Cy Coleman (born Seymour Kaufman; June 14, 1929 – November 18, 2004) was an American composer, songwriter, and

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a majo ...

pianist.

Life and career

Coleman was born Seymour Kaufman in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the U ...

, United States, to

Eastern European Jewish The expression 'Eastern European Jewry' has two meanings. Its first meaning refers to the current political spheres of the Eastern European countries and its second meaning refers to the Jewish communities in Russia and Poland. The phrase 'Eas ...

parents, and was raised in

the Bronx The Bronx () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the state of New York. It is south of Westchester County; north and east of the New York City borough of Manhattan, across the Harlem River; and north of the New ...

. His mother, Ida (née Prizent) was an apartment landlady and his father was a brickmason.Berkvist, Rober
"Cy Coleman, Composer Whose Jazz-Fired Musicals Blazed on Broadway, Dies at 75"
''

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'', November 20, 2004. He was a

child prodigy A child prodigy is defined in psychology research literature as a person under the age of ten who produces meaningful output in some domain at the level of an adult expert. The term is also applied more broadly to young people who are extraor ...

who gave piano recitals at venues such as

Steinway Hall Steinway Hall (German: ) is the name of buildings housing concert halls, showrooms and sales departments for Steinway & Sons pianos. The first Steinway Hall was opened in 1866 in New York City. Today, Steinway Halls and are located in cities such ...

Town Hall In local government, a city hall, town hall, civic centre (in the UK or Australia), guildhall, or a municipal building (in the Philippines), is the chief administrative building of a city, town, or other municipality. It usually house ...

, and Carnegie Hall between the ages of six and nine.Jones, Kennet
"Cy Coleman, a Master of the Show Tune, Is Dead at 75"
, Playbill.com, November 19, 2004. Before beginning his fabled Broadway career, he led the Cy Coleman Trio, which made many recordings and was a much-in-demand club attraction. Despite the early classical and

success, Coleman decided to build a career in

popular music Popular music is music with wide appeal that is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. These forms and styles can be enjoyed and performed by people with little or no musical training.Popular Music. (2015). ''Funk ...

. His first collaborator was Joseph Allen McCarthy, but his most successful early partnership, albeit a turbulent one, was with Carolyn Leigh. The pair wrote many pop hits, including "

Witchcraft Witchcraft traditionally means the use of magic or supernatural powers to harm others. A practitioner is a witch. In medieval and early modern Europe, where the term originated, accused witches were usually women who were believed to have u ...

" and " The Best Is Yet to Come". One of his instrumentals, "Playboy's Theme," became the signature music of the regular syndicated late night TV show '' Playboy After Dark'' in the 1960s. This included specials presented by the editor/publisher Hugh M. Hefner of ''

Playboy ''Playboy'' is an American men's lifestyle and entertainment magazine, formerly in print and currently online. It was founded in Chicago in 1953, by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. K ...

'' magazine, and remains synonymous with the Chicago magazine and its creator, Hefner. Coleman's career as a Broadway composer began when he and Leigh collaborated on ''

Wildcat The wildcat is a species complex comprising two small wild cat species: the European wildcat (''Felis silvestris'') and the African wildcat (''F. lybica''). The European wildcat inhabits forests in Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus, while the ...

'' (1960), which marked the Broadway debut of movie/television comedienne

Lucille Ball Lucille Désirée Ball (August 6, 1911 – April 26, 1989) was an American actress, comedienne and producer. She was nominated for 13 Primetime Emmy Awards, winning five times, and was the recipient of several other accolades, such as the Gold ...

. The score included the hit tune " Hey, Look Me Over". When Ball became ill, she left the show, and it closed. Next for the two was '' Little Me'', with a book by

Neil Simon Marvin Neil Simon (July 4, 1927 – August 26, 2018) was an American playwright, screenwriter and author. He wrote more than 30 plays and nearly the same number of movie screenplays, mostly film adaptations of his plays. He has received mo ...

based on the novel of the same name by Patrick Dennis. The show introduced "Real Live Girl" and " I've Got Your Number," which became popular standards. In 1964, Coleman met Dorothy Fields at a party, and when he asked if she would like to collaborate with him, she is reported to have answered: "Thank God somebody asked." Fields was revitalized by working with the much younger Coleman, and by the contemporary nature of their first project, which was ''

Sweet Charity ''Sweet Charity'' is a musical with music by Cy Coleman, lyrics by Dorothy Fields and book by Neil Simon. It was directed and choreographed for Broadway by Bob Fosse starring his wife and muse Gwen Verdon alongside John McMartin. It is base ...

