolly-and-other-broadway-hits-dies-at-88/2019/12/27/4c7f993a-28ba-11ea-9c21-2c2a4d2c2166_story.html|archive-date=December 27, 2019|access-date=December 29, 2019}}</ref> pianist, and children's teacher, and eventually became an English teacher. Herman told ''People Magazine'' in 1986 that his mother, who died in 1954, long before his success on Broadway, "was glamorous like Mame and witty like Dolly."<ref name=":2" />

After marrying, his parents lived in Jersey City and continued to work in the summers in various camps until they became head counselors and finally ran Stissing Lake Camp in the small town of [[Pine Plains (town), New York|Pine Plains]], New York, in the [[Taconic Mountains]]. Herman spent all of his summers there, from age 6 to 23. It was at camp that he first became involved in theatrical productions, as director of ''[[Oklahoma!]]'', ''[[Finian's Rainbow]]'' and ''[[A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (musical)|A Tree Grows in Brooklyn]]''.<ref name="Citron_2004">{{cite book
  | last =Citron
  | first =Stephen
  | title = Jerry Herman: Poet of the Showtune
  | publisher = Yale University Press
  | year = 2004
  | lccn=2003027632
  | location=[[New Haven]]
  | pages =10–14, 23
  | isbn = 0-300-10082-5
  |access-date=December 5, 2013
|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fFz5QgJsjL4C&q=gerald+freedman+1927&pg=PA221
}}</ref> Herman graduated from Jersey City's [[Henry Snyder High School]].<ref>Ewen, David. [https://books.google.com/books?id=p_s7AQAAIAAJ&q=%22Jerry+Herman%22+%22henry+snyder%22 ''Popular American Composers from Revolutionary Times to the Present: A Biographical and Critical Guide, Volume 1''], p. 51. Retrieved June 6, 2012. "Following his graduation from Henry Snyder High School in Jersey City, he enrolled at the Parsons School of Design in New York intending to become an interior decorator."</ref>

At age 17, Herman was introduced to [[Frank Loesser]] who, after hearing material he had written, urged him to continue composing. He left the [[Parsons School of Design]] to attend the [[University of Miami]],<ref>[http://www.kennedy-center.org/Artist/A4388?_ga=2.255161345.86175915.1530036471-966829958.1530036471 "Jerry Herman"] kennedy-center.org. Retrieved June 26, 2018</ref> which has one of the nation's most [[avant garde]] theater departments.{{cn|date=January 2024}} While an undergraduate student at the University of Miami, Herman produced, wrote and directed a college musical called ''Sketchbook''. It was scheduled to run for three performances, but the show was so popular it ran for an additional 17 performances.<ref>[https://www.broadwayworld.com/miami/article/University-of-Miamis-Department-of-Theatre-Arts-to-Honor-Jerry-Herman-at-75th-Anniversary-Concert-33-20140214 "University of Miami's Department of Theatre Arts to Honor Jerry Herman at 75th Anniversary Concert, 3/3"] broadwayworld.com, February 14, 2014</ref>
Herman belonged to the [[Zeta Beta Tau]] fraternity.<ref>Citron, Stephen, p. 27</ref>

Herman graduated from the University of Miami in 1953 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in drama and received a [[Doctor of Fine Arts]] degree in 1980.<ref name="UNews">{{cite news |title=Beloved Broadway composer Jerry Herman remembered |url=https://news.miami.edu/stories/2019/12/beloved-broadway-composer-jerry-herman-remembered.html |access-date=April 19, 2021 |publisher=U News |date=December 27, 2019}}</ref>{{clarify|reason=Was this an honorary or an earned doctoral degree?|date=January 2024}}

==Early career==
Following his graduation from the [[University of Miami]] in 1953, Herman moved to New York City, where he produced the [[Off-Broadway]] [[revue]] ''I Feel Wonderful'', which was made up of material he had written at the university. It opened at the [[Theatre de Lys]] in [[Greenwich Village]] on October 18, 1954, and ran for 48 performances.<ref>Citron, Stephen, p. 33</ref> It was his only show his mother saw; she died of cancer at the age of forty-four in December 1954.<ref>[https://masterworksbroadway.com/artist/jerry-herman/ "Jerry Herman Biography"] masterworksbroadway.com. Retrieved September 1, 2019</ref> Herman said "I went into serious grieving."<ref>Citron, Stephen, p. 35</ref>

