Morris Isaac "Moose" Charlap (December 19, 1928 – July 8, 1974) was an American Broadway

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and Def ...

best known for '' Peter Pan'' (1954), for which

Carolyn Leigh Carolyn Leigh (August 21, 1926 – November 19, 1983) was an American lyricist for Broadway, film, and popular songs. She is best known as the writer with partner Cy Coleman of the pop standards "Witchcraft" and " The Best Is Yet to Come". With ...

wrote the lyrics. The idea for the show came from

Jerome Robbins Jerome Robbins (born Jerome Wilson Rabinowitz; October 11, 1918 – July 29, 1998) was an American dancer, choreographer, film director, theatre director and producer who worked in classical ballet, on stage, film, and television. Among his nu ...

, who planned to have a few songs by Charlap and Leigh. It evolved into a full musical, with additional songs by Jule Styne and Betty Comden and Adolph Green. The original run of ''Peter Pan'' on Broadway starred

Mary Martin Mary Virginia Martin (December 1, 1913 – November 3, 1990) was an American actress and singer. A muse of Rodgers and Hammerstein, she originated many leading roles on stage over her career, including Nellie Forbush in ''South Pacific'' (194 ...

as Peter Pan and

Cyril Ritchard Cyril Joseph Trimnell-Ritchard (1 December 1898 – 18 December 1977), known professionally as Cyril Ritchard, was an Australian stage, screen and television actor, and director. He is best remembered today for his performance as Captain Hook in ...

as Captain Hook.

Career

Charlap was also the composer for the 1969 television movie musical ''Hans Brinker,'' which had lyrics by Alvin Cooperman and starred Eleanor Parker (her singing voice was her own), Richard Basehart, John Gregson, Robin Askwith, Roberta Tovey, Sheila Whitmill, and

. It was based on the novel by Mary Mapes Dodge. Charlap also wrote the song "First Impression" with lyrics by

. The song was dropped from the original 1954 production of ''Peter Pan'' but was recorded by Eydie Gorme in 1956. Other songs Charlap wrote that were not included in musicals include "English Muffins and Irish Stew," "Mademoiselle," "Great Day in the Morning," "My Favorite Song," and "Young Ideas."

Ella Fitzgerald Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917June 15, 1996) was an American jazz singer, sometimes referred to as the "First Lady of Song", "Queen of Jazz", and "Lady Ella". She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phrasing, timing, in ...

recorded his "My Favorite Song" for

Decca Records Decca Records is a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934 by Lewis, Jack Kapp, American Decca's first president, and Milton Rackmil, who later became American Decca's president. ...

with an orchestra directed by

Leroy Kirkland Leroy E. Kirkland (February 10, 1904 or 1906 – April 6, 1988) was an American arranger, bandleader, guitarist and songwriter whose career spanned the eras of big band jazz, R&B, rock and roll and soul. Life and career Born in Columbia, South Ca ...

. Charlap was also a recording artist and had a single, "Good Old Fashioned Lovin'/It Was My Father's Habit," released on ABC 9674 in 1956.

Family

Born Morris Isaac Charlip to a

Jewish Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...

familyTampa Jewish Federation: "Jews in the News: Mike Nichols, Yael Grobglas and Dominic Fumusa"
retrieved March 18, 2017 , "''The musical was penned by five Jewish theater legends, all now deceased. Lyrics by: BETTY COMDEN, ADOLPH GREENE, and CAROLYN LEIGH—with music by: MARK CHARLAP and JULE STYNE.''" in

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Since ...

, he married singer Sandy Stewart, whose biggest hit was " My Coloring Book" in 1962. Jazz pianist Bill Charlap is their son. They also had a daughter, Katherine. He and his first wife, Elizabeth, were the parents of a daughter, Anne, and son, Tom, a bass player. Charlap, who lived with his wife and children on Manhattan's East Side, died at Lenox Hill Hospital in 1974 at the age of 45.

Work on Broadway

*'' Peter Pan'' (1954,

revivals Revival most often refers to: *Resuscitation of a person *Language revival of an extinct language * Revival (sports team) of a defunct team *Revival (television) of a former television series *Revival (theatre), a new production of a previously pr ...

in 1979, 1990, 1991, 1998, 1999) –

musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the characters are interwo ...

–

*'' Whoop-Up'' (1958) –

–

*'' The Conquering Hero'' (1961) –

–

*''

Kelly Kelly may refer to: Art and entertainment * Kelly (Kelly Price album) * Kelly (Andrea Faustini album) * ''Kelly'' (musical), a 1965 musical by Mark Charlap * "Kelly" (song), a 2018 single by Kelly Rowland * ''Kelly'' (film), a 1981 Canadi ...

'' (1965) –

–

*'' Jerome Robbins' Broadway'' (1989) – revue – featured

songwriter A songwriter is a musician who professionally composes musical compositions or writes lyrics for songs, or both. The writer of the music for a song can be called a composer, although this term tends to be used mainly in the classical music ...

for "Peter Pan" * ''Clown Around'' (1972)

Work on Television

*''Through the Looking Glass'' (1966 musical) –

–

''Alice Through the Looking Glass'' at ''Masterworks Broadway''
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References

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Charlap, Mark American musical theatre composers 1928 births 1974 deaths Central High School (Philadelphia) alumni Musicians from Philadelphia Jewish American composers Jewish American songwriters Songwriters from Pennsylvania 20th-century American composers 20th-century American Jews