George Abbott

Table of Contents

Introduction References & Edit History Quick Facts & Related Topics

Images

George Abbott

American director

Also known as: George Francis Abbott

Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Article History

Quick Facts

In full:: George Francis Abbott

Born:: June 25, 1887, Forestville, N.Y., U.S.

Died:: Jan. 31, 1995, Miami Beach, Fla. (aged 107)

Awards And Honors:: Kennedy Center Honors (1982); Pulitzer Prize (1960)

Notable Works:: “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum”; “Damn Yankees”; “The Pajama Game”; “Three Men on a Horse”; “Wonderful Town”

See all related content

George Abbott (born June 25, 1887, Forestville, N.Y., U.S.—died Jan. 31, 1995, Miami Beach, Fla.) was an American theatrical director, producer, playwright, actor, and motion-picture director who staged some of the most popular Broadway productions from the 1920s to the ’60s.

After graduating from the University of Rochester, N.Y., in 1911, Abbott began acting on Broadway in 1913. He soon began writing and directing plays as well, and he achieved his first big hits in 1925 and 1926 with, respectively, The Fall Guy and Broadway. After directing the popular farce Three Men on a Horse (1935), he wrote, produced, or directed a long succession of highly successful musical comedies and farces. Some of the most notable were Jumbo (1935), Boy Meets Girl (1935), The Boys from Syracuse (1938), Pal Joey (1940), High Button Shoes (1947), Where’s Charley? (1948), Call Me Madam (1950), Wonderful Town (1953), The Pajama Game (1954), Damn Yankees (1955), Fiorello! (1959), and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1962).

(Read Martin Scorsese’s Britannica essay on film preservation.)

The dean of Broadway showmen, Abbott was known for his skillful use of material, his mastery of pacing and humour, and his ability to maintain effective action onstage. He directed the motion-picture versions of several of his plays, including The Pajama Game (1957) and Damn Yankees (1958). He published his autobiography, Mister Abbott, in 1963 and remained active on the New York theatrical scene into the 1990s.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Encyclopaedia Britannica.

Guys and Dolls

Table of Contents

References & Edit History Related Topics

Guys and Dolls

film by Mankiewicz [1955]

Written by Lee Pfeiffer

Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Article History

Guys and Dolls, American musical film, released in 1955, that was adapted from the triumphant stage hit of the same name, which was based on writings by Damon Runyon.

The story follows the antic efforts of compulsive New York gambler Nathan Detroit (played by Frank Sinatra) to stage a high-profile but illegal craps game before the police can stop him—or his long-suffering girlfriend can catch him. In the meantime, his fellow criminal, the charismatic Sky Masterson (Marlon Brando), attempts to forge an unlikely romance with straight-laced mission worker Sarah Brown (Jean Simmons).

In his first and only musical, Brando sang his own songs and acquitted himself well. Two new songs were written for the film, “Adelaide” and “A Woman in Love,” and several others from the stage production were dropped. The rousing production numbers (staged by Michael Kidd) are the best-remembered aspects of the film. Gene Kelly was the first choice for the Sky Masterson role, but MGM would not lend him out. Ironically, the studio ended up distributing the film, though it did not produce it. Similarly, Betty Grable desperately wanted to play Adelaide, but Fox boss Darryl F. Zanuck refused to allow it. At one point, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis were considered for the roles of Nathan and Sky.