In 1957, Herman approached the owner of a West Fourth Street jazz club called the Showplace and asked to put on a revue. As well as supplying the music, Herman wrote the book and directed the one-hour revue, called ''Nightcap''. He asked his friend, [[Phyllis Newman]], to do movement and dance and it featured [[Charles Nelson Reilly]] (who later co-starred in ''[[Hello, Dolly! (musical)|Hello, Dolly!]]''). The show opened in May 1958 and ran for two years.<ref>Citron, Stephen. pp.39-40</ref>

Herman next collected enough original material to put together an [[Off-Broadway]] revue called [[Parade (revue)|''Parade'']] in 1960. Herman directed with choreography by Richard Tone. The cast included [[Charles Nelson Reilly]] and [[Dody Goodman]]. It first opened at the Showplace and, expanded, moved to the Players Theatre in January 1960.<ref>[http://www.jerryherman.com/parade.htm jerryherman.com], Parade information</ref><ref>Suskin, Steven.[http://www.playbill.com/news/article/66908.html/pg2 "Oh! Captain and Jerry Herman's Parade"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090114062618/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/66908.html/pg2 |date=January 14, 2009 }}, playbill.com, November 3, 2002</ref>

==Broadway career==
In 1960, Herman made his Broadway debut with the revue ''[[From A to Z]]'', which featured contributions from newcomers [[Woody Allen]] and [[Fred Ebb]] as well.<ref>[http://www.playbill.com/production/from-a-to-z-plymouth-theatre-vault-0000009611 " ''From A to Z'' Broadway"] ''Playbill'' (vault). Retrieved June 26, 2018</ref> That same year producer Gerard Oestreicher approached him after seeing a performance of [[Parade (revue)|"Parade"]], and asked if he would be interested in composing the score for a show about the founding of the state of Israel. The result was his first full-fledged Broadway musical, ''[[Milk and Honey (musical)|Milk and Honey]] ''in 1961. The show, about American tourists in Israel, starred [[Robert Weede]], [[Mimi Benzell]] and [[Molly Picon]]. It received respectable reviews, was nominated for a Tony award, and ran for 543 performances.<ref name=":2" /><ref>[http://www.playbill.com/production/milk-and-honey-martin-beck-theatre-vault-0000008253 " ''Milk and Honey'' Broadway"] ''Playbill'' (vault). Retrieved June 26, 2018</ref>

Herman met playwright [[Tad Mosel]] in 1960 and they collaborated on an Off-Broadway musical adaptation of Mosel's 1953 television play, ''Madame Aphrodite''. The [[Madame Aphrodite (musical)|musical of the same name]], which starred [[Nancy Andrews (actress)|Nancy Andrews]] in the title role, opened at the [[Orpheum Theatre (Manhattan)|Orpheum Theatre]] in December 1961 but closed after 13 performances.<ref name="Citron2008">{{cite book|author=Stephen Citron|title=Jerry Herman: Poet of the Showtune|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fFz5QgJsjL4C&pg=PA69|date=October 1, 2008|publisher=Yale University Press|isbn=978-0-300-13324-0|pages=69–}}</ref> The show has never been performed since. The failure of the musical hurt Herman, who felt that the direction and casting had not worked, but described his decision to make it as a "very brave thing for me to do...It was a dark piece, something more suited to early Sondheim than me".<ref name="Citron2008"/>

=== ''Hello, Dolly!'' ===
{{Main|Hello, Dolly! (musical)}}
In 1964, producer [[David Merrick]] united Herman with musical actress [[Carol Channing]] and [[librettist]] [[Michael Stewart (playwright)|Michael Stewart]] for a project that was to become one of his more successful, ''[[Hello, Dolly! (musical)|Hello, Dolly!]]''.<ref name=":2" /> The original production ran for 2,844 performances, the longest running musical for its time, and was later revived three times.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/BREAKING-Legendary-Composer-and-Lyricist-Jerry-Herman-Has-Passed-Away-at-88-20191227|title=BREAKING: Legendary Composer and Lyricist Jerry Herman Has Passed Away at 88|website=BroadwayWorld.com|language=en|access-date=December 29, 2019}}</ref> Although facing stiff competition from ''[[Funny Girl (musical)|Funny Girl]]'', ''Hello, Dolly!'' swept the [[Tony Awards]] that season, winning 10, a record that remained unbroken for 37 years, until ''[[The Producers (musical)|The Producers]]'' won 12 Tonys in 2001.<ref name=":4" />

