Larry Gelbart (1928–2009)
Author of Tootsie [1982 film]
About the Author
Larry Gelbart has gained widespread fame as one of the creators of the hit TV series M*A*S*H. Born on February 25, 1923 in Chicago, he got his first break at the age of 16, when he became a joke writer for Danny Thomas. Gelbart wrote radio scripts for such noted personalities as Bob Hope and Sid show more Caesar and quickly moved on to authoring plays. In 1962, Gelbart's smash musical A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, co-written with Stephen Sondheim, opened to rave reviews and has become a classic in musical theatre. Gelbart's works have entertained millions. He wrote the screenplays for Tootsie and Oh God!, wrote the musical City of Angels, and wrote and produced the TV series M*A*S*H. He has won numerous awards including several Tonys, an Emmy and a Drama Desk award. In 1998, he wrote his autobiography, Laughing Matters: On Writing M*A*S*H, Tootsie, Oh, God!, and a Few Other Funny Things. This highly enjoyable work is filled with humorous anecdotes, recollections and Gelbart's incomparable humor. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Image credit: HitFix
Series
Works by Larry Gelbart
Four by Sondheim (A Little Night Music, Sweeney Todd, Sunday in the Park with George, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way… (2000) 58 copies
Laughing Matters:: On Writing M*A*S*H, Tootsie, Oh, God!, and a Few Other Funny Things (1998) 48 copies
M*A*S*H: The Complete Series plus Movie 11 copies
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum: Original 1962 Broadway Cast Recording (1992) — Librettist — 8 copies
Sly fox (performance of Nov. 1977) 2 copies
M*A*S*H: Seasons One - Eight 2 copies
Associated Works
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Canonical name
- Gelbart, Larry
- Legal name
- Gelbart, Larry Simon
- Birthdate
- 1928-02-25
- Date of death
- 2009-09-11
- Gender
- male
- Nationality
- USA
- Birthplace
- Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Places of residence
- Chicago, Illinois, USA
Los Angeles, California, USA - Occupations
- film director
screenwriter
television director
playwright - Awards and honors
- Emmy Award
Television Academy Hall of Fame
Members
Reviews
Four by Sondheim (Applause Musical Library) by Stephen Sondheim
Sondheim was truly our equivalent to Shakespeare. To read the words makes the musicals even more human than when experienceing them live. Though live is how they should be first expereinced.
An actor in drag gets a job on a soap opera.
1.5/4 (Meh).
I don't understand this movie. It's not as problematic as I'd expected; it doesn't make the easy, cheap jokes. But then, there aren't many jokes at all. My wife and I counted them, and I think we got up to five (although admittedly a couple of them were very good). It's really not a comedy, unless you think the mere existence of drag is funny. I'm guessing it thinks of itself as a romance; if so, it fails miserably. I just don't get it what it's trying to do. And I would much rather watch the aborted subplot (important to the story but not actually featured in the movie) of Teri Garr and Bill Murray putting on a bad play in a barn.
(Apr. 2022)… (more)
1.5/4 (Meh).
I don't understand this movie. It's not as problematic as I'd expected; it doesn't make the easy, cheap jokes. But then, there aren't many jokes at all. My wife and I counted them, and I think we got up to five (although admittedly a couple of them were very good). It's really not a comedy, unless you think the mere existence of drag is funny. I'm guessing it thinks of itself as a romance; if so, it fails miserably. I just don't get it what it's trying to do. And I would much rather watch the aborted subplot (important to the story but not actually featured in the movie) of Teri Garr and Bill Murray putting on a bad play in a barn.
(Apr. 2022)… (more)
One of the funniest musicals ever written.
Lists
Awards
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Associated Authors
Statistics
- Works
- 36
- Also by
- 2
- Members
- 1,735
- Popularity
- #14,820
- Rating
- 4.0
- Reviews
- 18
- ISBNs
- 42