'', again with a book by Simon, starring Gwen Verdon, and introducing the songs "

If My Friends Could See Me Now "If My Friends Could See Me Now", with music by Cy Coleman and lyrics by Dorothy Fields, is a song from the 1966 Broadway musical ''Sweet Charity''. In the musical the character of Charity, played in the original New York cast by Gwen Verdon, ref ...

", "I'm a Brass Band" and " Big Spender". The show was a major success and Coleman found working with Fields much easier than with Leigh. The partnership was to work on two more shows – an aborted project about

Eleanor Roosevelt Anna Eleanor Roosevelt () (October 11, 1884November 7, 1962) was an American political figure, diplomat, and activist. She was the first lady of the United States from 1933 to 1945, during her husband President Franklin D. Roosevelt's four ...

, and '' Seesaw'' which reached Broadway in 1973 after a troubled out-of-town tour. Despite mixed reviews, the show enjoyed a healthy run. The partnership was cut short by Fields' death in 1974. Coleman remained prolific in the late 1970s. He collaborated on '' I Love My Wife'' (1977) with Michael Stewart, '' On the Twentieth Century'' (1978) with Betty Comden and Adolph Green, and ''Home Again, Home Again'' with Barbara Fried, although the latter never reached Broadway. Also in 1970, he produced the single "Lying Here" (Mercury 73150) for the Rock opera ''Sensations'', and took a full-page (back cover) advert in '' Billboard'' magazine to promote his upcoming star vocalist Steve Leeds. Neil Simon - Coleman - 1982

In 1980, Coleman served as producer and composer for the circus-themed '' Barnum'', which co-starred

Jim Dale Jim Dale (born James Smith; 15 August 1935) is an English actor, composer, director, narrator, singer and songwriter. In the United Kingdom he is known as a pop singer of the 1950s who became a leading actor at the National Theatre. In Britis ...

and Glenn Close. Later in the decade, he collaborated on ''Welcome to the Club'' (1988) with A. E. Hotchner, and '' City of Angels'' (1989) with David Zippel. In the latter, inspired by the hard-boiled detective

film noir Film noir (; ) is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize cynical attitudes and motivations. The 1940s and 1950s are generally regarded as the "classic period" of American ' ...

of the 1930s and 1940s, he returned to his jazz roots, and the show was a huge critical and commercial success. The 1990s brought more new Coleman musicals to Broadway: '' The Will Rogers Follies'' (1991), again with Comden and Green, '' The Life'' (1997), a gritty look at pimps, prostitutes, and assorted other lowlife in the big city, with Ira Gasman, and a revised production of ''Little Me''. Coleman's film scores include '' Father Goose'', ''The Art of Love'', '' Garbo Talks'', '' Power'', and ''

Family Business A family business is a commercial organization in which decision-making is influenced by multiple generations of a family, related by blood or marriage or adoption, who has both the ability to influence the vision of the business and the willin ...

''. In addition, he wrote memorable television specials for Shirley MacLaine, ''If My Friends Could See Me Now'' and ''Gypsy in My Soul''.Biography
Feinsteinsattheregency.com, accessed March 30, 2009. Coleman has been the only composer to win consecutive Tony awards for Best Score at the same time that the corresponding musicals won for Best Musical: ''City of Angels'' and ''The Will Rogers Follies'' (although Stephen Sondheim actually won three consecutive Tony Awards for Best Score for '' Company'', '' Follies'', and '' A Little Night Music'', ''Follies'' did not win for Best Musical). Coleman was on the

ASCAP The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) () is an American not-for-profit performance-rights organization (PRO) that collectively licenses the public performance rights of its members' musical works to venues, broadca ...

Board of Directors for many years and also served as their Vice Chairman Writer. One final musical with a Coleman score played in Los Angeles at the

Mark Taper Forum The Mark Taper Forum is a 739-seat thrust stage at the Los Angeles Music Center designed by Welton Becket and Associates on the Bunker Hill section of Downtown Los Angeles. Named for real estate developer Mark Taper, the Forum, the neighbor ...

between December 2003 and January 2004, under the title ''Like Jazz'', as a Broadway tryout. Investor Transamerica Capital went forward with plans to mount a Broadway production renamed ''In the Pocket''. Dirk Decloedt and Maurice Hines were announced as director and choreographer with an anticipated opening in Spring 2006 but it never opened.