=== ''Mame'' ===
{{Main|Mame (musical)}}
In 1966, Herman's next musical was the hit ''[[Mame (musical)|Mame]]'' starring [[Angela Lansbury]], which introduced a string of Herman standards, most notably the ballad "If He Walked Into My Life", the holiday favorite "We Need a Little Christmas", and the title tune.<ref>[http://www.musicals101.com/1960bway2.htm#Mame ''Mame''] musicals101.com. Retrieved June 26, 2018</ref><ref>[http://www.tamswitmark.com/shows/mame/ ''Mame''] tamswitmark.com. Retrieved June 26, 2018</ref>

=== 1969–1980 ===
Although not commercial successes, ''[[Dear World]]'' (1969) starring [[Angela Lansbury]], ''[[Mack & Mabel]]'' (1974) starring [[Robert Preston (actor)|Robert Preston]] and [[Bernadette Peters]], and ''[[The Grand Tour (musical)|The Grand Tour]]'' (1979) starring [[Joel Grey]] are noted for their interesting concepts and their melodic, memorable scores. Herman considers ''Mack & Mabel'', also written in collaboration with [[Michael Stewart (playwright)|Michael Stewart]], his personal favorite score<ref>Klein, Alvin. [https://www.nytimes.com/1988/07/03/nyregion/theater-mack-and-mabel-with-a-new-finale.html "Theater. 'Mack and Mabel' With a New Finale"] ''The New York Times'', July 3, 1988</ref> with later composition ''[[La Cage aux Folles (musical)|La Cage aux Folles]]'' in a close second. Both ''Dear World'' and ''Mack & Mabel'' have developed a cult following among Broadway aficionados.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/entertainment/theater/article/Cult-favorite-Mack-and-Mabel-comes-to-Stages-6266550.php|title=Cult favorite 'Mack and Mabel' comes to Stages|last=Evans|first=Everett|date=May 15, 2015|newspaper=Houston Chronicle|language=en-US|access-date=December 29, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.playbill.com/article/dear-world-will-preem-at-goodspeed-at-chester-fall-2000-com-87797|title=Dear World Will Preem at Goodspeed-at-Chester Fall 2000|date=March 15, 2000|website=Playbill|language=en|access-date=December 29, 2019}}</ref>

=== ''La Cage aux Folles'' ===
{{Main|La Cage aux Folles (musical)}}
In 1983, Herman had his third hit with ''[[La Cage aux Folles (musical)|La Cage aux Folles]]'' starring [[George Hearn]] and [[Gene Barry]], a show that was notable for being one of the first hit Broadway musicals centered around a gay couple. The musical was tried out in Boston, where Herman worried:<ref name=":3" />

{{Blockquote|text=A man singing a love song to another man--I don't think that's ever been done in a Broadway musical before. And, I mean, this was Boston, [[Katherine Cornell]] country. Frankly, I didn't know whether or not they'd throw stones. The audience gave it an ovation. That's when I started to think, 'We've done something right. They've bought the characters.' "|sign=Jerry Herman|source=}}

Ticket sales were strong for its Boston tryout; a two-week extension required the box office to remain open for 36 hours straight to handle the demand.<ref name=":3" /> Advance sales for its Broadway debut at the [[Palace Theatre (New York City)|Palace Theatre]] were described as "something approximating outright pandemonium."<ref name=":3">{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/style/1983/08/14/jerry-hermans-gilded-cage/90c4fc9a-da77-462c-b90b-1b4c4a3f2289/|title=Jerry Herman's Gilded 'Cage'|last=Richards|first=David|date=August 14, 1983|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=December 29, 2019|language=en-US|issn=0190-8286}}</ref> ''La Cage aux Folles'' won the Tony Award for Best Musical (1983), later became the first musical to win the [[Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical]] twice (2005 and 2010).<ref name=":4" />

