Fred Ebb: influences, peers and legacy

Every connection with its receipt

Fred Ebb wrote lyrics, not music — his craft was the character's voice, sharpened in New York revues and nightclub acts before Kander and Ebb became Broadway's darkest-witted team. This mix traces the Weimar cabaret and literary sources behind that voice, the Manhattan scene that trained it, and the performers and successors who carried it.

The Kynda mix for Fred Ebb

• Key Influence · Pal Joey by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart (1940). Lorenz Hart is the lyricist Ebb's work most clearly descends from: urban, rueful, rhyme-drunk, and willing to make a heel the leading man. Pal Joey built a musical around a charming louse, exactly the moral slipperiness Ebb later gave the Emcee of Cabaret and Billy Flynn of Chicago. Ebb grew up on the Rodgers and Hart songbook in New York and inherited Hart's taste for the wisecrack that hides a wound.
• Influencia Obscura · Ich bin von Kopf bis Fuß auf Liebe eingestellt by Friedrich Hollaender (1930). Hollaender ran Berlin's Tingel-Tangel cabaret and wrote Marlene Dietrich's songs for The Blue Angel — the exact idiom Kander and Ebb reverse-engineered for the Kit Kat Klub. The sly, slightly sour vamp under a smiling vocal is the Cabaret sound before Cabaret existed. Hollaender's work is the historical original that the show's pastiche numbers, Willkommen and Mein Herr among them, are answering.
• Local Roots · Bells Are Ringing by Betty Comden and Adolph Green (1956). Ebb was a Manhattan native, NYU-educated, who came up writing sketch and special material for New York revues and nightclub acts in the 1950s. Comden and Green were the reigning New York wits of that world, writing sharp, local, telephone-and-taxi comedy for Broadway stars. Their blend of revue-honed comic lyrics and big-city sentiment is the same Broadway school Ebb entered through the side door.
• Beyond the Medium · Goodbye to Berlin by Christopher Isherwood (1939). Isherwood's Berlin stories gave Ebb Sally Bowles, the boarding house, and the camera-eye detachment that became Cabaret's cool gaze on catastrophe. The route ran through John Van Druten's stage adaptation I Am a Camera, which Joe Masteroff, Kander and Ebb reworked. Ebb's lyric task was turning Isherwood's reportage into songs that sound like entertainment and land like evidence of a society's collapse.
• Peer · Bye Bye Birdie by Charles Strouse and Lee Adams (1960). Strouse and Adams were the other composer-lyricist team to emerge from New York revue work into Broadway at the same moment, and they shared Ebb's gift for pastiche and the star number. Adams's wry, performer-facing lyrics occupy the same craft space as Ebb's. Both teams would spend the 1960s and 70s writing vehicles for charismatic leading women on the same handful of Broadway stages.
• Key Collaborator · Liza with a Z by Liza Minnelli (1972). Ebb conceived and wrote this television concert special, with Fosse directing and choreographing and Kander supplying music — the purest surviving record of how Ebb built material around a specific performer's voice, nerves and need for an audience. He had been crafting Minnelli's nightclub acts since Flora, and the special's monologue-to-song architecture is his nightclub craft at full scale.
• Legacy · Grey Gardens by Scott Frankel and Michael Korie (2006). Frankel and Korie's musical about the Beale women works squarely in the Kander and Ebb inheritance: period pastiche used as psychological diagnosis, songs that perform glamour while documenting decay, and a central role built as a tour de force for a great actress. The show's first act of 1940s lawn-party brightness curdling into the second act's ruin is the Cabaret structural move applied to American decline.