Education

Coleman studied at New York's The High School of Music & Art and the New York College of Music, graduating in 1948."Cy Coleman," ''Encyclopedia of Music in the 20th Century,''
by Lol Henderson & Lee Stacey (eds.),

Fitzroy Dearborn Fitzroy Dearborn was an American publisher of academic library reference titles with offices in London and Chicago. It was acquired by Taylor & Francis as an imprint of Routledge Reference in 2002, before Taylor & Francis merged with Informa. ...

(1999), p. 131; .

Death

Coleman died of cardiac arrest at 11:59 pm on November 18, 2004, at

New York Hospital Weill Cornell Medical Center (previously known as New York Hospital or Old New York Hospital or City Hospital) is a research hospital in New York City. It is part of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital and the teaching hospital for Cornell University. ...

, aged 75. He was survived by his wife, Shelby Coleman (née Brown) and their adopted daughter, Lily Cye Coleman (born in 2000). To the very end, he was part of the Broadway scene – he had attended the premiere of

Michael Frayn Michael Frayn, FRSL (; born 8 September 1933) is an English playwright and novelist. He is best known as the author of the farce '' Noises Off'' and the dramas ''Copenhagen'' and ''Democracy''. His novels, such as ''Towards the End of the Mo ...

's new play ''Democracy'' earlier on November 18.

Theatre credits

Awards, nominations and honors

Awards and nominations

*1997

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...

Best Book of a Musical ''The Life'' (nominee) *1997 Tony Award Best Musical ''The Life'' (nominee) *1997 Tony Award Best Original Score ''The Life'' (nominee) *1991 Tony Award Best Musical '' The Will Rogers Follies'' (winner) *1991 Tony Award Best Original Score ''The Will Rogers Follies'' (winner) *1990 Tony Award Best Musical ''City of Angels'' (winner) *1990 Tony Award Best Original Score ''City of Angels'' (winner) *1980 Tony Award Best Musical ''Barnum'' (nominee) *1980 Tony Award Best Original Score ''Barnum'' (nominee) *1978 Tony Award Best Musical ''On the Twentieth Century'' (nominee) *1978 Tony Award Best Original Score '' On the Twentieth Century'' (winner) *1977 Tony Award Best Musical '' I Love My Wife'' (nominee) *1977 Tony Award Best Original Score ''I Love My Wife'' (nominee) *1974 Tony Award Best Musical ''Seesaw'' (nominee) *1974 Tony Award Best Original Score ''Seesaw'' (nominee) *1966 Tony Award Best Composer and Lyricist ''

'' (nominee) *1966 Tony Award Best Musical ''Sweet Charity'' (nominee) *1963 Tony Award Best Composer and Lyricist ''Little Me'' (nominee) *1963 Tony Award Best Musical ''Little Me'' (nominee) He also won three

Emmy Awards 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 ...

and two

Grammy Awards The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...

, and an

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment in ...

nomination.

Honors

Among his many honors and awards, Coleman was elected to the Songwriter's Hall of Fame (1981), and was the recipient of the Songwriter's Hall of Fame

Johnny Mercer John Herndon Mercer (November 18, 1909 – June 25, 1976) was an American lyricist, songwriter, and singer, as well as a record label executive who co-founded Capitol Records with music industry businessmen Buddy DeSylva and Glenn E. Wallich ...

Award (1995) and the ASCAP Foundation Richard Rodgers Award for lifetime achievement in American musical theatre. He was elected to the

American Theatre Hall of Fame The American Theater Hall of Fame in New York City was founded in 1972. Earl Blackwell was the first head of the organization's Executive Committee. In an announcement in 1972, he said that the new ''Theater Hall of Fame'' would be located in the ...

and received an Honorary Doctorate from

Hofstra University Hofstra University is a private university in Hempstead, New York. It is Long Island's largest private university. Hofstra originated in 1935 as an extension of New York University (NYU) under the name Nassau College – Hofstra Memorial of N ...

in 2000.Hofstra University: Speakers for Commencement 2000
Newswise.com, May 10, 2000.

References

External links

* *
Excerpts from ''Life Stories of Cy'', Shelby's show about her late husband
-

YouTube YouTube is a global online video sharing and social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by Google, and is the second most ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Coleman, Cy 1929 births 2004 deaths American jazz pianists American male pianists American film score composers American musical theatre composers American television composers Broadway composers and lyricists Broadway theatre producers Drama Desk Award winners The High School of Music & Art alumni Grammy Award winners Jubilee Records artists Jewish American film score composers Jewish American songwriters New York College of Music alumni Musicians from New York City Primetime Emmy Award winners Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development alumni Songwriters from New York (state) Tony Award winners 20th-century American pianists 20th-century American composers Jazz musicians from New York (state) American male jazz musicians Äva Records artists 20th-century American male musicians