Clark Gesner
Encyclopedia
Clark Gesner was an American
composer
, songwriter
, author
, and actor
. He is probably best known for composing You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown
, a musical adaptation of the Charles M. Schulz
comic strip
Peanuts
.
None of his other musicals (most notably The Utter Glory of Morrissey Hall
in 1979) had been able to match the success of ...Charlie Brown, though he had small success in regional productions (mostly Animal Fair in 1990).
Gesner's song "Happiness" became a hit standard in the 1960s, being recorded by various artists. The latter was also recorded in a smooth jazz
version by David Benoit in May 2000, shortly after Charles M. Schulz' death, on an album entitled Here's to You, Charlie Brown: 50 Great Years. The album made it to #2 on the Top Jazz Albums
chart.
, New York
, Gesner was born to H. Mortimer Gesner Jr., and Eleanor Clark Gesner. He attended high school in Plainfield, New Jersey
where he wrote and performed in theatre
productions. Gesner attended Princeton University
and was a member of the Triangle Club
, the university's theatre
group. There, he began writing and producing original musical
comedies
. Following his graduation from Princeton, Gesner kept close ties to his alma mater
, serving as a member of the graduate board of the Triangle Club, and regularly patronizing performances by other groups on the Princeton campus, such as the Princeton University Players and Theatre Intime
.
Drafted into the United States Army
in 1961, Gesner spent his two-year military career at Governor's Island and in Manhattan
selling theater tickets at the USO in Times Square
, where he regularly attended Broadway theatre
productions. He subsequently joined ASCAP in 1962.
as a writer and composer for the Captain Kangaroo
in 1955 and Mister Mayor in 1964 television programs. He later wrote for the shows Sesame Street
and The Electric Company
. For the latter, his music or writing was used in over 700 episodes.
comic strip characters but was unable to get permission from the United Features Syndicate to use the characters in his songs. Eventually Gesner sent Schulz a tape of some of the songs and Gesner soon had permission to record them, which he did in 1966.
At the time, Gesner had no plans for a musical based on this pre-production "concept album
." However, producer Arthur Whitelaw, who would later go on to write another musical based on Peanuts
, encouraged Gesner to turn the album into a musical.
, went into rehearsal in New York City
on February 10, 1967. Prior to its opening, the musical had no actual libretto
; it was several vignettes
with a musical number for each one. On March 7, 1967, the musical premiered Off-Broadway
and was a big hit, running for 1,597 performances. Walter Kerr
in The New York Times
called the show "a miracle", saying, "Almost everything works, because almost everything is effortless."
Since its premiere, ...Charlie Brown has become an international success, spawning two Broadway
productions (a 1971 transfer and a 1999 revival), over nine U.S. tours, a 1968 West End
production, and a 2008 Manhattan
concert
performance, along with productions in Baltimore
, Maryland
, New Jersey
, and Toronto
, among others.
musical, The Utter Glory of Morrissey Hall
, was much less successful. It closed at the Mark Hellinger Theatre
after seven previews and one regular performance.
The Jello Is Always Red, a musical revue of cabaret songs with book, music and lyrics by Gesner, was staged off-Broadway in New York in 1998 by The York Theatre Company. The show played from June 3 to 28, 1998 at the York Theatre
, lasting 11 previews and 21 regular performances.
Animal Fair, a show with book, music and lyrics by Gesner, is a series of vignettes that depict everyday animals in human situations. It premiered in 1990 at the Denver Center Theatre and was subsequently produced by Brooklyn's Gallery Players in 2001.
The Bloomers, a musical with music and lyrics by Gesner, and book by Garet Scott based on The Letter
by Somerset Maugham, was first produced in May 2000 at the off-off-Broadway Red Room.
Among Gesner's other works is a yet-to-be-produced musical based on the cartoon
character Betty Boop
. Gesner collaborated with Garet Scott on several off-off-Broadway movie parodies, including Down! Down! Down! Thirty Second To Hell, A Town Called Shame, and Bongo Fever.