What influenced Fred Ebb

• Goodbye to Berlin by Christopher Isherwood (1939). Goodbye to Berlin (Christopher Isherwood) — culture for Fred Ebb (also via Cabaret) “Directed by Prince and based on the John Van Druten play I Am a Camera (which, in turn, was based on the writing of Christopher Isherwood), the musical starred Jill Haworth as Sally Bowles, Bert Convy as Clifford Bradshaw, Lotte Lenya as…” (en.wikipedia.org)
• I Am a Camera by John Van Druten. I Am a Camera (John Van Druten) — titan for Cabaret (via Cabaret) “Producer/director Hal Prince spearheaded the transformation of van Druten’s play into the Broadway musical Cabaret in 1966, with dialogue by Joe Masteroff, music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb.” (The Conversation)
• The Threepenny Opera by Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht (1928). The Threepenny Opera (Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht) — titan for Fred Ebb (also via Cabaret) “Amanda Palmer, singer-pianist of the Brechtian Punk Cabaret duo The Dresden Dolls, has Kurt Weill's name on the front of her keyboard (a pun on the name of the instrument maker Kurzweil) as a tribute to the composer.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Cabaret (1972 film) by Bob Fosse. Camp identifies Fosse’s film as a revision of the Broadway musical for cinema. (via Cabaret) “Bob Fosse’s 1972 film version of the 1966 Broadway musical Cabaret would turn out to be that radical revision.” (The Conversation)
• El beso de la mujer araña by Manuel Puig (1976). El beso de la mujer araña (Manuel Puig) — culture for Fred Ebb (openlibrary.org)
• Das Lila Lied by Mischa Spoliansky (1920). Das Lila Lied (Mischa Spoliansky) — ghost for Fred Ebb (also via Cabaret) “== Works == Theatre Cabaret songs, including Das lila Lied (1920s) Es liegt in der Luft, revue (1928) Zwei Krawatten, revue (1929) Wie werde ich reich und glücklich?, revue (1930) Alles Schwindel, revue (1931) Rufen Sie Herrn Plim, revue…” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Chicago by Maurine Dallas Watkins (1926). Chicago (Maurine Dallas Watkins) — culture for Fred Ebb “He later stated that at the time a major heir from the playwright's family informed him that Maurine believed that her newspaper articles had "gained sympathy" for Beulah Annan and that "over the years [she] became disturbed that she had…” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Pal Joey by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart (1940). Pal Joey (Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart) — titan for Fred Ebb (wikidata.org)
• Anything Goes by Cole Porter. Anything Goes (Cole Porter) — titan for Fred Ebb (wikidata.org)
• The Blue Angel by Josef von Sternberg (1930). The Blue Angel (Josef von Sternberg) — culture for Cabaret (via Cabaret) (themoviedb.org)
• Ich bin von Kopf bis Fuß auf Liebe eingestellt by Friedrich Hollaender (1930). Ich bin von Kopf bis Fuß auf Liebe eingestellt (Friedrich Hollaender) — ghost for Fred Ebb
• Dorothy Fields. Chicago (Fred Ebb) — legacy for Dorothy Fields (via Chicago)
• Raus mit den Männern! by Friedrich Hollaender (1926). Raus mit den Männern! (Friedrich Hollaender) — ghost for Cabaret (via Cabaret)
• Pandora's Box by Georg Wilhelm Pabst (1929). Pandora's Box (Georg Wilhelm Pabst) — culture for Cabaret (via Cabaret)
• Berlin: Symphony of a Great City by Walther Ruttmann (1927). Berlin: Symphony of a Great City (Walther Ruttmann) — culture for Cabaret (via Cabaret)

