When producers Feuer & Martin produced GUYS & DOLLS, the original libretto was written by Jo Swerling, a prolific screenwriter, who had contributed or co-authored such films as "Lifeboat" and "It's A Wonderful Life." Frank Loesser started writing his songs based on Swerling's book. The producers decided the book didn't work, and brought in Abe Burrows for a considerable revision. Loesser's finished songs were so good, Burrows wrote his new script to lead into them, lead out of them, and generally accommodate them.
Five years later, the writers Willie Gilbert and Jack Weinstock adapted Shepherd Meade's satirical book HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING into a straight play, which they couldn't get produced. Five years after that, their adaptation came to the attention of producers Feuer & Martin, and they decided to produce a full musical adaptation – and reassembled their GUYS AND DOLLS team. Once again, Abe Burrows did a more or less total rewrite of the script, with Frank Loesser providing the songs.
On their second show, Gilbert & Weinstock took pains to protect their status by having a contractual clause retaining exclusive authorship – the result was the flop HOT SPOT. Its star, Judy Holliday, begged her old friends Comden & Green to come in and save it, but either they couldn't or wouldn't, and down it went. |