===''Jerry's Girls''===
{{Main|Jerry's Girls}}
A [[revue]] of Herman's work ran on Broadway from December 1985 to April 1986: ''[[Jerry's Girls]]'' featured [[Dorothy Loudon]], [[Leslie Uggams]], and [[Chita Rivera]].<ref>William A. Henry III. [http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0%2C9171%2C960510%2C00.html "Theater: Leading Ladies. Actresses reign over Broadway"] ''Time'' (subscription required), December 30, 1985</ref>

==Songs==
Many of Herman's [[show tune]]s have become pop standards. "[[Hello, Dolly! (song)|Hello, Dolly!]]" was a No. 1 hit in the United States for [[Louis Armstrong]], knocking [[The Beatles]] from No. 1 in 1964 after a 14-week run at the top ("[[I Want to Hold Your Hand]]", "[[She Loves You]]", and "[[Can't Buy Me Love]].").<ref>Adams, Greg. [https://www.allmusic.com/album/hello-dolly%21-mw0000523264 "Hello, Dolly!"] ''AllMusic''. Retrieved June 26, 2018</ref><ref>[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/60s/1965/Billboard%201965-01-02.pdf "Top Records of 1964"] ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'', January 2, 1965. p. 6. Retrieved June 26, 2018</ref> A French recording by [[Petula Clark]]<ref>[https://www.discogs.com/Petula-Clark-Hello-Dolly/release/4364852 " "Hello, Dolly!" by Petula Clark"] ''Discogs''. Retrieved June 26, 2018</ref> charted in the Top Ten in both Canada and France.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Record Charts - Petula Clark |url=https://www.petulaclark.net/pages/charts.html |access-date=February 2, 2024 |website=petulaclark.net}}</ref>

"If He Walked into My Life" from ''[[Mame (musical)|Mame]]'' was recorded by [[Eydie Gormé]], winning her a [[Grammy Award for Best Vocal Performance, Female]] in 1967.<ref>[https://www.grammy.com/grammys/artists/eydie-gorme "Eydie Gorme Grammy"] National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Retrieved June 26, 2018</ref> "[[I Am What I Am (Broadway musical song)|I Am What I Am]]" from ''[[La Cage aux Folles (musical)|La Cage aux Folles]]'' was recorded by [[Gloria Gaynor]].<ref>[http://www.discogs.com/Gloria-Gaynor-I-Am-What-I-Am/release/220305 "Gloria Gaynor - I Am What I Am (Vinyl)"] ''Discogs''. Retrieved June 26, 2018</ref>

Other well known Herman showtunes include "Shalom" from ''[[Milk and Honey (musical)|Milk and Honey]]''; "Before the Parade Passes By", "Put On Your Sunday Clothes", and "It Only Takes a Moment" from ''Hello, Dolly!''; "It's Today!", "Open a New Window", "[[We Need a Little Christmas]]," and "Bosom Buddies" from ''Mame''; and "Tap Your Troubles Away", "I Won't Send Roses" and "Time Heals Everything" from ''[[Mack & Mabel]]''.<ref>[http://www.pbs.org/wnet/broadway/stars/jerry-herman/ ''Jerry Herman''] PBS. Retrieved June 26, 2018</ref><ref>Rimalower, Ben. [http://www.playbill.com/article/full-of-shine-and-full-of-sparkle-top-ten-jerry-herman-songs-com-212500 "Full Of Shine And Full Of Sparkle: Top Ten Jerry Herman Songs"] ''Playbill'', December 7, 2013</ref> His "[[I Am What I Am (Broadway musical song)|I Am What I Am]]," written for ''La Cage aux Folles'', became a [[gay pride]] anthem.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" />

==Impact and recognition==
According to ''[[The Washington Post]]'', Herman's 1983 ''La Cage aux Folles'', which centered on a gay couple whose son is about to marry the daughter of a conservative family, "arrived during the height of the AIDS epidemic and helped put gay life into the cultural mainstream at a time when many gay men were being stigmatized."<ref name=":2" />