Peers and kindred spirits

• Bob Fosse (1927). Ebb and Fosse jointly wrote the musical’s book. (also via Cabaret, All That Jazz, Cabaret (1972 film)) “And Bobby liked it, and Gwen liked it. And I was more or less hired. We were hired, Johnny and me.” (American Masters Digital Archive)
• Harold Prince. Prince recruited Ebb to the musical project. (also via Kiss of the Spider Woman, Chicago) “his Tony winning success directing and producing with Kander and Ebb 's Cabaret in 1966, followed by Kander and Ebb's Zorba” (Wikipedia)
• Liza Minnelli. Ebb and Kander frequently wrote for Minnelli. (also via Liza with a Z) “The Kander and Ebb team frequently wrote for such performers as Liza Minnelli and Chita Rivera .” (Wikipedia)
• All That Jazz by Bob Fosse (1979). All That Jazz (Bob Fosse) — collaborator for Fred Ebb (also via Cabaret) “When it came time to do the film, I looked to All That Jazz (1979) and Cabaret (1972); to Bob Fosse (1927-1987) who came from the theater and grafted theater onto film in the most successful way I’ve ever seen.” (ARTpublika Magazine)
• Liza with a Z by Liza Minnelli (1972). Liza with a Z (Liza Minnelli) — collaborator for Fred Ebb (also via Cabaret) “Shout! Studios has posted Liza Minnelli 's complete televised 1972 concert, Liza With a 'Z' —where she, songwriters John Kander and Fred Ebb , and director Bob Fosse were all fresh from the success of Cabaret —on YouTube.” (Playbill)
• John Kander (1957). Kander and Ebb worked together on the musical score. (also via Kiss of the Spider Woman, The Visit) “Consequently, Prince invited the songwriting team of John Kander and Fred Ebb to join the project.” (Wikipedia)
• Fred Ebb Foundation. Ebb’s will directed the foundation’s establishment. “Established in 2005 in NY - Founded by the late Fred Ebb, who was a musical theater lyricist and part of the Kander/Ebb composition team that created numerous award-winning musicals.” (Candid Foundation Directory)
• Cabaret by Bob Fosse (1972). Cabaret (Bob Fosse) — peer for Fred Ebb “Cabaret is an American musical with music by John Kander , lyrics by Fred Ebb , and a book by Joe Masteroff .” (Wikipedia)
• Fiddler on the Roof. Fiddler on the Roof (Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick) — peer for Fred Ebb (also via Cabaret) “One of the foremost figures in 20th-century American theater, Prince became associated throughout his career with many of the most noteworthy musicals in Broadway history, including West Side Story, Fiddler on the Roof, Cabaret, Sweeney …” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Hello, Dolly!. Hello, Dolly! (Jerry Herman) — geography for Fred Ebb (also via Cabaret) “== Broadway career == In 1960, Herman made his Broadway debut with the revue From A to Z, which featured contributions from newcomers Woody Allen and Fred Ebb as well.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Richard Rodgers. Ebb reworked lyrics for a Rodgers melody. (also via Pal Joey) “In 1997, Ebb reworked lyrics to Richard Rodgers ' melody for the television production of Cinderella .” (Wikipedia)
• Follies. Follies (Stephen Sondheim) — collaborator for Cabaret (via Cabaret) “They had previously worked on West Side Story and their association spawned a long string of landmark productions, including Company (Tony Award, 1970), Follies (Tony Award, 1971), A Little Night Music (Tony Award, 1973), Pacific Overtur…” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Hal Prince. Ebb speaks about his experience working with Prince. “And Hal, in working with Hal, Hal always makes you better than you are or even think you Hal is a great litmus paper about what you should be doing and how do it well.” (American Masters Digital Archive)
• Chita Rivera. Ebb and Kander frequently wrote for Rivera. “The Kander and Ebb team frequently wrote for such performers as Liza Minnelli and Chita Rivera .” (Wikipedia)
• The Rink. The article credits The Rink to Kander and Ebb. “In 1984, Rivera starred in the Kander and Ebb musical The Rink with Liza Minnelli and won her first Tony and Drama Desk awards for her role as Anna.” (Wikipedia)
• Philip Springer. Springer was an early songwriting collaborator of Ebb. “One of his early collaborators was Philip Springer , and a song they wrote together ("I Never Loved Him Anyhow") was recorded by Carmen McRae in 1956.” (Wikipedia)
• Dale Wasserman. Ebb worked with Wasserman on an abandoned musical. “written by Ebb for his abandoned musical with Kander and Dale Wasserman , Wait for Me, World! .” (Wikipedia)
• Norman Leyden. Ebb wrote a song with Leyden. “"Don't Forget", which he wrote with Norman Leyden, was recorded by singer Eddy Arnold in 1954.” (Wikipedia)
• Peter Stone. Stone wrote the book for a musical Ebb was working on. “At the time of his death, Ebb was working on a new musical with Kander, Curtains: A Backstage Murder Mystery Musical Comedy . The project had already lost its book writer, Peter Stone , who died in 2003.” (Wikipedia)
• Betty Johnson. Ebb performed on Johnson’s recording. “Fred Ebb was the voice of the "Little Blue Man", on Betty Johnson's novelty song from 1958, repeating the words: "I Rov You... to Bits".” (Wikipedia)
• Norman Martin. Ebb and Martin wrote songs together. “He wrote songs with Norman Martin for the Off-Broadway revue Put It in Writing (1962).” (Wikipedia)
• Martin Scorsese. Ebb worked with Scorsese on New York, New York and another project. “The following year, Kander and Ebb worked with Minnelli and Martin Scorsese twice: first, in the film New York, New York” (Wikipedia)
• Frank Sinatra (1915). Ebb wrote Sinatra’s comeback television special. “In 1973 Ebb wrote the television special that marked Frank Sinatra 's comeback from retirement, Magnavox Presents Frank Sinatra (also known as Ol' Blue Eyes Is Back ).” (Wikipedia)
• Paul Klein. Ebb worked with composer Klein. “He also worked with composer Paul Klein from the early 1950s onward, [ 7 ] contributing songs to the cabaret revue Isn't America Fun (1959)” (Wikipedia)
• The Visit by Friedrich Dürrenmatt. Ebb is identified as one of the musical’s writers. “Rivera returned to Broadway in The Visit , the final musical written by John Kander , Fred Ebb , and Terrence McNally .” (Wikipedia)
• Phyllis Newman. Ebb and Kander contributed a song to Newman’s musical. “After contributing a song to Phyllis Newman ’s one-woman musical, The Madwoman of Central Park West (1979), [ 25 ] the team wrote Woman of the Year” (Wikipedia)
• Stephen Sondheim (1930). Cabaret (John Kander and Fred Ebb) — peer for Stephen Sondheim (via Cabaret, Company) (wikidata.org)
• Bells Are Ringing by Betty Comden and Adolph Green (1956). Bells Are Ringing (Betty Comden and Adolph Green) — geography for Fred Ebb (wikidata.org)
• The Visit by John Kander (2015). The Visit (John Kander) — collaborator for Fred Ebb “Fred Ebb (April 8, 1928 – September 11, 2004) was an American lyricist and playwright who had many successful collaborations with composer John Kander.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Bye Bye Birdie by Charles Strouse and Lee Adams (1960). Bye Bye Birdie (Charles Strouse and Lee Adams) — peer for Fred Ebb (wikidata.org)
• Company by Stephen Sondheim (1970). Company (Stephen Sondheim) — geography for Fred Ebb (wikidata.org)
• Ann Reinking (1949). Kiss of the Spider Woman (John Kander and Fred Ebb) — collaborator for Ann Reinking (via Kiss of the Spider Woman) (wikidata.org)
• She Loves Me by Joe Masteroff (1963). She Loves Me (Joe Masteroff) — geography for Cabaret (via Cabaret) “Cabaret is an American musical with music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb, and a book by Joe Masteroff.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• West Side Story by Leonard Bernstein (1957). West Side Story (Leonard Bernstein) — geography for Cabaret (via Cabaret) (wikidata.org)
• Hair. Hair (Galt MacDermot) — peer for Cabaret (via Cabaret) (wikidata.org)
• Man of La Mancha. Man of La Mancha (Mitch Leigh) — peer for Cabaret (via Cabaret) (wikidata.org)
• Michael Gibson. Gibson orchestrated Curtains, an Ebb project.

