Lee Adams
Lee Adams | |
|---|---|
| Born | Leopold Richard Adams August 14, 1924 Mansfield, Ohio, U.S. |
| Occupation | Writer, librettist |
| Alma mater | |
| Notable works | Bye Bye Birdie Golden Boy It's a Bird... It's a Plane... It's Superman Applause |
| Notable awards | 2 Tony Awards, 1 Emmy Award |
| Spouse | Kelly Wood Adams |
| Children | 2 |
Lee Richard Adams (born Leopold Richard Adams,[1][2] August 14, 1924) is an American lyricist best known for his musical theatre collaboration with Charles Strouse.
Biography
Lee Adams was born in Mansfield, Ohio, on August 14, 1924.[3] He is the son of Dr. Leopold Adams, originally of Stamford, Connecticut, and Florence Ellis (originally Elishack) Adams, originally of Racine, Wisconsin. His family is Jewish. He is a graduate of Mansfield Senior High School.[4] He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Ohio State University and a Master's from Columbia University. While attending Ohio State, he was a brother of the Nu chapter of the Zeta Beta Tau fraternity. He worked as a journalist for newspaper and magazines. He met Charles Strouse in 1949, and they initially wrote for summer-time revues.[5]
Adams won Tony Awards in 1961 for Bye Bye Birdie, the first Broadway musical he wrote with Strouse, and in 1970 for Applause and was nominated for a Tony Award in 1965 for Golden Boy.[6] In addition, he wrote the lyrics for All American, It's a Bird...It's a Plane...It's Superman, Bring Back Birdie, and A Broadway Musical, and the book and lyrics for Ain't Broadway Grand.[6] Additionally, Strouse and Adams co-wrote "Those Were the Days", the opening theme to the TV situation comedy All in the Family. Adams was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1989.[7]
Adams has been married to his wife, Dr. Kelly Wood Adams, since September 1980.[8] They have lived in Briarcliff Manor, New York since 2007. He has two daughters and three grandchildren.[9] He turned 100 in August 2024.[10]
Nonmusical writing
In addition to his work with lyrics, Adams "had a lifelong fascination with words," which led to his being an editor for the Sunday newspaper magazine supplement This Week and a member of the staff of Pageant magazine.[11]
Works
- A Pound in Your Pocket (1958)
- Bye Bye Birdie (1960)
- All American (1962)
- Golden Boy (1964)
- It's a Bird...It's a Plane...It's Superman (1966)
- Applause (1970)
- I and Albert (1972)
- Bring Back Birdie (1980)
- A Broadway Musical (1982), contributed the song Dancing
- Ain't Broadway Grand! (1993)
See also
References
- ^ "Aug 15, 1924, page 20 - News Journal at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2025-08-16.
- ^ "Lee Adams – Broadway Cast & Staff | IBDB". www.ibdb.com. Retrieved 2025-08-16.
- ^ Green, Stanley (1976). "Adams, Lee". Encyclopaedia of the Musical Theatre. Dodd, Mead & Co. p. 2. ISBN 978-0396072218.
- ^ "Lyricist Lee Adams to Write Show Biz Column". Ohio, Mansfield. News-Journal. February 23, 1975. p. 1. Retrieved November 2, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Lee Adams" pbs.com, retrieved January 31, 2019
- ^ a b "Lee Adams Broadway" Playbill, retrieved January 31, 2019
- ^ "Lee Adams" songhall.org, retrieved January 31, 2019
- ^ "Sep 14, 1980, page 313 - Oakland Tribune at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2025-08-16.
- ^ Kramer, Peter D. (October 16, 2015). "Briarcliff's 'Birdie' connection, Lee Adams". The Journal News. Gannett Company. Retrieved April 25, 2016.
- ^ Friedwald, Will (October 23, 2024). "A Celebration of Songwriter Charles Strouse Sparks Sentimental Journeys Aplenty". The New York Sun. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
- ^ Bloom, Ken (2007). Routledge Guide to Broadway. New York City: Routledge. p. 247. ISBN 978-0-415-97380-9. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
Sources
- Contemporary Authors Online, Detroit: Gale, 2001, ISBN 978-0-7876-3995-2