Jerome Chodorov (August 10, 1911 – September 12, 2004) was an American

playwright A playwright or dramatist is a person who writes play (theatre), plays, which are a form of drama that primarily consists of dialogue between Character (arts), characters and is intended for Theatre, theatrical performance rather than just Readin ...

librettist A libretto (From the Italian word , ) is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major ...

, and

screenwriter A screenwriter (also called scriptwriter, scribe, or scenarist) is a person who practices the craft of writing for visual mass media, known as screenwriting. These can include short films, feature-length films, television programs, television ...

. He co-wrote the book with Joseph A. Fields for the original Broadway musical '' Wonderful Town'' starring Rosalind Russell. The musical was based on short stories by

Ruth McKenney Ruth Marguerite McKenney (November 18, 1911 – July 25, 1972) was an American author and journalist, best remembered for ''My Sister Eileen'', a memoir of her experiences growing up in Ohio and moving to Greenwich Village with her sister Eileen ...

Biography

Chodorov was born in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

, and entered journalism in the 1930s. He is best known for his 1940 play '' My Sister Eileen'', its 1942 screen adaptation, and the

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 Character (arts), charac ...

'' Wonderful Town'', which was based on his play.Jones, Kennet
"Jerome Chodorov, Librettist and Playwright Who Turned 'My Sister Eileen' Into 'Wonderful Town', Dead at 93"
playbill.com, September 13, 2004
tamswitmark.com, accessed May 26, 2012 Joseph A. Fields was his frequent collaborator. The writing team also adapted Sally Benson's short stories as the play '' Junior Miss'', which was later adapted as a play and a TV musical. Chodorov was

Hollywood blacklist The Hollywood blacklist was the mid-20th century banning of suspected Communists from working in the United States entertainment industry. The blacklisting, blacklist began at the onset of the Cold War and Red Scare#Second Red Scare (1947–1957 ...

ed during the McCarthy era.McKinley, Jess
Jerome Chodorov, Broadway and Film Writer, Dies at 93"
''The New York Times'', September 14, 2004 His brother, Edward Chodorov (1904–1988), was also a playwright, author of the perennial favorite of amateur groups, '' Kind Lady''.

Works

Sources: ''Playbill''; ''Doollee

Plays

*''Schoolhouse on the Lot'' (1938) *''My Sister Eileen'' (1940) *''Junior Miss'' (1941) *''Those Endearing Young Charms'' (1943) *''The French Touch'' (1945) *'' Anniversary Waltz'' (1954) *''The Ponder Heart'' (1956) *''Three Bags Full'' (1966) *''A Talent for Murder'' (with Norman Panama) (

Edgar Award The Edgar Allan Poe Awards, popularly called the Edgars, are presented every year by the Mystery Writers of America which is based in New York City. Named after American writer Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849), a pioneer in the genre, the awards hon ...

, 1982, Best Play)

Musicals

*''Wonderful Town'' (Tony Award for Best Musical, 1953) *'' I Had a Ball'' *'' The Girl in Pink Tights''

Work as theatre director

*'' Alive and Kicking'' (revue, 1950) - additional material *''The Gazebo'' (1958) - director
''Make A Million''
(1958) - director *''Christine'' (1960) - director *''Blood, Sweat and Stanley Poole'' (1961), director

Film

*'' The Case of the Lucky Legs'' (a 1935 Perry Mason film) *''

Louisiana Purchase The Louisiana Purchase () was the acquisition of the Louisiana (New France), territory of Louisiana by the United States from the French First Republic in 1803. This consisted of most of the land in the Mississippi River#Watershed, Mississipp ...

'' (1941) *'' My Sister Eileen'' (1942) *'' Junior Miss'' (1945) *'' Those Endearing Young Charms'' (1945; based on his play) *'' Happy Anniversary'' (1959), based on ''Anniversary Waltz''

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Chodorov, Jerome 1911 births 2004 deaths 20th-century American dramatists and playwrights American male dramatists and playwrights Jewish American songwriters Edgar Award winners Hollywood blacklist Writers from New York City American musical theatre librettists 20th-century American musicians 20th-century American male writers Tony Award winners 20th-century American Jews 21st-century American Jews