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Harold Prince 1928 - 2019

Harold Smith Prince of New York, New York County, New York United States was born on January 30, 1928 in New York, and died at age 91 years old on July 30, 2019 in Reykjavik Iceland.

Harold Smith Prince

Hal, Harold Smith Prince

New York, New York County, New York United States

January 30, 1928

New York, New York County, New York, United States

July 30, 2019

Reykjavik, Iceland

Male

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Harold Prince Harold Prince (1928 - 2019)

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Harold Smith Prince's History: 1928 - 2019

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Introduction

Dim all the marquee lights on Broadway — Harold Prince, the producer and director behind many of the American theater’s greatest musicals, died Wednesday at 91, after a brief illness. In a career that spanned seven decades and netted him 21 Tony Awards, “Hal” Prince, as he was known, had a hand in just about everything. Starting as an assistant stage manager to legendary producer and George Abbott, he had his first hit with 1955’s “The Pajama Game.” From then on, there was a steady stream of successes: “Damn Yankees,” “West Side Story,” “Fiorello!,” “Fiddler on the Roof” and “Cabaret.” In that 1967 Tony winner, the figure of the leering, pansexual emcee first played by Joel Grey (and later, Alan Cumming) was Prince’s creation: As he told The Post in 2014, he was in post-war Germany with the US Army when he found his prototype in a club with “a little tacky band and an emcee who was pathetic, vulgar and tragic,” surrounded by “three zaftig chorus girls in butterfly costumes doing their routines.” Enlarge ImageHarold Prince during a rehearsal with actors of Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera musical at the Moscow Youth Palace. Harold “Hal” Prince during a rehearsal with actors of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “The Phantom of the Opera” at the Moscow Youth Palace.TASS via Getty Images Over the years, Prince’s collaborators included Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim and Andrew Lloyd Webber, whose “Phantom of the Opera” is still running — thanks, some say, to Prince’s surprise visits to the Majestic Theater, conveniently located right near his office. A few years back, he wondered whether Carlotta the diva had skipped her high note. She had. “Put it back in,” Prince decreed. Hugh Panaro, former Phantom, recalled one Christine who had an off night during one Prince visit; her contract wasn’t renewed. Prince is survived by his wife, Judy, daughter Daisy, son Charles, three grandchildren — and the shows he helped bring to life, still playing all around the world. According to a statement by his press rep, “As per his wishes, there will be no funeral but there will be a celebration of his life this fall with the people he loved most, the members of the theatrical community that he was a part of for seven decades.”
01/30

1928

Birthday

January 30, 1928

Birthdate

New York, New York County, New York United States

Birthplace

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Early Life & Education

Following his graduation from the Franklin School, later called the Dwight School, in New York, He entered the University of Pennsylvania, where he followed a liberal arts curriculum and graduated in three years at age 19.
Military Service

He later served two years with the United States Army in post-World War II Germany.
Professional Career

Hal Prince Harold Prince DIRECTOR Harold Prince, who topped his significant achievements as a producer in the 1950s and 1960s to become one of the most prominent stage directors of the 20th century, ultimately taking home 21 Tony Awards, died July 31. He was 91. Read Full Obituary ALSO KNOWN AS: H. SMITH PRINCE, HAL PRINCE, HAROLD S. PRINCE, HAROLD SMITH PRINCE BORN: JAN 30, 1928 IN NEW YORK, NEW YORK DEATH: JUL 31, 2019 IN REYKJAVIK, ICELAND ROLES (84) Company Playbill - Opening Night COMPANY ORIGINALLY PRODUCED AND DIRECTED ON BROADWAY BY Prince of Broadway Playbill - Opening Night PRINCE OF BROADWAY (2017) OPENED AUG 24, 2017 DIRECTOR Prince of Broadway - Opening Night Fiddler on the Roof Playbill - July 2016 FIDDLER ON THE ROOF (2015) OPENED DEC 20, 2015 ORIGINAL PRODUCER On the Twentieth Century Playbill - Opening Night ON THE TWENTIETH CENTURY (2015) OPENED MAR 15, 2015 ORIGINAL BROADWAY PRODUCTION DIRECTED BY Everybody, Rise! A Celebration of Elaine Stritch Playbill - November 17, 2014 EVERYBODY, RISE! A CELEBRATION OF ELAINE STRITCH (2014) OPENED NOV 17, 2014 Evita Playbill - Opening Night EVITA (2012) OPENED APR 5, 2012 DIRECTOR OF WORLD PREMIERE OF EVITA IN 1978 A Little Night Music Playbill - Opening Night A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC (2009) OPENED DEC 13, 2009 ORIGINAL DIRECTOR & PRODUCER ON BROADWAY A Little Night Music - Opening Night Lovemusik Playbill - Opening Night LOVEMUSIK (2007) OPENED MAY 3, 2007 DIRECTOR LoveMusik - Opening Night Sweeney Todd Playbill - Opening Night SWEENEY TODD (2005) OPENED NOV 3, 2005 ORIGINAL DIRECTOR ON BROADWAY VIEW ALL INSIDE THE PLAYBILL AWARDS DRAMA DESK AWARD 2007 OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL LOVEMUSIK NOMINEE 1999 OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL PARADE NOMINEE 1995 OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL SHOW BOAT WINNER 1988 OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA WINNER 1988 OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL CABARET NOMINEE 1980 OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL EVITA WINNER 1979 OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL SWEENEY TODD WINNER 1976 OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL PACIFIC OVERTURES NOMINEE 1974 OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR THE VISIT WINNER 1974 OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR CANDIDE WINNER 1973 OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR THE GREAT GOD BROWN WINNER 1973 OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC WINNER 1971 OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR FOLLIES WINNER 1970 OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR COMPANY WINNER OUTER CRITICS CIRCLE 1995 OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL SHOW BOAT WINNER 1992 OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR GRANDCHILD OF KINGS NOMINEE TONY AWARD 2006 LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD WINNER 1999 BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL PARADE NOMINEE 1995 BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL SHOW BOAT WINNER 1993 BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN NOMINEE 1988 BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA WINNER 1985 BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL GRIND NOMINEE 1980 BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL EVITA WINNER 1979 BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL SWEENEY TODD WINNER 1978 BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL ON THE TWENTIETH CENTURY NOMINEE 1976 BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL PACIFIC OVERTURES NOMINEE 1974 BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL CANDIDE WINNER 1974 SPECIAL AWARD CANDIDE WINNER 1973 BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC NOMINEE 1972 BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL FOLLIES WINNER 1972 SPECIAL AWARD FIDDLER ON THE ROOF WINNER 1971 BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL COMPANY WINNER 1969 BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL ZORBA NOMINEE 1967 BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL CABARET WINNER 1965 PRODUCER OF A MUSICAL FIDDLER ON THE ROOF WINNER 1964 BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL SHE LOVES ME NOMINEE 1964 PRODUCER OF A MUSICAL SHE LOVES ME NOMINEE 1963 PRODUCER OF A MUSICAL A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM WINNER 1955 MUSICAL THE PAJAMA GAME WINNER 1955 PRODUCER OF A MUSICAL THE PAJAMA GAME WINNER
Personal Life & Family