Some of Gesner's well known compositions include "The Ivy League Look", a song for the Triangle Club, and "Little Known Facts
", a musical number from You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown.
As an actor, Gesner performed regionally in theatre productions, including 1776
, Lend Me a Tenor
, and Carnival!
, among others. He sang on the original concept album
of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown as Linus van Pelt
and sang with Barbara Minkus on four bonus track
s on the original cast recording of the Off-Broadway
cast of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown.
in 1967, shortly before completing ...Charlie Brown. The 1968 television series The Ed Sullivan Show
used Genser's songs "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown" and "Happiness", both of which had become hits at the time. The latter was also used in the TV special A Family Thing
, also in 1968. Gesner then co-wrote the TV movie Out to Lunch
(1974). His music can be heard in The Electric Company
(1977), You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown
(1984), You Don't Look 40, Charlie Brown
(1990), and Diva (2010).
. He was never married.
Note: In addition to these awards, Genser shared a nomination for Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album
with Andrew Lippa
for the 1999 Broadway revival of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
, author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, and actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
. He is probably best known for composing You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown
You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown
You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown is a 1967 musical comedy with music and lyrics by Clark Gesner, based on the characters created by cartoonist Charles M. Schulz in his comic strip Peanuts...
, a musical adaptation of the Charles M. Schulz
Charles M. Schulz
Charles Monroe "Sparky" Schulz was an American cartoonist, whose comic strip Peanuts proved one of the most popular and influential in the history of the medium, and is still widely reprinted on a daily basis.-Early life and education:Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Schulz grew up in Saint Paul...
comic strip
Comic strip
A comic strip is a sequence of drawings arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often serialized, with text in balloons and captions....
Peanuts
Peanuts
Peanuts is a syndicated daily and Sunday American comic strip written and illustrated by Charles M. Schulz, which ran from October 2, 1950, to February 13, 2000, continuing in reruns afterward...
.
None of his other musicals (most notably The Utter Glory of Morrissey Hall
The Utter Glory of Morrissey Hall
The Utter Glory of Morrissey Hall is a musical with music and lyrics by Clark Gesner and a book by Gesner and Nagle Jackson. The production opened and closed on May 13, 1979 at the Mark Hellinger Theatre on Broadway after only seven previews and one regular performance.-Synopsis:Act IMorrissey Hall...
in 1979) had been able to match the success of ...Charlie Brown, though he had small success in regional productions (mostly Animal Fair in 1990).
Gesner's song "Happiness" became a hit standard in the 1960s, being recorded by various artists. The latter was also recorded in a smooth jazz
Smooth jazz
Smooth jazz is a genre of music that grew out of jazz fusion and is influenced by R&B, funk, rock, and pop music styles ....
version by David Benoit in May 2000, shortly after Charles M. Schulz' death, on an album entitled Here's to You, Charlie Brown: 50 Great Years. The album made it to #2 on the Top Jazz Albums
Billboard charts
The Billboard charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs or albums in the United States. The results are published in Billboard magazine...
chart.
Early life
Born and raised in Augusta, Maine, and later moving to BrooklynBrooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Gesner was born to H. Mortimer Gesner Jr., and Eleanor Clark Gesner. He attended high school in Plainfield, New Jersey
Plainfield, New Jersey
Plainfield is a city in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population increased to a record high of 49,808....
where he wrote and performed in theatre
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
productions. Gesner attended Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
and was a member of the Triangle Club
Princeton Triangle Club
The Princeton Triangle Club is a theater troupe at Princeton University. Founded in 1891, it is the oldest touring collegiate musical-comedy troupe in the United States, and the only co-ed collegiate troupe that takes an original student-written musical on a national tour every year...
, the university's theatre
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
group. There, he began writing and producing original musical
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
comedies
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
. Following his graduation from Princeton, Gesner kept close ties to his alma mater
Alma mater
Alma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:...
