Allan Sherman
This article needs additional citations for verification. (March 2022) |
Allan Sherman | |
---|---|
Born | Allan Copelon November 30, 1924 |
Died | November 20, 1973 Los Angeles, California, U.S. | (aged 48)
Resting place | Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery |
Occupations |
|
Years active | 1951–1973 |
Spouse |
Dee Chackes
(m. 1945; div. 1966) |
Children | 2 |
Allan Sherman (born Allan Copelon;[1] or Allan Gerald Copelon;[2] November 30, 1924 – November 20, 1973) was an American musician, satirist and television producer who became known as a song parodist in the early 1960s. His first album, My Son, the Folk Singer (1962), became the fastest-selling record album up to that time.[3] His biggest hit was "Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh", a comic song in which a boy describes his summer camp experiences to the tune of Ponchielli's Dance of the Hours.
Early life
Sherman was born on November 30, 1924, in
Television writer and producer
Sherman devised a game show with comedy writer Howard Merrill he intended to call I Know a Secret.[6] Television producer Mark Goodson adapted Sherman's idea into I've Got a Secret, which ran on CBS from 1952 to 1967. Rather than paying him for the concept, Mark Goodson-Bill Todman Productions made Sherman the show's producer; Merrill was paid a royalty and withdrew from the project. "You couldn't help but be fond of Allan, as long as you didn't have to work with him," recalled Goodson-Todman executive Gil Fates. "Notice I said with him. He was always kind and understanding to those who worked for him."[7] Sherman clashed with anyone who disagreed with his ideas or tried to restrain his creativity. As producer of I've Got a Secret, which was broadcast live, he showed a fondness for large-scale stunts that teetered on the brink of disaster. He once released 100 rabbits onstage as an Easter surprise for the Madison Square Boys Club, whose members were seated in the studio. The boys were invited to come up onstage to collect their prize. Although the resultant melee made a good story, it did not necessarily make for good television. Fates saw that host Garry Moore, "who was out on stage trying to protect the bunnies as best he could, realized that the spot was beyond salvage. Most of the kids gave back the rabbits."[8]
In his autobiography, A Gift of Laughter, Sherman writes that he was fired from I've Got a Secret in 1958, the night guest star Tony Curtis demonstrated childhood street games. First, Curtis had never even heard of the games Sherman wanted to stage, resulting in awkward re-enactments. Then, according to Sherman, Henry Morgan was left short of scripted material by seven minutes,[6] and that Morgan filled the time by berating Sherman on-air.[6] However, the episode in question does not run short; in fact. Morgan ends it abruptly and says they’ve run out of time.[9] "The spot was not only a fiasco but also a catastrophe," recalled Fates. "That show was Goodson's last straw and Allan's last I've Got a Secret. Within hours the reaction from the network and the sponsors was in and Allan was out."[10] Sherman was replaced by associate producer Chester Feldman.
Sherman also produced a short-lived 1954 game show,
Song parodies
In 1951, Sherman recorded a 78-rpm single with veteran singer
Capitalizing on his success, in 1962 Jubilee Records re-released Sherman's 1951 single on the album More Folk Songs by Allan Sherman and His Friends, which compiled material by various Borscht Belt comedians such as Sylvia Froos, Fyvush Finkel and Lee Tully.
Sherman's first two LPs were mainly reworkings of old
Sherman wrote his parody lyrics in collaboration with Lou Busch. A few of the Sherman/Busch songs are completely original creations, featuring original music as well as lyrics, rather than new lyrics applied to an existing melody.
