John Kander
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John Harold Kander (born March 18, 1927 in Kansas City, Missouri) is the American composer of a series of musical theatre successes as part of the songwriting team of Kander and Ebb.
John Kander graduated from The Pembroke-Country Day School in Kansas City, and subsequently attended Oberlin College before earning a master's degree at Columbia University. He began his Broadway career as substitute rehearsal pianist for West Side Story. The stage manager for West Side Story then asked Kander to play the auditions for her next show Gypsy. During the auditions Kander met the choreographer, Jerry Robbins, who then suggested that Kander actually write the dance music for the show in 1959. After that experience, he wrote dance arrangements for Irma la Douce in 1960. His first produced musical was A Family Affair, written with James Goldman and William Goldman. In 1962 he teamed up with Fred Ebb to write Flora the Red Menace, produced by Hal Prince, directed by George Abbott, and with book by George Abbott and Robert Russell, in which Liza Minnelli made her initial Broadway appearance. In the same year rising star Barbra Streisand recorded two of the duo's songs, My Coloring Book & I Don't Care Much. It proved to be a success and launched the pair on their career. Kander and Ebb have since been associated with writing material for Liza Minnelli and for Chita Rivera, and have produced special material for their appearances live and on television.
Their musicals Cabaret and Chicago have been made into films.
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[edit] Kander and Ebb Musicals
- A Family Affair (1962) - lyrics by James & William Goldman
- Flora the Red Menace (1965)
- Cabaret (1966)
- Go Fly A Kite (1966) - music and lyrics also by Walter Marks
- The Happy Time (1968)
- Zorba (1968)
- 70 Girls 70 (1971)
- Chicago (1976)
- The Act (1978)
- The Madwoman Of Central Park West (1979) - 1 song: Cheerleader
- Woman of the Year (1981)
- The Rink (1984)
- Diamonds (1984) - 1 song: Winter In New York
- And The World Goes 'Round (1991)
- Kiss of the Spider Woman (1992)
- Steel Pier (1997)
- Fosse (1999)
- Over & Over (1999) - working title: The Skin Of Our Teeth
- The Visit (2001)
- Curtains (2006)
[edit] Kander and Ebb Films
The duo also contributed songs for the following movies,
- Funny Lady (1975) - 6 songs
- Lucky Lady (1976) - 2 songs
- Nina - aka A Matter Of Time (1976) - 2 songs
- New York, New York (1977) - 4 songs including the famous title song
- French Postcards (1979) - 1 song
- Stepping Out (1991) - 1 song
[edit] John Kander Film Scores
- Something For Everyone (1969)
- Kramer Vs Kramer (1979)
- Still Of The Night (1982)
- Blue Skies Again (1983)
- Places In The Heart (1984)
- An Early Frost (NBC, 1985)
- I Want To Go Home (1989)
- Billy Bathgate (1991)
- Breathing Lesson (CBS, 1994)
- The Boys Next Door (CBS, 1996)
[edit] Television Projects
- Liza! (1970)
- Ol' Blue Eyes Is Back (1973) (Frank Sinatra)
- Liza With A Z (1973)
- Gypsy In My Soul (1976) (Shirley Maclaine)
- Baryshnikov On Broadway (1980)
- Liza In London (1986)
- Sam Found Out, A Tripple Play (1988)
- Liza Minnelli, Live From Radio City Music Hall (1992)
[edit] Awards
- Tony Award (1967, for Cabaret)
- Tony Award (1981, for Woman Of The year)
- Tony Award (1993, for Kiss Of The Spiderwoman)
- Laurence Olivier Award (1998, for the London production of Chicago)
- Emmy Award (1973, for Liza With A Z)
- Emmy Award (1993, for Liza Minnelli Live! From Radio City Music Hall)
- Grammy Award (1967, for Cabaret, Original Cast Album)
- Grammy Award (1998, for Chicago, Musical Show Album)
They also received numerous nominations, which include five more Tony Awards, two Academy Awards and four Golden Globe Awards
In 1998 The Kennedy Center honored them with a Lifetime Achievement Award.
