Betty and Adolph and Len, oh my!

Betty Comden (above) and below with her lyric-writing buddy, 

Adolph Green.

Contrary to popular opinion, they weren't married to each other,

just a match made in Broadway Wordsmith Heaven! 

Adolph was born in the Bronx, Betty in Brooklyn,

and they met while looking for acting jobs.

They soon formed "The Revuers" with Judith Tuvim (soon to be Judy Holliday), Alvin Hammer, and John Frank,

performing songs and skits at the Village Vanguard.

Judy would leave to find work in Hollywood,

but Comden and Green (and their young collaborator, Leonard Bernstein) would find more success "On The Town" in NYC!

Above, the recording session for On The Town,

with Nancy Walker, Leonard, Adolph, and Betty.

BTW these 2 smarties, while writing the lyrics, created roles for themselves in this show! Why not? 

Wonderful Town (below, with Rosalind Russell and Edie Adams)

was another Bernstein/Comden/Green smash, done in 1953.

 

In 1951, B&C began working with Jule Styne (below), creating a long list of 50s and 60s hits:

Peter Pan (1954), Bells Are Ringing (1956), Say, Darling (1958), Do Re Mi (1960), Subways Are for Sleeping (1961), Fade Out–Fade In (1964), Hallelujah, Baby! (1967), and Lorelei (1974).

(Not to mention On The Twentieth Century, they did THAT one with 

Cy Coleman!)

Below, Betty on the set of Do Re Mi with Nancy Walker (1960).

And below, because I couldn't resist,

more shots of The Revuers...

Leonard B. would sometimes accompany them for rehearsals and gigs.