However, Sherman had trouble in getting permission to record for profit from some well-known composers and lyricists, who did not tolerate parodies or satires of their melodies and lyrics, including Irving Berlin, Richard Rodgers, Ira Gershwin, Meredith Willson, Alan Jay Lerner, and Frederick Loewe, as well as the estates of Lorenz Hart, Oscar Hammerstein, Kurt Weill, George Gershwin and Bertolt Brecht, which prevented him from releasing parodies or satires of their songs. In the late 1950s, Sherman was inspired by a recording of a nightclub musical show called My Fairfax Lady, a parody of My Fair Lady set in the Jewish section of Los Angeles that was performed at Billy Gray's Band Box. Sherman then wrote his own song parodies of My Fair Lady, which appeared as a bootleg recording in 1964, and were only officially released in 2005 on My Son, the Box. Alan Jay Lerner did not approve of having the parody being performed; however, he reluctantly settled to allow the performances of "Fairfax Lady", on the strict conditions that the show could only be allowed to be performed inside the Fairfax Theater, without any touring company, and that the musical could not be videotaped or recorded for any album.
Although Sherman believed that all the songs parodied on My Son, the Folk Singer were in the
In 1963's My Son, the Nut, Sherman's pointed parodies of classical and popular tunes dealt with
A Top 40 hit
One track from My Son, the Nut, a spoof of
The songs on Sherman's next album My Name Is Allan (1965) were thematically connected: except for a couple of original novelty songs with music by Sherman and Busch, all the songs on the album are parodies of songs that had won, or were nominated for, the
During his brief heyday, Sherman's parodies were so popular that he had at least one contemporary imitator: My Son the Copycat was an album of song parodies performed by
Later work
In 1965, Sherman published an autobiography, A Gift of Laughter, and, for a short period at least, he was culturally ubiquitous. He sang on and guest-hosted
Also in 1964, Sherman narrated his own version of
Sherman's later albums grew more pointedly satirical and less light-hearted, skewering protesting students ("The Rebel"), consumer debt ("A Waste of Money", based on "A Taste of Honey"), and the generation gap ("Crazy Downtown" and "Pop Hates the Beatles"). It was for this reason that Ken Barnes, when attempting to analyze American music acts that were harmed by the British Invasion, surmised in 2021 that Sherman had been doomed to lose momentum anyway and could not blame the Invasion for his career decline[17] (even as "Crazy Downtown" was a top-40 hit for him).
Sherman was often tapped to produce specialty song parodies for corporations. An album of six paper-cup and vending machine related songs, titled Music to Dispense With, was created for the Container Division of the Scott Paper Company for distribution to its vendors and customers. It consisted of the tracks "Makin' Coffee" (a parody of "Makin' Whoopee"), "Vending Machines", "There Are Cups", "That's How the Change Is Made", "The Wonderful Tree in the Forest" and "Scott Cups".[18]
Sherman also created a group of eight "public education" radio spots for Encron carpet fibers, singing their praises to the tunes of old public-domain songs. Entitled Allan Sherman Pours It On for Carpets Made with Encron Polyester, it featured an introduction by Sherman and comprised the tracks "Encron Is a Brand New Fiber" (to the tune of the Michael Renzi-Jack Norworth-Nora Bayes hit "Shine On, Harvest Moon"), "Put Them All Together, They Spell Encron" (to the tune of Theodore Morse and E. Johnson Howard's "M-O-T-H-E-R"), "There's a Fiber Called Encron" (to the tune of William H. Hill's "There is a Tavern in the Town"), "Encron Alive, Alive-O" (to the tune of "Molly Malone"), "Encron's the Name", "Why They Call It Encron" (to the tune of "Let Me Call You Sweetheart"), "Encron, Encron" (to the tune of "Daisy Bell") and "Encron Is a Great New Fiber" (to the tune of "Take Me to the Fair").[19]
Decline
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Sherman's career success was short-lived: after peaking in 1963, his popularity declined rather quickly. After the
By 1965, Sherman had released two albums that did not make the Top 50 and in 1966, Warner Bros. Records dropped him from the roster. His last album for WB, Togetherness, was released in 1967 to poor reviews and poor sales. All of his previous releases had been recorded in front of a live studio audience – or in the case of Live, Hoping You Are the Same, recorded during a Las Vegas performance – but Togetherness was purely a studio recording, and the lack of an audience and their response affected the result, as did the nondescript backup singers and studio orchestra.