Herman is the only composer/lyricist to have had three original productions open on Broadway at the same time, from February to May 1969: ''[[Hello, Dolly! (musical)|Hello, Dolly!]]'', ''[[Mame (musical)|Mame]]'' , and ''[[Dear World]]''.<ref name=":4" /> He was the first (of two) composers/lyricists to have three musicals run more than 1500 consecutive performances on Broadway (the other being [[Stephen Schwartz]]): ''[[Hello, Dolly! (musical)|Hello, Dolly!]]'' (2,844 performances), ''[[Mame (musical)|Mame]]'' (1,508), and ''[[La Cage aux Folles (musical)|La Cage aux Folles]]'' (1,761).<ref name=":4" /> Herman is honored by a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]], at the 7000 block of [[Hollywood Boulevard]].<ref>Scott, Kelly. [http://projects.latimes.com/hollywood/star-walk/jerry-herman/ "Jerry Herman"] ''Los Angeles Times'', July 6, 2010</ref>

The [[Jerry Herman Ring Theatre]], the campus theater at the [[University of Miami]], his alma mater, is named in his honor.<ref>{{cite web |url = https://ring-theatre.as.miami.edu/history/index.html|title = History of the Ring|publisher = miami.edu}}</ref> He was inducted into the [[Songwriters Hall of Fame]] in 1982.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://songwritershalloffame.org/exhibits/C162 |title=Songwriters Hall of Fame, 1982 |access-date=November 5, 2010 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110629120651/http://songwritershalloffame.org/exhibits/C162 |archive-date=June 29, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Herman's work has been the subject of two popular musical revues, ''[[Jerry's Girls]]'' conceived by Larry Alford,<ref>[http://www.guidetomusicaltheatre.com/shows_j/jerrys_girls.htm "'Jerry's Girls' listing] guidetomusicaltheatre.com. Retrieved June 26, 2018</ref> and ''[[Showtune (musical)|Showtune]]'' (2003) conceived by [[Paul Gilger]].<ref>[http://www.mtishows.com/show-history/1621 " 'Showtune' History"], mtishows.com. Retrieved June 26, 2018</ref>

A 90-minute documentary about his life and career, ''Words and Music by Jerry Herman'', by filmmaker Amber Edwards, was screened in 2007 and then broadcast on [[PBS]].<ref>Harvey, Dennis. [https://variety.com/2007/film/markets-festivals/words-and-music-by-jerry-herman-1200555108/ "Review. ''Words and Music by Jerry Herman'' "] ''Variety'', October 23, 2007</ref>
<ref>Simon, John. [https://www.broadway.com/buzz/5928/words-and-music-by-jerry-herman/ ''Words and Music by Jerry Herman''] broadway.com, January 9, 2008</ref> In the 2008 [[animated film]] ''[[WALL-E]]'', Herman's music from ''Hello, Dolly!'' is a theme for the character WALL-E.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/article/2008/07/14/wall-e-how-he-found-hello-dolly/|title=WALL-E Meets Dolly!|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|author=Chriss Willman|date=July 10, 2008|access-date=July 10, 2019}}</ref>

In 1989, American-playwright [[Natalie Gaupp]] wrote a short play titled ''The Jerry Herman Center''.<ref name=":4" /> The play is a comedy which portrays the lives of several patients in "The Jerry Herman Center for Musical Theatre Addiction."<ref name=":4" />  In 2012, [[Jason Graae]] and [[Faith Prince]] collaborated on ''[[The Prince and the Showboy]]'', a show which pays tribute to Herman; Graae worked extensively with Herman and described him as "a survivor of the highest degree [who] lives his life as an eternal optimist."<ref>{{cite news|url = http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/entry/faith-prince-jason-graae-54-below-new-york-cabaret_n_1812468|title = Faith Prince, Jason Graae Dish On Their 54 Below Cabaret Gig, Broadway And Jerry Herman|date = August 21, 2012|access-date = September 30, 2016|first = Curtis M.|last = Wong|newspaper = [[HuffPost]]}}</ref>

In 2010, he received a [[Kennedy Center Honor]]. Introduced by [[Angela Lansbury]], there were performances by [[Carol Channing]], [[Matthew Morrison]], [[Christine Baranski]] and [[Christine Ebersole]], [[Laura Benanti]], [[Sutton Foster]], [[Matthew Bomer]] and [[Kelli O'Hara|Kelli O' Hara]], 2002 Kennedy Center Honoree [[Chita Rivera]], an unknown choir that included the Gay Mens Chorus of Washington, and Lansbury. Also honored were talk show host/actress [[Oprah Winfrey]], dancer/choreographer [[Bill T. Jones]], country singer-songwriter [[Merle Haggard]], and singer-songwriter/musician [[Paul McCartney]].

