Alexander H. Cohen
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Alexander H. Cohen (July 24, 1920 – April 22, 2000) was an American theatrical producer who mounted more than one hundred productions on both sides of the Atlantic. He was the only American producer to maintain offices in the West End as well as on Broadway.


Personal life

Cohen was born in New York City, the son of Laura (Tarantous) and Alexander H. Cohen. Cohen's father, a businessman, died when Cohen was four. His mother remarried to a banker, and Cohen, together with his brother Gerry, lived on Park Avenue in a lavish duplex penthouse. He was employed by the Bulova Watch Company where he spent seven years, becoming its director of advertising and publicity, a business that brought him into contact with theatre people. During this time, World War II, he was drafted into the United States Army, and after a year was invalided out with a leg ailment. His brother committed suicide in 1954, at which point Cohen became estranged from his mother. Mr. Cohen's first marriage, to Jocelyn Newmark, ended in divorce. They had a daughter, who is named Barbara. He married actress Hildy Parks in 1956, who later became his producing partner. He died from
emphysema Emphysema, or pulmonary emphysema, is a lower respiratory tract disease, characterised by air-filled spaces ( pneumatoses) in the lungs, that can vary in size and may be very large. The spaces are caused by the breakdown of the walls of the alve ...
in New York City in 2000. Parks followed him 4 years later, in 2004. He is survived by son Gerry Cohen, of Los Angeles, daughter Barbara Hoffmann of Manhattan; another son,
Christopher A. Cohen Christopher A. Cohen is an American producer, stage manager and director. As a producer, Chris helmed two "Great Performances"; Broadway's Lost Treasures II (2004) and Broadway's Lost Treasures (2003) for television. Chris also produced many home ...
, also of Manhattan; one grandson named Brock Pernice, one great-granddaughter with the name of Mia A. Pernice and a great-grandson named C. Oliver Pernice.


Career as producer

With an inheritance, he initially became an investor in a number of flops, producing his first Broadway show with ''Ghost for Sale'' in 1941, which closed after six performances. He followed this quickly with his next production, the thriller '' Angel Street'', which ran for three years (and was made into the movie Gaslight). Soon, he revealed himself to have a decidedly
eclectic Eclectic may refer to: Music * ''Eclectic'' (Eric Johnson and Mike Stern album), 2014 * ''Eclectic'' (Big Country album), 1996 * Eclectic Method, name of an audio-visual remix act * Eclecticism in music, the conscious use of styles alien to th ...
approach to popular entertainment with a busy schedule of productions. They ran the gamut from comedies ('' Little Murders'') to revues (''
At the Drop of a Hat ''At the Drop of a Hat'' is a musical revue by Flanders and Swann, described by them as "an after-dinner farrago". In the show, they both sang on a nearly bare stage, accompanied by Swann on the piano. The songs were linked by contemporary socia ...
'', '' Beyond the Fringe'') to dramas (''
84 Charing Cross Road ''84, Charing Cross Road'' is a 1970 book by Helene Hanff, later made into a stage play, television play, and film, about the twenty-year correspondence between the author and Frank Doel, chief buyer of Marks & Co antiquarian booksellers, locate ...
'', ''
Anna Christie ''Anna Christie'' is a play in four acts by Eugene O'Neill. It made its Broadway debut at the Vanderbilt Theatre on November 2, 1921. O'Neill received the 1922 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for this work. According to historian Paul Avrich, the orig ...
'') to
musicals Musical theatre is a form of theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance. The story and emotional content of a musical – humor, pathos, love, anger – are communicated through words, music, movement ...
('' Dear World'', ''
A Day in Hollywood / A Night in the Ukraine ''A Day in Hollywood / A Night in the Ukraine'' is a musical comedy consisting of two essentially independent one-act plays, with a book and lyrics by Dick Vosburgh and music by Frank Lazarus. Additionally, songs by other composers are incorporat ...
'') to the classics ('' King Lear'', '' Hamlet''). He also produced stage concerts for Marlene Dietrich,
Maurice Chevalier Maurice Auguste Chevalier (; 12 September 1888 – 1 January 1972) was a French singer, actor and entertainer. He is perhaps best known for his signature songs, including " Livin' In The Sunlight", " Valentine", "Louise", " Mimi", and "Thank Hea ...
, and Yves Montand, and an evening of comic sketches with Mike Nichols and
Elaine May Elaine Iva May (née Berlin; born April 21, 1932) is an American comedian, filmmaker, playwright, and actress. She has received numerous awards including an Oscar, a BAFTA, a Grammy, and a Tony. She made her initial impact in the 1950s with her ...
. Cohen was responsible for the international stardom of Marcel Marceau, bringing him to New York to support
Maurice Chevalier Maurice Auguste Chevalier (; 12 September 1888 – 1 January 1972) was a French singer, actor and entertainer. He is perhaps best known for his signature songs, including " Livin' In The Sunlight", " Valentine", "Louise", " Mimi", and "Thank Hea ...
in ''An Evening with Maurice Chevalier''. He had originally intended the production to be a one-man show but Chevalier did not want to work that hard, and requested that Marceau (then unknown outside Europe) perform his mime pieces to give Chevalier opportunities to rest between musical numbers. His informal series of revues collectively titled "Nine O'Clock Musicals" included ''At the Drop of a Hat'' and ''At the Drop of Another Hat'' (both featuring Michael Flanders and Donald Swann, ''Words and Music'' (Hollywood lyricist Sammy Cahn performing his own songs with a few back-up singers) and the semi-musical ''Good Evening'' with Peter Cook and Dudley Moore. They were low-budget, required little material support, and were hugely successful. Despite his success with revues, Cohen never produced a financially successful book musical (a musical with a script and plot) on Broadway, although he did produce the successful London productions of ''1776'' and ''
Applause Applause (Latin ''applaudere,'' to strike upon, clap) is primarily a form of ovation or praise expressed by the act of clapping, or striking the palms of the hands together, in order to create noise. Audiences usually applaud after a performance ...
''. A challenge he was never able to satisfy was to mount a Broadway revival of '' Hellzapoppin'''. A 1967 out-of-town tryout starring Soupy Sales closed in Montreal, and ten years later another effort starring
Jerry Lewis Jerry Lewis (born Joseph Levitch; March 16, 1926 – August 20, 2017) was an American comedian, actor, singer, filmmaker and humanitarian. As his contributions to comedy and charity made him a global figure in popular culture, pop culture ...
and Lynn Redgrave closed in Boston. The rights are still held by the Cohen estate. The nearest Cohen came to a successful book musical on Broadway was ''
A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine ''A Day in Hollywood / A Night in the Ukraine'' is a musical comedy consisting of two essentially independent one-act plays, with a book and lyrics by Dick Vosburgh and music by Frank Lazarus. Additionally, songs by other composers are incorporat ...
'', adapted from a much less elaborate London production. This double feature consisted of two short entertainments with the same cast: the first half being a plotless compendium of songs and anecdotes about old-time Hollywood, the second half being
Anton Chekhov Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (; 29 January 1860 Old Style date 17 January. – 15 July 1904 Old Style date 2 July.) was a Russian playwright and short-story writer who is considered to be one of the greatest writers of all time. His career ...
's play ''The Bear'' radically reworked as a musical comedy for the Marx Brothers (impersonated by modern actors), retaining a vague semblance of Chekhov's plot.


