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With her writing partner Adolph Green (to whom she is not married), Betty Comden has been responsible for some of the most acclaimed and beloved musicals both on film and on stage. She and Green began their collaboration in 1939 when they formed (with Judy Holliday) "The Revuers", a cabaret act. Their success in such venues as the Village Vanguard and the Blue Angel led to several TV appearances as well. In 1944, Comden and Green wrote their first stage musical, "On the Town", adapted from a Jerome Robbins' ballet that traced one day in the life of three sailors on leave in NYC....

Filmography

Dummy - ( Lyrics / 2003 / Released / )
Small Time Crooks - ( Song / 2000 / Released / )
Mickey Blue Eyes - ( Song / 1999 / Released / )
Ronin - ( Song / 1998 / Released / )
Musicals Great Musicals - ( / 1996 / Released / )
That's Entertainment! III - ( Theme Lyrics(- lyrics) / 1994 / Released / Turner Entertainment Group )
Sleepless in Seattle - ( Song / 1993 / Released / )
Dr. Giggles - ( Song / 1992 / Released / JVC Victor )
29th Street - ( Song / 1991 / Released / )
The Addams Family - ( Song / 1991 / Released / )
Bert Rigby, You're a Fool - ( Song / 1989 / Released / )
Slaves of New York - ( Mrs Wheeler / 1989 / Released / )
Garbo Talks - ( Garbo / 1984 / Released / )
The Return of Captain Invincible - ( Song / 1983 / Released / )
Frances - ( Song / 1982 / Released / Associated Film Distribution )
Blue Sunshine - ( Song / 1979 / Released / )
What a Way to Go! - ( Screenplay / 1964 / Released / )
What a Way to Go! - ( Theme Lyrics(- lyrics) / 1964 / Released / )
Bells Are Ringing - ( Screenplay / 1960 / Released / )
Bells Are Ringing - ( Play as Source Material / 1960 / Released / )
Auntie Mame - ( Screenplay / 1958 / Released / )
It's Always Fair Weather - ( Theme Lyrics(- lyrics) / 1955 / Released / )
It's Always Fair Weather - ( Screenplay / 1955 / Released / )
The Band Wagon - ( Screenplay / 1953 / Released / )
Singin' in the Rain - ( Screenplay / 1952 / Released / )
Singin' in the Rain - ( From Story / 1952 / Released / )
On the Town - ( Screenplay / 1949 / Released / )
On the Town - ( Play as Source Material / 1949 / Released / )
On the Town - ( Theme Lyrics(- lyrics) / 1949 / Released / )
TV Credits
Leonard Bernstein: Reaching For the Note ( 1998 / Released ): Actor
Judy Garland: Beyond the Rainbow ( 1997 / Released ): Actor
Oscar Levant: Brillant Shadow ( 1997 / Released ): Actor
Frasier ( 1993 / Released ): Actor
On the Town in Concert ( 1993 / Released ): Book as Source Material / Narrator / Other Writer
The 45th Annual Tony Awards ( 1991 / Released ): Actor
Music By Richard Rodgers ( 1990 / Released ): Actor
Bernstein at 70 ( 1989 / Released ): Actor
Broadway Sings: The Music of Jule Styne ( 1987 / Released ): Actor
Follies in Concert ( 1986 / Released ): Actor
Applause ( 1973 / Released ): Writer
Let's Celebrate ( 1972 / Released ): Writer
Full Biography (Back to top)

With her writing partner Adolph Green (to whom she is not married), Betty Comden has been responsible for some of the most acclaimed and beloved musicals both on film and on stage. She and Green began their collaboration in 1939 when they formed (with Judy Holliday) "The Revuers", a cabaret act. Their success in such venues as the Village Vanguard and the Blue Angel led to several TV appearances as well. In 1944, Comden and Green wrote their first stage musical, "On the Town", adapted from a Jerome Robbins' ballet that traced one day in the life of three sailors on leave in NYC. They subsequently provided the lyrics (for composers ranging from Leonard Bernstein to Jule Styne to Cy Coleman), book or both for "Wonderful Town" (1953), "Bells Are Ringing" (1957), written especially for Judy Holliday, "Do Re Mi" (1960), "Hallelujah Baby!" (1967), "Applause" (1970), "On the Twentieth Century" (1978), "A Doll's Life" (1982) and "The Will Rogers Follies" (1991). Many of their memorable songs from these shows have become minor classics, like "Ohio" from "Wonderful Town", "The Party's Over" from "Bells Are Ringing" and "Make Someone Happy" from "Do Re Mi".