==Personal life and death==
Having a flair for decorating in the 1970s, Herman took a break from composition after the failure of ''Mack and Mabel''. ''[[Architectural Digest]]'' wrote about the firehouse he renovated and he also redecorated other houses and sold them. According to ''[[The Washington Post]]'', Herman decorated three dozen homes.<ref name=":2" /> Herman reportedly listed his {{convert|4088|sqft|sqm|adj=on}} [[West Hollywood]] condominium apartment for sale early in 2013.<ref name=Zak_2010>
  {{cite news |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]
  |title=Broadway legend Jerry Herman, no stranger to a full house   <!-- |author-link=Dan Zak --> |first=Dan |last=Zak |date=December 2, 2010
|access-date=December 5, 2013
|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/02/AR2010120200168.html}}</ref><ref>{{cite book
   |chapter=Jerry Herman |title=Encyclopedia of World Biography |volume=20 |location=Detroit
   |publisher=[[Gale (publisher)|Gale]] |year=2000  |access-date=December 5, 2013
|quote=The financial success of Dolly allowed Herman to buy an old firehouse and renovate it. The magazine [[House Beautiful]] ran an article on it, and Herman's second career was born. During the 1970s, he turned to decorating houses and reselling them. Herman could have lived well just off the profits of his hits, but he found decorating to be therapeutic.
   |chapter-url=http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/bic1/ReferenceDetailsPage/ReferenceDetailsWindow?failOverType=&query=&windowstate=normal&contentModules=&mode=view&displayGroupName=Reference&limiter=&currPage=&disableHighlighting=true&displayGroups=&sortBy=&search_within_results=&p=BIC1&action=e&catId=GALE%7CAAA000073094&activityType=&scanId=&documentId=GALE%7CK1631007519&u=fairfax_main&jsid=1cfd2191a37907346d6008c2699534cc
   |id=Gale Document Number: <nowiki>GALE|K1631007519</nowiki> |chapter-format=fee, via [[Fairfax County Public Schools]]}} Biography in Context. {{subscription required}}</ref><ref>
   {{cite web |date=February 8, 2013 |work=the REAL ESTALKER
   |title=Jerry Herman Flips Out in West Hollywood |access-date=December 5, 2013
|url=http://realestalker.blogspot.com/2013/02/jerry-herman-flips-out-in-west-hollywood.html}} (blog)</ref>

Herman was openly gay, and at the time of his death was partnered with Terry Marler, a real estate broker.<ref name=apobit>{{cite news|url=https://apnews.com/b31590797774bc3133efa5ebd4226244|title='Mame,' 'Hello, Dolly!' composer Jerry Herman dies at 88|first=Mark|last=Kennedy|work=[[Associated Press News]]|date=December 27, 2019|access-date=December 27, 2019}}</ref>

Herman was diagnosed HIV-positive in 1985.<ref>Campbell, Mary. [https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-01-21-ca-23079-story.html "Drug Lets Show Go On for Compose"] ''Los Angeles Times'', January 21, 1997</ref> As noted in the ''Words and Music'' PBS documentary, "He is one of the fortunate ones who survived to see experimental drug therapies take hold and was still, as one of his lyrics proclaims, 'alive and well and thriving' over a quarter of a century later."<ref>[https://www.pbs.org/wordsandmusicbyjerryherman/ "Words and Music by Jerry Herman"] PBS. Retrieved December 6, 2010</ref>

Herman's memoir, ''Showtune'', was published in 1996.<ref name="Herman1996">{{cite book|author=Jerry Herman|title=Showtune: A Memoir|url=https://archive.org/details/showtunememoir00herm|url-access=registration|year=1996|publisher=Donald I. Fine Books|isbn=978-1-55611-502-8}}</ref>

He died at a hospital in Miami on December 26, 2019, at age 88.<ref>Trounson, Rebecca. [https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2019-12-27/jerry-herman-the-tony-award-winning-composer-behind-hello-dolly-and-la-cage-aux-folles-has-died-at-age-88 "Jerry Herman, composer behind "Hello, Dolly!" and "La Cage aux Folles," dies at 88"] ''Los Angeles Times'', December 27, 2019</ref><ref name = NYT/>