he worked with Producer George Abbott.
07/30

2019

Death

July 30, 2019

Death date

Unknown
Cause of death

Reykjavik Iceland
Death location

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Obituary

By Bruce Weber July 31, 2019 Hal Prince, the Broadway royal and prodigious Tony winner, the producer or director (or both) of many of the theater’s most enduring musicals, including “Damn Yankees,” “West Side Story,” “Fiddler on the Roof,” “Cabaret,” “Sweeney Todd” and “The Phantom of the Opera,” the longest-running show in Broadway history, died on Wednesday in Reykjavik, Iceland. He was 91. Mr. Prince in his office at 1 Rockefeller Plaza. Behind him is a painting by Tom Morrow for “Cabaret.”CreditAllyn Baum/The New York Times The death was confirmed by a spokesman. Mr. Prince began working in the theater in the halcyon days of Broadway, when Cole Porter and Rodgers and Hammerstein were its songwriting kings, the stage musical was a robust American art form (not to mention an affordable entertainment option) and theater songs were staples of the airwaves. Mr. Prince won his first Tony, as a producer, with two others for the musical “The Pajama Game,” which opened in 1954. It was given the Best Musical award. The choreography was by Bob Fosse. Mr. Prince won his first Tony, as a producer, with two others for the musical “The Pajama Game,” which opened in 1954. It was given the Best Musical award. The choreography was by Bob Fosse. His contributions were prolific and persisted through challenging eras — when rock ‘n’ roll threatened to make show music irrelevant, when the decline of Times Square discouraged Broadway attendance, when the arrival of popular British musicals like “Phantom” pushed aside their American counterparts and when corporations like Disney entered the Broadway sweepstakes and miniaturized the impact of the independent producer. One of Mr. Prince’s renowned collaborators was Stephen Sondheim Mr. Prince’s singularly significant role in shaping the Broadway musical during the second half of the 20th century was acknowledged by the Tony award for lifetime achievement he received in 2006. That was his 21st Tony, a number far surpassing that of anyone else in multiple categories. The count began with the 1955 best musical, “The Pajama Game,” which Mr. Prince co-produced with Frederick Brisson and Robert E. Griffith. The total reached 20 in 1995 for his direction of an extravagant revival of “Show Boat,” the landmark 1927 musical by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein 2d from Edna Ferber’s novel about life on a Mississippi steamship. Often considered the foundation of the modern musical for its character development and melding of score and story, “Show Boat” was a fitting valedictory – though not quite his final show — for a man who helped expand the possibilities of narrative in the musical theater form. Mr. Prince was known, especially in the first decades of his theater life, as a fiendish workaholic; at one point in 1960, three shows that he produced were appearing on Broadway at the same time. And he was known, throughout his career, for his collaborations with a murderer’s row of creative talents, among them the choreographers Bob Fosse, Jerome Robbins, Michael Bennett and Susan Stroman, the designers Eugene Lee, Patricia Zipprodt and Florence Klotz, and the composers Leonard Bernstein, John Kander, Stephen Sondheim, who was his most frequent confederate, and Andrew Lloyd Webber. Mr. Lloyd Webber, was, with their work together on “Evita” about the opportunistic Argentine populist Eva Peron, and on “The Phantom of the Opera,” which Mr. Prince directed in London and on Broadway, his most profit-generating collaborator.

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