On November 13, 1965, Sherman made a rare primetime television acting appearance in "The Sheriff of Fetterman's Crossing," an episode of
In 1966, Sherman visited Australia. He did a television series in Melbourne, Victoria, for a live audience. During the performance, he sang a parody of "Molly Malone." It included a play on the word "but" (butt) which did not elicit a laugh. What Sherman did not know is that Australians use the word "bum" where Americans would say "butt" (although usage of the word "butt" has since become widespread in Australia). Otherwise, Sherman was well received by the audience. Afterward, he met with some of his fans and signed at least one autograph.
In 1969, Sherman wrote the book and lyrics – with music by
In 1971, Sherman was the voice of Dr. Seuss's The Cat in the Hat for the animated television special. He reprised the role for Dr. Seuss on the Loose, his last project before his death.
Health problems and death
In his final years, Sherman's alcoholism and weight gain caused severe deterioration of his health; he later developed
Sherman lived on unemployment benefits for a time and moved into the
Legacy
Sherman was the inspiration for a new generation of developing parodists such as "Weird Al" Yankovic, who pays homage to Sherman on the cover of his first LP.
Sherman's hit song "Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh" has been translated into other languages. In one notable example, the Dutch–Swedish poet Cornelis Vreeswijk translated the song loosely into Swedish as "Brev från kolonien" (Letter from Summer Camp), which reached fourth on the Swedish popular music chart Svensktoppen in the summer of 1965[30] and is still popular in Sweden today.[31]
A Best of Allan Sherman CD was released in 1990, and a
On March 14, 2006,
In 2010, eight of Allan Sherman's Warner Records albums were individually released on CD:
- My Son, the Folk Singer
- My Son, the Celebrity
- My Son, the Nut
- Allan in Wonderland
- For Swingin' Livers Only!
- My Name Is Allan
- Allan Sherman: Live! (Hoping You Are the Same)
- Togetherness.
Sherman's son, Robert, later became a
In popular culture
- Sherman's song "Ratt Fink" was covered by punk rock band The Ames Brothersin 1950.
- In the "Helter Shmelter: Sorry For the Mess.[34]
- The political parody group Capitol Steps used "Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh" in Fools On The Hill (Songs of 1992).
- Dutch comedian Rijk de Gooyer sang two Dutch versions of "Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh" named "Brief uit La Courtine" (Letter from La Courtine) and "Brief naar La Courtine" (Letter to La Courtine). In the first one, he describes his adventures as a soldier in the Dutch base at La Courtine; the second is his father's reply.
Discography
Albums
Year | Title | Billboard 200 | Record Label |
---|---|---|---|
1962 | My Son, the Folk Singer | 1 | Warner Bros. Records
|
1963 | My Son, the Celebrity | 1 | Warner Bros. Records |
My Son, the Nut | 1 | Warner Bros. Records | |
1964 | Allan in Wonderland | 25 | Warner Bros. Records |
Peter and the Commissar | 53 | RCA Victor
| |
For Swingin' Livers Only! | 25 | Warner Bros. Records | |
1965 | My Name Is Allan | 88 | Warner Bros. Records |
1966 | Allan Sherman: Live!!! (Hoping You Are the Same) |
- |
Warner Bros. Records |
1967 | Togetherness |
- |
Warner Bros. Records |
2014 | There Is Nothing Like a Lox: The Lost Song Parodies of Allan Sherman |
- |
Rockbeat Records / Smore |
Singles
Year | Titles (A-side, B-side) Both sides from same album except where indicated |
Chart positions | Album | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
US | AC | UK
| |||
1963 | "Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh! (A Letter From Camp)" b/w "Rat Fink" |
2 | — | 14 | My Son, The Nut |