Television production

Cohen conceived and originated the first Tony Awards telecast in 1967 and helmed many more over the following years. He also produced a number of
Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...
presentations, specials with Plácido Domingo and
Liza Minnelli Liza May Minnelli ( ; born March 12, 1946) is an American actress, singer, dancer, and choreographer. Known for her commanding stage presence and powerful alto singing voice, Minnelli is among a rare group of performers awarded an Emmy, Grammy ...
, and the first and third editions of ''Night of 100 Stars'', which featured a parade of entertainment and sports celebrities performing and/or appearing on the stage of
Radio City Music Hall Radio City Music Hall is an entertainment venue and Theater (structure), theater at 1260 Sixth Avenue (Manhattan), Avenue of the Americas, within Rockefeller Center, in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. Nicknamed "The Showplac ...
.


Other work

As well as producing, Cohen participated in the operation of a number of legitimate theaters, including the Morris Mechanic in
Baltimore Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic, and the 30th most populous city in the United States with a population of 585,708 in 2020. Baltimore was d ...
after its renovation, and the
O'Keefe Centre Meridian Hall is a major performing arts venue in Toronto, Ontario, and it is the country's largest soft-seat theatre. The facility was constructed for the City of Toronto municipal government and is currently managed by TO Live, an arms-le ...
in Toronto when it opened in 1960. He was responsible for drawing the performing arts community into the popular and highly successful ''I Love New York'' television ad campaign. In 1976, he converted the bankrupt and vacant Manhattan Plaza on Manhattan's West 43rd Street into an apartment complex providing subsidized housing for low-income performers. Cohen was also an active fund-raiser for the
Actors Fund of America The Entertainment Community Fund, formerly The Actors Fund, is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that supports performers and behind-the-scenes workers in performing arts and entertainment, helping more than 17,000 people directly each year. Ser ...
. He put together several television spectaculars, ''Night of 100 Stars'' and ''Parade of Stars'' which raised $3 million to build the fund's extended-care nursing facility in Englewood, N.J. Behind the scenes, however, there was controversy, some claiming that Cohen's lavish producing style accommodated his own lavish needs better than the fund's. Cohen made one appearance as an actor when he appeared onscreen in Woody Allen's film '' The Purple Rose of Cairo'' (1985), portraying Raoul Hirsch, a fictional Hollywood producer in the 1930s. His final act, putting it all together, was in 1999 when he wrote, produced, directed, and starred in his
off-Broadway An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer tha ...
one-man show, ''Star Billing'', in which he reminisced about his hits, flops, and famous feuds. The New York Times reviewer stated that he had many a kind word for his friends and an arsenal of well-honed, acid-tipped barbs for those he loathed, among them rival producer
David Merrick David Merrick (born David Lee Margoulis; November 27, 1911 – April 25, 2000) was an American theatrical producer who won a number of Tony Awards. Life and career Born David Lee Margulois to Jewish parents in St. Louis, Missouri, Merrick gradua ...
, Marlene Dietrich and
Jerry Lewis Jerry Lewis (born Joseph Levitch; March 16, 1926 – August 20, 2017) was an American comedian, actor, singer, filmmaker and humanitarian. As his contributions to comedy and charity made him a global figure in popular culture, pop culture ...