==Work==

=== Theater ===

;Off-Broadway
* ''I Feel Wonderful'' (1954)<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://www.playbill.com/article/jerry-herman-composer-of-tuneful-broadway-hits-dies-at-88|title=Jerry Herman, Composer of Tuneful Broadway Hits, Dies at 88|last=Simonson|first=Robert|date=December 27, 2019|website=Playbill|language=en|access-date=December 29, 2019}}</ref>
* ''Nightcap'' (1958)<ref name=":0" />
* ''Parade'' (1960)<ref name=":0" />
* ''[[Madame Aphrodite (musical)|Madame Aphrodite]]'' (1961)<ref>Citron, Stephen. [https://books.google.com/books?id=fFz5QgJsjL4C&pg=PA287 ''Madame Aphrodite''] ''Jerry Herman: Poet of the Showtune'', Yale University Press, 2008, {{ISBN|0300133243}}, p. 287</ref><ref>[http://www.lortel.org/Archives/Production/3942 ''Madame Aphrodite''] lortel.org. Retrieved June 26, 2018</ref>
* ''[[Showtune (musical)|Showtune]]'' (2003)<ref>[http://www.lortel.org/Archives/Production/2222 ''Showtune''] lortel.org. Retrieved June 26, 2018</ref>

;Broadway musicals
* ''[[From A to Z]]'' (1960)<ref name=":4" />
* ''[[Milk and Honey (musical)|Milk and Honey]]'' (1961)<ref name=":0" />
* ''[[Hello, Dolly! (musical)|Hello, Dolly!]]'' (1964)<ref name=":0" />
* ''[[Ben Franklin in Paris]]'' (additional music) (1964)
* ''[[Mame (musical)|Mame]]'' (1966)<ref name=":0" />
* ''[[Dear World]]'' (1969)<ref name=":0" />
* ''[[Mack & Mabel]]'' (1974)<ref name=":0" />
* ''[[The Grand Tour (musical)|The Grand Tour]]'' (1979)<ref name=":0" />
* ''[[A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine]]'' (additional songs) (1980)<ref name=":0" />
* ''[[La Cage aux Folles (musical)|La Cage aux Folles]]'' (1983)<ref name=":0" />
* ''[[Jerry's Girls]]'' (1985)<ref name=":0" />
* ''[[An Evening with Jerry Herman]]'' (1998)<ref name=":0" />

;Other stage
* ''[[Miss Spectacular]]'' (2003) recorded but unproduced<ref>Suskin, Steven. [http://www.playbill.com/article/on-the-record-into-the-woods-with-miss-spectacular-com-110355 "On The Record: 'Into the Woods' with 'Miss Spectacular'"] ''Playbill'', July 28, 2002</ref>

===Films===
Source: TCM<ref>[https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/1027057%7C81872/Jerry-Herman/ "Jerry Herman Filmography"] tcm.com. Retrieved June 26, 2018</ref>
* [[Hello, Dolly! (film)|''Hello, Dolly!'']] (1969)<ref name="weinraubNYT26jul1998">{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/07/26/theater/theater-celebrating-his-music-and-precious-life-itself.html|title=Theater; Celebrating His Music And Precious Life Itself|last=Weinraub|first=Bernard|date=July 26, 1998|work=The New York Times|access-date=December 29, 2019|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>
* [[Mame (film)|''Mame'']] (1974)<ref name="weinraubNYT26jul1998" />
* ''[[Barney's Great Adventure]]'' (title song) (1998)
* ''[[WALL-E]]'' (excerpts of [[Hello Dolly! (film)|''Hello, Dolly!'']] featured)

===Television===
* ''[[Mrs. Santa Claus]]'' (1996)<ref>[https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/475012/mrs-santa-claus " ''Mrs. Santa Claus'' Overview"] tcm.com. Retrieved June 26, 2018</ref>

