The Abbott Touch

Preface
Acknowledgements

Prologue: The Paradox Known as Mister Abbott

Chapter 1: Pounding and Progressing on 42nd Street (1913-1925)
The Misleading Lady; Lightnin' Daddies; The Broken Wing; Dulcy; Zander the Great; White Desert; Hell Bent for Heaven; Lazybones; Processional

Chapter 2: If You Want it Done Right, Write It and Direct It Yourself (1925-1934)
The Fall Guy; A Holy Terror; Love 'Em and Leave 'Em; Broadway; Chicago; Spread Eagle; Four Walls; Coquette; Bless You, Sister; Gentlemen of the Press; Ringside; Jarnegan Poppa; Those We Love; Louder, Please; The Great Magoo; Small Miracle; Ladies' Money; Page Miss Glory

Chapter 3: If You Really Want It Done Better, Produce It Yourself (1932-1940)
Lilly Turner; Heat Lightning; The Drums Begin; John Brown; Kill that Story; Sweet River; Angel Island; Brown Sugar; The Primrose Path; Ring Two; The Unconquered; Goodbye in the Night

Chapter 4: How Did I Get Typecast in Farce? (1932-1939)
Twentieth Century; Boy Meets Girl; Three Men on a Horse; Brother Rat; Room Service; All that Glitters; What a Life; See My Lawyer

Chapter 5: The Celluloid Sidestep (1918-1931)
The Imposter; The Carnival Man; The Bishops Candlesticks; Why Bring that Up?; The Saturday Night Kid; Halfway to Heaven; All Quiet on the Western Front; Manslaughter; The Sea God; Stolen Heaven; Secrets of a Diary; My Sin; The Cheat

Chapter 6: Adding Songwriters to the Mix (1935-1945)
Jumbo; On Your Toes; The Boys from Syracuse; Too Many Girls; Best Foot Forward; Beat the Band

Chapter 7: Entertaining the Homefront (1942-1945)
Jason; Kiss & Tell; Get Away, Old Man; A Highland Fling; Snafu

Image Selection

Chapter 8: Working with New (and Usually Younger) Faces (1944-1949)
On the Town; Billion Dollar Baby; Barefoot Boy with Cheek; High Button Shoes; Look Ma, I'm Dancin'; Where's Charley?; Touch and Go

Chapter 9: Post-War Blues (1946-1961)
The Dancer; It Takes Two; Mrs. Gibbons' Boys; The Number; In Any Language; Drink to Me; Only; A Call on Kuprin; The Skin of Our Teeth (revival)

Chapter 10: That's Entertainment? (1940-1960)
Pal Joey; Beggar's Holiday; A Tree Grows in Brooklyn; New Girl in Town; Fiorello!; Tenderloin

Chapter 11: All They Want Is Musicals (1950-1955)
Call Me Madam; Out of This World; Wonderful Town; Me and Juliet; The Pajama Game; On Your Toes (revival); Damn Yankees

Chapter 12: Ignoring the Sixties (1959-1962)
Take Her, She's Mine; Never Too Late; Once Upon a Mattress; A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum

Chapter 13: Almost But Not Quite (1964-1989)
Fade Out - Fade In; Flora, the Red Menace; Anya; Help Stamp Out Marriage!; Agatha Sue, I Love You; How Now, Dow Jones; The Education of H*Y*M*A*N K*A*P*L*A*N; The Fig Leaves Are Falling; Norman, Is That You?; Not Now, Darling; Music Is; Tropicana; Frankie

Chapter 14: Looking Back with Dubious Success (1969-1994)
Three Men on a Horse (revival); The Pajama Game (revival); On Your Toes (revival); Broadway (revival); Damn Yankees (revival)

Epilogue: No Exit Music, Please

Appendices: George Abbott's New York Theatre Productions

George Abbott's Films

George Abbott's Awards and Honors

End Notes

Selected Bibliography

Index

About the Author