Larry Hart (Lorenz Hart's nephew)

[Kevinoes]

Posted: 1/6/15 at 12:12am

Does anyone have info, insight, anecdotes, material, or any reference of Larry Hart (1944-2003) who was so to Teddy and Dorothy Hart, and Larry Hart, the great late lyricist's nephew?

What became of him? What did he do, in light of being the Hart family ultimately being left out of the Rodgers & Hart estate when Rodgers took ownership of everything?

The only reference I have is a NY Post article where he dispels "myths" about his uncle's last days: http://nypost.com/2001/02/28/hart-rending-tale-kin-reveals-truth-behind-lyricists-tragic-final-days/

Any help or insight would be much appreciated.



Updated On: 1/6/15 at 12:12 AM

[jv92]

Posted: 1/6/15 at 1:54pm

What's there to contest? Larry Hart (the lyricist) DID leave his apartment, and possibly it's true that Fritz Loewe found him outside an 8th Avenue bar and helped him back to his apartment.

I think what happened financially to the heirs of Lorenz Hart was tragic, though. Mary Rodgers, did, a few years before her death last summer, set up an ASCAP award in his name given to talented up-and-coming musical theater lyricists. That doesn't make up for what her evil non-step parents did (Dick and Dorothy), but I thought that was a nice gesture to keep his name alive.

[yfs]

Posted: 1/6/15 at 8:05pm

Larry Hart was very much alive in 2013 -- I saw him at a reading with Mary Rodgers. He was living in DC and still active. And he looked remarkably like his uncle. What makes you think he died in 2003?

[PalJoey]

Posted: 1/6/15 at 10:01pm

It's a very sad story, however you slice it.

Updated On: 1/6/15 at 10:01 PM

[Kevinoes]

Posted: 1/6/15 at 10:55pm

PalJoey, I read some very scant obituary that was clearly not the right Larry Hart. It was not my attempt to be disrespectful.

I was looking around to find a way to change the subject line, which I didn't know how. Fortunately, someone online managed to figure it out.

So sorry to anyone I offended. Didn't mean any (I repeat ANY) disrespect.

[Liza's Headband]

Posted: 1/6/15 at 10:57pm

The original thread title has still not been edited. All you have to do is go up to your original post (the first one in this thread) and click on the "edit message" link at the bottom righthand corner. As I just did.

Updated On: 1/6/15 at 10:57 PM

[Kevinoes]

Posted: 1/6/15 at 10:59pm

Thanks Liza!

[PalJoey]

Posted: 1/6/15 at 11:19pm

Gary Marmorstein's 2012 "A Ship Without A Sail: The Life of Lorenz Hart" is the best biography of Larry's uncle Lorenz.



Here's a link to an exhaustive review of Marmorstein's biography in the Atlantic, by dance critic Robert Gottlieb:




THE ATLANTIC: Rodgers and Hart's Dysfunctional Partnership: Richard was disciplined and controlling. Lorenz was undisciplined, uncontrollable, and often drunk. But it worked.

Updated On: 1/9/15 at 11:19 PM

[jv92]

Posted: 1/8/15 at 11:13pm

I agree with PJ on that biography. It's wonderful.

[Kevinoes]

Posted: 1/19/15 at 11:13pm

It's a subject I'm fascinated by. The treatment of Larry's estate... How it affected Theodore and Dorothy's relationship with Richard Rodgers, even if it was just through Larry. And how did Larry II and Mary Rodgers touch base?

If it's still aiming to published, in light of her death last summer, I'd be most curious to hear Mary Rodgers thoughts on the whole subject in her memoirs.