"The Twelve Gifts Of Christmas" b/w "(You Came A Long Way From St. Louis) You Went The Wrong Way, Old King Louie" (from My Son, The Nut) |
5 (Christmas charts) |
— | — | For Swingin' Livers Only! | |
1964 | "My Son, The Vampire" b/w "I Can't Dance" (from Allan In Wonderland) |
— | — | — | Non-album track |
"(Heart) Skin" b/w "The Drop-Outs March" |
— | — | — | Allan In Wonderland | |
"Hello Mudduh, Hello Fadduh! (A Letter From Camp)" (1964 version) b/w Original version of A-side (from My Son, The Nut) |
59 | 9 | — | Non-album track | |
"The End Of A Symphony"—Part 1 b/w Part 2 With The Boston Pops Orchestra—Arthur Fiedler, conductor |
— | — | — | Peter and The Commissar | |
"Pop Hates The Beatles" b/w "Grow, Mrs. Goldfarb" Unreleased |
— | — | — | For Swingin' Livers Only! | |
1965 | "Crazy Downtown" b/w "The Drop-Outs March" (from Allan In Wonderland) |
40 | 6 | — | Non-album track |
"The Drinking Man's Diet" b/w "The Laarge Daark Aardvark Song" |
98 | 21 | — | My Name Is Allan | |
1966 | "Odd Ball" b/w "His Own Little Island" |
— | — | — | Non-album tracks |
1967 | "Westchester Hadassah" b/w "Strange Things In My Soup" |
— | — | — | Togetherness |
1968 | "The Fig Leaves Are Falling" b/w "Juggling" |
— | — | — | Non-album tracks |
Musical theater
- The Fig Leaves Are Falling (1969) – musical– lyricist and book-writer
- Songs: "All Is Well in Larchmont," "Lillian," "All of My Laughter," "Give Me a Cause," "Today I Saw a Rose," "We," "For Our Sake," "Light One Candle," "Oh, Boy," "The Fig Leaves Are Falling," "For the Rest of My Life," "I Like It," "Broken Heart," "Old Fashioned Song," "Lillian, Lillian, Lillian," "Did I Ever Really Live?" The music was composed by Albert Hague.
Filmography
- My Son, The Vampire (1963) introductory segment. Filmed repackage of the 1952 film Mother Riley Meets the Vampire
- Fractured Flickers (1 episode, 1963) as himself
- The Loner (1 episode, 1965) as Walter Peterson Tetley
- The Cat in the Hat (1971) as The Cat in the Hat/Narrator (voice)
- Wacky Taxi (1972) as Nervous Man
- Dr. Seuss on the Loose (1973) as The Cat in the Hat (voice) (final film role)
See also
- Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah! (musical review & children's book)
- Camp Granada
References
Bibliography
- Instant Status (or Up Your Image) (G.P. Putnam & Sons, 1964) (tear-out pages of celebrity thank you letters you can address to yourself and leave around your home or office to impress people)
- I Can't Dance! (children's picture book, illustrated by Syd Hoff) (Harper & Row, 1964)
- A Gift of Laughter: The Autobiography of Allan Sherman (Atheneum, 1965)
- ISBN 0-87216-453-5
- The title page notes that "APE" stands for "American Puritan Ethic" and "RSVP" for "Redeeming Social Value Pornography"
- Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah, (children's picture book based on song) (Dutton Books, 2004) ISBN 0-525-46942-7
Notes
- ^ a b c "Southern Jewish Life Magazine". October 30, 2018. Archived from the original on October 30, 2018. Retrieved October 10, 2021.
- ^ "Famous Jews - Genealogy of Allan Sherman". YouTube. September 7, 2022.
- ^ Thomas, Bob (Associated Press). "Fat and fortyish but star no less," Ottawa Herald, December 13, 1962, page 10: "Warner Brothers Records report that it is the fastest-selling album in history, having sold 575,000 in six weeks. With the Christmas season coming up, it might push over a million." Retrieved April 14, 2016, via NewspaperArchive.com
- ISBN 9781611684278. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
On November 25, 1949, the front page of the Birmingham Post's late edition announced, "Percy (Fatty) Coplon Dies on 93rd Day of Long Fast."
- ^ "Allan Sherman, Lyricist, Dies; Noted for 'My Son' Parodies". The New York Times. November 22, 1973. Retrieved February 12, 2019.