==Awards and honors==
* 2010 [[Kennedy Center Honors|Kennedy Center Honoree]]<ref>[https://archive.today/20131206020349/http://articles.nydailynews.com/2010-12-06/entertainment/27083384_1_kennedy-center-sir-paul-mccartney-bill-t-jones "Broadway Bigs, Choreographer Bill T. Jones and Composer Jerry Herman Awarded Kennedy Center Honors"] ''Daily News'' (New York), December 6, 2010</ref>
* 1999 Theatre World Special Award (''An Evening with Jerry Herman'')<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=79bPQNwFtg8C&q=1999+Theatre+World+Special+Award+(An+Evening+with+Jerry+Herman)&pg=PA207|title=Theatre World 1998-1999|last=Willis|first=John|date=July 1, 2002|publisher=Hal Leonard Corporation|isbn=978-1-55783-433-1|pages=207|language=en}}</ref>
* 1999 New York University Musical Theater Hall of Fame<ref>[https://variety.com/1999/legit/news/nyu-to-honor-broadway-s-herman-1117757854/ "NYU to honor Broadway's Herman"] ''Variety'', November 8, 1999</ref>
* 1980 [[Doctor of Fine Arts]], May 4, 1980, University of Miami<ref>{{cite web
   |title=History and Honorary Degree Recipients &#124; Commencement |publisher=University of Miami |access-date=December 5, 2013
|url=http://www.miami.edu/sa/index.php/commencement/the_ceremony/history_and_honorary_degree_recipients/
}}</ref>

===Grammy Awards===
* 1966 Best Score From An Original Cast Show Album (''Mame'')<ref>[https://www.grammy.com/grammys/awards/9th-annual-grammy-awards "9th Annual Grammy Awards"] National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Retrieved June 26, 2018</ref>
* 1964 Song of the Year (''Hello, Dolly!'')<ref>[https://www.grammy.com/grammys/awards/7th-annual-grammy-awards "7th Annual Grammy Awards"] National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Retrieved June 26, 2018</ref>

===Tony Awards===
* 2009 Special Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20131211054022/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/129947-Jerry-Herman-2009-Special-Tony-Recipient-Takes-a-Moment-to-Reflect-on-a-Lifetime "Jerry Herman, 2009 Special Tony Recipient, Takes a Moment to Reflect on a Lifetime"] ''Playbill'', August 30, 2011</ref>
* 1984 Best Original Score (''La Cage aux Folles'')<ref name="Winners">{{Cite web|url=https://tonyawards.com/|title=Winners|website=tonyawards.com|language=en-US|access-date=December 29, 2019}}</ref>
* 1964 Best Composer and Lyricist (''Hello, Dolly!'')<ref name="Winners"/>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* ''Showtune: A Memoir by Jerry Herman'' (1996) (with Marilyn Stasio), Donald I. Fine Books, an imprint of Penguin Books
* Citron, Stephen. ''Jerry Herman: Poet of the Showtune'' (2004), Yale University Press, {{ISBN|0-300-10082-5}}

{{Refbegin}}
* [http://www.jerryherman.com Jerry Herman Official Web Site].
* [https://ring-theatre.as.miami.edu/index.html University of Miami's Jerry Herman Ring Theatre Official Web Site]
* {{IMDb name|379154}}
* {{IBDB name}}
* {{iobdb name|6903}}
* [https://soundcloud.com/american-theatre-wing/episode-28 Jerry Herman] - ''Downstage Center'' audio interview at American Theatre Wing.
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070423055643/http://www.tonyawards.com/en_US/interactive/video/index.html#c#h TonyAwards.com Interview with Jerry Herman]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20081014113414/http://podcasts.sonybmgmasterworks.com/category/masterworks-broadway-podcast-theatre/jerry-herman-masterworks-broadway-podcast-theatre/ Jerry Herman podcast series by Sony BMG Masterworks]
* [https://people.com/archive/jerry-herman-gathers-his-girls-for-a-swinging-broadway-bash-vol-25-no-16/ Jerry Herman Gathers His Girls for a Swinging Broadway Bash ''People Weekly'', April 21, 1986]
* [http://archives.nypl.org/the/18890 Ken Bloom collection of Jerry Herman memorabilia, 1955-2000], held by the Billy Rose Theatre Division, [[New York Public Library for the Performing Arts]]
{{Refend}}

==External links==
{{Category commons}}
{{Wikiquote}}
{{Archival records|title=Jerry Herman collection, 1950-2003|location= Music Division, Library of Congress|description_URL=https://lccn.loc.gov/2006560772}}
* [https://www.jerryherman.com/ Official website]

{{Jerry Herman}}
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{{Grammy Award for Song of the Year 1960s}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Herman, Jerry}}
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