Betty Comden was born Basya Cohen, on May 3rd, 1917,
in Brooklyn, New York.
She studied at NYU, where she met a young actor named
Adolph Green.
They began writing and performing as The Revuers,
below, at The Village Vanguard,
doing skits and songs.
Who knew at that time that they would create"the words"
to some of the 20th Century's most popular musicals?
The Revuers:
From the top...Adolph Green, Betty,
John Frank, Judy Holliday (tho back then, she was Judith Tuvim)
and Alvin Hammer.
Leonard Bernstein would often accompany the group
on piano.
Working on On The Town, 1944,
the team's first Broadway show,
with Leonard at the piano, Jerome Robbins,
Betty (ON the piano) and Adolph.
Nope, they were never married.
In 1942, Betty married Steven Kyle, a designer.
Adolph had 3 wives, the last Phyllis Newman!
Comden and Green worked together for
six decades, more than A LOT of marriages.
I assume they were just pretending...
The team earned a total of 7 Tonys for their Broadway work,
from Wonderful Town in 1953
to The Will Rodgers Follies in 1991.
In between the duo creating award-winning screenplays,
including The Band Wagon, Singin' In The Rain,
The Barkleys of Broadway, Good News
and It's Always Fair Weather.
Adolph passed away in 2002,
and Betty in 2006...
together they wrote dozens of musicals,
screenplays...and hundreds of song.
Happy Birthday, Betty.
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