Comden and Green segued to the big screen with their screenplay for the remake of the 20s hit "Good News" (1947). The pair also wrote the witty musical "The Barkleys of Broadway" (1949), which brought Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers together after ten years. The same year, they provide lyrics for the Gene Kelly vehicle "Take Me Out to the Ballgame". In 1952, they provided the brilliant structure for what many consider to be the greatest movie musical, "Singin' in the Rain". The following year, Comden and Green adapted the stage musical "The Band Wagon" and provided Astaire with one of his best screen roles. The duo adapted their own "Bells Are Ringing" (1960) and wrote the non-musical screenplay for "Auntie Mame" (1958).

Comden has sporadically worked as a performer. On stage, she was featured in "On the Town" and she and Green won kudos for their revue "A Party With Betty Comden and Adolph Green" (first performed in 1957), a collection of sketches and songs. Comden turned in a fine comic portrayal of a Jewish mother in Wendy Wasserstein's off-Broadway hit, "Isn't It Romantic" (1984- 85). On film, the petite, dark-haired, throaty-voiced Comden was featured in "Greenwich Village" (1944), played the reclusive screen legend in "Garbo Talks" (1984) and appeared in James Ivory's "Slaves of New York" (1989).


Profession(s):
lyricist, screenwriter, playwright, Actor
Sometimes Credited As:
Elizabeth Cohen
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Family
father:Leo Cohen
husband:Steven Kyle (married on January 4, 1942)
mother:Rebecca Cohen
son:Alan Kyle (died from complications of AIDS)

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Education
New York University New York, New York BS drama 1938
Awards (Back to top)
Writers Guild of America Screen Laurel Award 2001
National Board of Review Special Award 1995
Grammy Best Original Cast Recording "The Will Rogers Follies" 1991
Johnny Mercer Award Lifetime Achievement 1991
Kennedy Center Honors Lifetime Achievement Award 1991
Tony Original Score "The Will Rogers Follies" 1991
New York Drama Critics Circle Award Best Musical "The Will Rogers Follies" 1990 - 1991
Tony Score of a Musical "On the Twentieth Century" 1978
Tony Book of a Musical "On the Twentieth Century" 1978
Tony Musical "Applause" 1970
Tony Musical "Hallelujah, Baby!" 1968
Tony Composer and Lyricist "Bells Are Ringing" 1968
Writers Guild of America Award Best-Written American Musical "Bells Are Ringing" 1960
Donaldson Award Best Musical "Wonderful Town" 1953
Tony Musical "Wonderful Town" 1953
New York Drama Critics Circle Award Best Musical "Wonderful Town" 1952 - 1953
Writers Guild of America Award Best-Written American Musical "Singin' in the Rain" 1952
Writers Guild of America Award Best-Written American Musical "On the Town" 1949
Theatre World Award "On the Town" 1945

Milestones (Back to top)
1991 Last Broadway musical to date "The Will Rogers Follies"
1991 Received Kennedy Center Honors with Adolph Green
1986 Appeared with Green as a vaudeville team in "Follies in Concert"
1984 First film appearance in forty years, as title character in "Garbo Talks"
1977 Revised production of "A Party With Betty Comden and Adolph Green" opened on Broadway
1973 TV adaptation of "Applause" aired on CBS
1970 Provided book only for the musical "Applause", an adaptation of the film "All About Eve"
1964 Last screenplay to date, "What a Way to Go"
1958 First performance of stage revue "A Party With Betty Comden and Adolph Green"
1952 With Green, wrote the screenplay for "Singin' in the Rain"
1947 Co-screenwriting debut (with Adolph Green), "Good News"
1944 Feature film acting debut with The Revuers, "Greenwich Village"
1944 Co-wrote (with Green) the book and lyrics for Broadway hit "On the Town" in which she also acted
1939 Formed cabaret act The Revuers with Judy Holliday and Adolph Green


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