, serving as a member of the graduate board of the Triangle Club, and regularly patronizing performances by other groups on the Princeton campus, such as the Princeton University Players and Theatre Intime
Theatre Intime
Theatre Intime is an entirely student-run dramatic arts organization operating out of the Hamilton Murray Theater at Princeton University. Intime receives no support from the university, and is entirely acted, produced, directed, teched and managed by students.Theatre Intime was founded in 1920 by...
.
Drafted into the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
in 1961, Gesner spent his two-year military career at Governor's Island and in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
selling theater tickets at the USO in Times Square
Times Square
Times Square is a major commercial intersection in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, at the junction of Broadway and Seventh Avenue and stretching from West 42nd to West 47th Streets...
, where he regularly attended Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
productions. He subsequently joined ASCAP in 1962.
Early work on television
Gesner found work in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
as a writer and composer for the Captain Kangaroo
Captain Kangaroo
Captain Kangaroo is a children's television series which aired weekday mornings on the American television network CBS for nearly 30 years, from October 3, 1955 until December 8, 1984, making it the longest-running children's television program of its day...
in 1955 and Mister Mayor in 1964 television programs. He later wrote for the shows Sesame Street
Sesame Street
Sesame Street has undergone significant changes in its history. According to writer Michael Davis, by the mid-1970s the show had become "an American institution". The cast and crew expanded during this time, including the hiring of women in the crew and additional minorities in the cast. The...
and The Electric Company
The Electric Company
The Electric Company is an educational American children's television series that was produced by the Children's Television Workshop for PBS in the United States. PBS broadcast 780 episodes over the course of its six seasons from October 25, 1971 to April 15, 1977...
. For the latter, his music or writing was used in over 700 episodes.
Concept album
During the early 1960s, Gesner had begun writing songs based on Charles Schulz’s Charlie BrownCharlie Brown
Charles "Charlie" Brown is the protagonist in the comic strip Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz.Charlie Brown and his creator have a common connection in that they are both the sons of barbers, but whereas Schulz's work is described as the "most shining example of the American success story", Charlie...
comic strip characters but was unable to get permission from the United Features Syndicate to use the characters in his songs. Eventually Gesner sent Schulz a tape of some of the songs and Gesner soon had permission to record them, which he did in 1966.
At the time, Gesner had no plans for a musical based on this pre-production "concept album
Concept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
." However, producer Arthur Whitelaw, who would later go on to write another musical based on Peanuts
Snoopy!!! The Musical
Snoopy: The Musical is a musical comedy by Larry Grossman and Hal Hackady, with a book by Warren Lockhart, Arthur Whitelaw, and Michael Grace. The characters are from the Charles M. Schulz comic strip Peanuts. This sequel to the musical You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown focuses more on the life of...
, encouraged Gesner to turn the album into a musical.
Stage musical
The stage adaptation of the concept album, entitled You're a Good Man, Charlie BrownYou're a Good Man, Charlie Brown
You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown is a 1967 musical comedy with music and lyrics by Clark Gesner, based on the characters created by cartoonist Charles M. Schulz in his comic strip Peanuts...
, went into rehearsal in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
on February 10, 1967. Prior to its opening, the musical had no actual libretto
Libretto
A libretto is the text used in 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 liturgical works, such as mass, requiem, and sacred cantata, or even the story line of a...
; it was several vignettes
Vignette (literature)
In theatrical script writing, sketch stories, and poetry, a vignette is a short impressionistic scene that focuses on one moment or gives a trenchant impression about a character, an idea, or a setting and sometimes an object...
with a musical number for each one. On March 7, 1967, the musical premiered Off-Broadway
Off-Broadway
Off-Broadway theater is a term for a professional venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, and for a specific production of a play, musical or revue that appears in such a venue, and which adheres to related trade union and other contracts...
and was a big hit, running for 1,597 performances. Walter Kerr
Walter Kerr
For the RN admiral see Lord Walter KerrWalter Francis Kerr was an American writer and Broadway theater critic. He also was the writer, lyricist, and/or director of several Broadway plays and musicals.-Biography:...
in The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
called the show "a miracle", saying, "Almost everything works, because almost everything is effortless."