Selected Broadway credits

*'' Waiting in the Wings (play), Waiting in the Wings'' (1999) *'' Sacrilege'' (1995) *'' Ah, Wilderness!'' (1988 revival) *'' Long Day's Journey Into Night'' (1988 revival) *'' Accidental Death of an Anarchist'' (1984) *'' Edmund Kean'' (1983) *'' Very Good Idi'' (1980) *'' I Remember Mama'' (1979) *'' Comedians'' (1976) *''
6 Rms Riv Vu ''6 Rms Riv Vu'' is a play by Bob Randall, who also wrote the book for ''The Magic Show''. Play ''6 Rms Riv Vu'' derives its title from shorthand used by real estate agents in classified advertising. In this case, a six-room apartment with a v ...
'' (1972) *''
The Unknown Soldier and His Wife ''The Unknown Soldier and His Wife'' is a 1967 play by Peter Ustinov. The play opened at the Vivian Beaumont Theater on July 6, 1967, after being previewed the week before. The play's initial run of 148 performances was directed by John Dexter and ...
'' (1967) *''
Black Comedy/White Lies Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have o ...
'' (1967) *'' The Homecoming'' (1967) *''
A Time for Singing ''A Time for Singing'' is a musical with music by John Morris, lyrics by Gerald Freedman and John Morris, and a book by Freedman and Morris. The work was based on Richard Llewellyn's novel of a Welsh mining village, ''How Green Was My Valley''. ...
'' (1966) *'' At the Drop of Another Hat'' (1966) *''
Baker Street Baker Street is a street in the Marylebone district of the City of Westminster in London. It is named after builder William Baker, who laid out the street in the 18th century. The street is most famous for its connection to the fictional detec ...
'' (1965) *'' Hamlet'' (1964 revival with Richard Burton. This is still the longest-running Broadway staging of the play ever produced, outrunning Maurice Evans's 1945 ''G.I. Hamlet'' by only a few performances)Internet Broadway Database: Hamlet Production Credits
/ref> *'' The School for Scandal'' (1963 revival) *'' Beyond the Fringe'' (1962) *''
At the Drop of a Hat ''At the Drop of a Hat'' is a musical revue by Flanders and Swann, described by them as "an after-dinner farrago". In the show, they both sang on a nearly bare stage, accompanied by Swann on the piano. The songs were linked by contemporary socia ...
'' (1959) *'' Gentlemen Prefer Blondes'' (1949)


Awards and nominations

*2000
Drama Desk Award The Drama Desk Award is an annual prize recognizing excellence in New York theatre. First bestowed in 1955 as the Vernon Rice Award, the prize initially honored Off-Broadway productions, as well as Off-off-Broadway, and those in the vicinity. Fo ...
for Lifetime Achievement (awarded posthumously) *1999 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Solo Performance (''Star Billing'', nominee) *1989 Tony Award for Best Revival (''Ah, Wilderness!'', nominee) *1989 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Revival (''Long Day's Journey Into Night'', nominee) *1984 Tony Award for Best Play (''Play Memory'', nominee) *1984 Drama Desk Award for Unique Theatrical Experience (''La Tragedie de Carmen'', winner) *1980 Tony Award for Best Musical (''A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine'', nominee) *1977 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding New Foreign Play (''Comedians'', nominee) *1974 Tony Award for Best Play (''Ulysses in Nighttown'', nominee) *1973 Theatre World Award (for his contribution to cultivating theater audiences by extending Broadway not only nationally, but internationally, with his exemplary television productions) *1971 Tony Award for Best Play (''Home'', nominee) *1967 Tony Award for Best Play (''The Homecoming'', winner) *1967 Tony Award for Best Play (''Black Comedy/White Lies'', nominee)


References


External links


Obituary, NY Times
* *
Alexander H. Cohen papers, 1880-2003
held by the Billy Rose Theatre Division, New York Public Library for the Performing Arts
Alexander H. Cohen papers, Additions, 1960-2000
held by the Billy Rose Theatre Division, New York Public Library for the Performing Arts
Vern Calhoun production books, 1985-1990
held by the Billy Rose Theatre Division, New York Public Library for the Performing Arts {{DEFAULTSORT:Cohen, Alexander H. American theatre managers and producers Broadway theatre producers Tony Award winners 1920 births 2000 deaths 20th-century American businesspeople American expatriates in the United Kingdom