- ^ a b c d Mueller, Jim (March 29, 2000). "Sherman's March". The Chicago Tribune. Retrieved February 12, 2019.
- ^ Gil Fates, What's My Line? TV's Most Famous Panel Show, Prentice-Hall, 1978, p. 80.
- ^ Fates, p. 77.
- ^ Allan Sherman's last episode as producer (I've Got a Secret 6/11/58, 2 of 2), retrieved January 16, 2022
- ^ Fates, p. 80.
- ^ Variety, "Retail Disk Best Sellers", Oct. 25, 1950, p. 47.
- ISBN 0-214-20512-6.
- ^ ISBN 9781386784487. Retrieved February 12, 2019.
- ^ Wallace, Irving and Wallenchensky, David. The People's Almanac of the 20th Century
- ^ "Allan Sherman - My Son, The Nut | Releases | Discogs". discogs.com. Discogs. 1963. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
- ^ "Peter & The Commissar: Arthur Fiedler & The Boston Pops With Allan Sherman: Music". Amazon. Retrieved April 25, 2012.
- ^ Barnes, Ken (February 9, 2021). "Did the Beatles kill America's radio stars?". Radio Insight. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
- Demented Music Database!. Archivedfrom the original on January 5, 2010. Retrieved January 6, 2010.
- Demented Music Database!. Archivedfrom the original on January 5, 2010. Retrieved January 6, 2010.
- ^ "Los Angeles Times: The Boy in Camp Granada". Petabit.com. Archived from the original on March 12, 2013. Retrieved November 9, 2012.
- ^ Witbeck, Charles (November 13, 1965). "Allan Sherman Stars in Western Comedy". The Journal News. p. 28. Retrieved November 30, 2021.
- ^ Page, Don (August 26, 1965). "Sherman's Talent Larger Than Life". The Los Angeles Times. p. 82. Retrieved November 30, 2021.
- ISBN 978-1-61168-256-4.
- ^ The Broadway League. "The official source for Broadway Information". IBDB. Retrieved November 9, 2012.
- ^ a b "Allan Sherman: Hail to Thee, Fat Person - by David Holzel - page 3". Jangle04.home.mindspring.com. Archived from the original on February 24, 2012. Retrieved November 9, 2012.
- ^ (Editor's note.) "My favorite jokes," Parade magazine, August 21, 1966, page number illegible: "Unfortunately his domestic life of late has been none too good, and a divorce is in the offing." Retrieved April 14, 2016, via NewspaperArchive.com.
- ^ Schinder, Scott (April 14, 2021). "ALLAN SHERMAN: WEIRD AL'S FOUNDING 'FADDAH'". PleaseKillMe. Retrieved September 2, 2023.
- ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 21, 2023.
- ISBN 9781614238768.
Hillside Memorial Park
- ^ "SVENSKTOPPEN: Date: 1965-01-02". Sr.se. Retrieved November 9, 2012.
- ^ "BREV FRAN KOLONIEN - Lyrics - International Lyrics Playground". Lyricsplayground.com. October 10, 2007. Retrieved November 9, 2012.
- ^ "Lortel Archives-The Internet Off-Broadway Database". Lortel.org. Archived from the original on October 6, 2012. Retrieved November 9, 2012.
- ^ Sherman, Allan (March 14, 2006). "Allan Sherman: Beyond 'Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh'". NPR. Retrieved November 9, 2012.
- ^ "Allan Sherman's Helter Shmelter - Sorry For the Mess - Wikisimpsons, the Simpsons Wiki". Simpsonswiki.net. August 13, 2012. Retrieved November 9, 2012.
External links
- Allan Sherman at IMDb
- Allan Sherman at AllMusic
- Allan Sherman at Find a Grave
- Complete Discography
- Allan Sherman discography at Discogs
- "Review of Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh, the Allan Sherman Musical Revue". Archived from the original on December 4, 2004. Retrieved September 6, 2003.
- Josh Lambert in Tablet Magazine reviewing Mark Cohen's biography, Overweight Sensation: The Life and Comedy of Allan Sherman