Who Fred Ebb influenced

• Hedwig and the Angry Inch by John Cameron Mitchell (1998). Hedwig and the Angry Inch (John Cameron Mitchell) — legacy for Cabaret (via Cabaret) “When it came time to do the film, I looked to All That Jazz (1979) and Cabaret (1972); to Bob Fosse (1927-1987) who came from the theater and grafted theater onto film in the most successful way I’ve ever seen.” (ARTpublika Magazine)
• Chicago by Rob Marshall (2002). Marshall explains how the original stage musical’s form guided the film adaptation. (via Chicago (1975 stage musical)) “The original stage piece is built as a musical vaudeville. All the numbers are presentational, every one of them. And they need to remain that way.” (TheWrap)
• Hedwig and the Angry Inch by Stephen Trask and John Cameron Mitchell (1998). Hedwig and the Angry Inch (Stephen Trask and John Cameron Mitchell) — legacy for Fred Ebb (wikidata.org)
• Grey Gardens by Scott Frankel and Michael Korie (2006). Grey Gardens (Scott Frankel and Michael Korie) — legacy for Fred Ebb (wikidata.org)
• Usher. Chicago (John Kander and Fred Ebb) — culture for Usher (via Chicago) (wikidata.org)
• Moulin Rouge! by Baz Luhrmann (2001). Moulin Rouge! (Baz Luhrmann) — legacy for Cabaret (via Cabaret) (themoviedb.org)
• Spring Awakening. Spring Awakening (Duncan Sheik) — legacy for Cabaret (via Cabaret) (wikidata.org)