Since its premiere, ...Charlie Brown has become an international success, spawning two Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
productions (a 1971 transfer and a 1999 revival), over nine U.S. tours, a 1968 West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
production, and a 2008 Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
concert
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
performance, along with productions in Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, and Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, among others.
Musical theatre
Gesner's second BroadwayBroadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
musical, The Utter Glory of Morrissey Hall
The Utter Glory of Morrissey Hall
The Utter Glory of Morrissey Hall is a musical with music and lyrics by Clark Gesner and a book by Gesner and Nagle Jackson. The production opened and closed on May 13, 1979 at the Mark Hellinger Theatre on Broadway after only seven previews and one regular performance.-Synopsis:Act IMorrissey Hall...
, was much less successful. It closed at the Mark Hellinger Theatre
Mark Hellinger Theatre
The Mark Hellinger Theatre is a generally used name of a former legitimate Broadway theater, located at 237 West 51st Street in midtown Manhattan, New York City. Since 1991, it has been known as the Times Square Church...
after seven previews and one regular performance.
The Jello Is Always Red, a musical revue of cabaret songs with book, music and lyrics by Gesner, was staged off-Broadway in New York in 1998 by The York Theatre Company. The show played from June 3 to 28, 1998 at the York Theatre
York Theatre
The York Theatre is an Off-Broadway theatre at 619 Lexington Avenue at the corner of 54th Street in the East Midtown section of Manhattan, New York City. It is dedicated to the production of new musicals and concert productions of forgotten musicals from the past. Each season consists of three or...
, lasting 11 previews and 21 regular performances.
Animal Fair, a show with book, music and lyrics by Gesner, is a series of vignettes that depict everyday animals in human situations. It premiered in 1990 at the Denver Center Theatre and was subsequently produced by Brooklyn's Gallery Players in 2001.
The Bloomers, a musical with music and lyrics by Gesner, and book by Garet Scott based on The Letter
The Letter (play)
The Letter is a play by W. Somerset Maugham dramatised from a short story that first appeared in his 1926 collection The Casuarina Tree. The story is based on a real-life scandal involving the wife of the headmaster of a school in Kuala Lumpur who was convicted in a murder trial after shooting...
by Somerset Maugham, was first produced in May 2000 at the off-off-Broadway Red Room.
Among Gesner's other works is a yet-to-be-produced musical based on the cartoon
Cartoon
A cartoon is a form of two-dimensional illustrated visual art. While the specific definition has changed over time, modern usage refers to a typically non-realistic or semi-realistic drawing or painting intended for satire, caricature, or humor, or to the artistic style of such works...
character Betty Boop
Betty Boop
Betty Boop is an animated cartoon character created by Max Fleischer, with help from animators including Grim Natwick. She originally appeared in the Talkartoon and Betty Boop film series, which were produced by Fleischer Studios and released by Paramount Pictures. She has also been featured in...
. Gesner collaborated with Garet Scott on several off-off-Broadway movie parodies, including Down! Down! Down! Thirty Second To Hell, A Town Called Shame, and Bongo Fever.
Some of Gesner's well known compositions include "The Ivy League Look", a song for the Triangle Club, and "Little Known Facts
Little Known Facts
"Little Known Facts" is a musical number in the Broadway musical comedy, You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown. The music and lyrics were written by Clark Gesner in 1966...
", a musical number from You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown.
As an actor, Gesner performed regionally in theatre productions, including 1776
1776 (musical)
1776 is a musical with music and lyrics by Sherman Edwards and a book by Peter Stone. The story is based on the events surrounding the signing of the Declaration of Independence...
, Lend Me a Tenor
Lend Me a Tenor
Lend Me a Tenor is a comedy by Ken Ludwig. The play was produced on both the West End and Broadway . Although it received seven Tony Award nominations, it won only one, for Best Actor. A Broadway revival opened in 2010. Lend Me a Tenor has been translated into sixteen languages and produced in...
, and Carnival!
Carnival!
Carnival is a 1961 musical with the book by Michael Stewart and music and lyrics by Bob Merrill. The musical is based on the 1953 film Lili.-Background:...
, among others. He sang on the original concept album
Concept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown as Linus van Pelt
Linus van Pelt
Linus van Pelt is a character in Charles M. Schulz's comic strip Peanuts. The best friend of Charlie Brown, Linus is also the younger brother of Lucy van Pelt and older brother of Rerun van Pelt. He first appeared on September 19, 1952; however, he was not mentioned by name until three days later....
and sang with Barbara Minkus on four bonus track
Bonus track
In terms of recorded music, a bonus track is a piece of music which has been included on specific releases or reissues of an album. This is most often done as a promotional device, either as an incentive to customers to purchase albums they might otherwise not, or to repurchase albums they already...
s on the original cast recording of the Off-Broadway
Off-Broadway
Off-Broadway theater is a term for a professional venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, and for a specific production of a play, musical or revue that appears in such a venue, and which adheres to related trade union and other contracts...
cast of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown.
Television
Gesner wrote for NBC Experiment in TelevisionNBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
in 1967, shortly before completing ...Charlie Brown. The 1968 television series The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show is an American TV variety show that originally ran on CBS from Sunday June 20, 1948 to Sunday June 6, 1971, and was hosted by New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan....
used Genser's songs "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown" and "Happiness", both of which had become hits at the time. The latter was also used in the TV special A Family Thing
A Family Thing
A Family Thing is a 1996 film starring Robert Duvall, James Earl Jones and Irma P. Hall. It was written by Billy Bob Thornton and Tom Epperson and directed by Richard Pearce.-Plot:...
, also in 1968. Gesner then co-wrote the TV movie Out to Lunch
Out to Lunch
Out to Lunch may refer to:*Out to Lunch!, a 1964 album by Eric Dolphy*Out to Lunch , a 1974 ABC special*Out to Lunch , a radio show in Baltimore, Maryland...
(1974). His music can be heard in The Electric Company
The Electric Company
The Electric Company is an educational American children's television series that was produced by the Children's Television Workshop for PBS in the United States. PBS broadcast 780 episodes over the course of its six seasons from October 25, 1971 to April 15, 1977...
(1977), You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown
You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown (TV special)
You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown is the 29th prime-time animated TV special based upon the popular comic strip Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz...
(1984), You Don't Look 40, Charlie Brown
You Don't Look 40, Charlie Brown
You Don't Look 40, Charlie Brown, the first Peanuts TV special of the 1990s, is one of many prime-time animated TV specials, based on characters from the Charles M. Schulz comic strip Peanuts. It originally aired on the CBS network on February 2, 1990...
(1990), and Diva (2010).
Death
Gesner died of a heart attack at age 64 on July 23, 2002, in downtown New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He was never married.
Awards and nominations
| Award | Show/Song | Result |
|---|---|---|
New York Park Association The New York Park Association was formed in 1881 or 1882 by John Mullaly and other citizens. The group was concerned about urban growth... |
|
|
Outer Critics Circle Award The Outer Critics Circle Awards are presented annually for theatrical achievements both on and Off-Broadway and were begun during the 1949-1950 theater season. The awards are decided upon by theater critics who review for out-of-town newspapers, national publications, and other media outlets... |
|
|
Grammy Award A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry... |
|
Note: In addition to these awards, Genser shared a nomination for Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album
Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album
The Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album has been awarded since 1959. The award was given only to the album producer, and to the composer and lyricist who wrote at least 51% of the music which had not been recorded previously....
with Andrew Lippa
Andrew Lippa
Andrew Lippa is an American composer, lyricist, book writer, performer, and producer. He is a resident artist at the Ars Nova Theater in New York City.-Biography:...
for the 1999 Broadway revival of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown.
External links
- Clark Gesner at the Internet Off-Broadway Database