Herb Hendler
Encyclopedia
Herb Hendler was an American
record producer
and lyricist
.
He was director of A&R
and sole producer at RCA Victor Records in the 1940s. He produced Perry Como
's first hit records and signed Glenn Miller
to his final contract. He wrote the lyrics for Rosemary Clooney
's first hit, "The Kid's a Dreamer (The Kid from Fool's Paradise)," later a hit for Tony Bennett
; also Johnnie Ray
’s “Coffee and Cigarettes,” Nat King Cole
's "The Magic Tree" and "Hot Toddy," a hit for Ralph Flanagan
, Ted Heath and Julie London
, recorded by some eighty other artists. He created and managed the Ralph Flanagan Orchestra, which was greatly popular in the early 1950s and had many chart hits , and also managed the Buddy Morrow
Orchestra.
Hendler was born in Philadelphia on June 17, 1918. He majored in journalism at the University of Southern California
, later transferring to New York University
. In the late 1950s he became administrative assistant to the president of Warner Bros. Records
and was instrumental in launching Bob Newhart
and the Everly Brothers. At Capitol Records
in the 1960s, as vice president and general manager of Beechwood Music, Hendler signed up some 200 songwriters across the country and had more than a dozen top 40 hits. Among the groups he discovered and championed was The Association.
He became involved in musical theatre and wrote book and lyrics (with Roslyn Baws) for the rock musical Alison, a Haight-Ashbury Alice in Wonderland with music by many Beechwood songwriters including Larry Norman
. Featuring Kay Cole (creator of the role of Maggie in A Chorus Line), Ted Neeley
and Richard Hatch
, it was presented in Los Angeles in 1968 and optioned for Broadway by his co-producer Hal James, producer of Man of La Mancha. In Boston in 1971 he co-produced and staged Hey Dad, Who Is This Guy Gershwin Anyway?, a colorful array of Gershwin tunes in rock style, and later George, Paul, Ringo, John and Gershwin, seamlessly melding the music of the Beatles and George Gershwin.
He wrote the book and lyrics for Rock Carmen, which he co-produced and directed at the Roundhouse, London, in 1972, featuring Elaine Paige
. He returned to London the next year as co-founder and executive director of the Franklin School of Contemporary Studies.
As an author, his books included Year by Year in the Rock Era, Greenwood/Praeger, 1983/1987, and How to Win the Lottery (co-author), Signet, London, 1994. In his last years he compiled a comprehensive survey of the parallels between Shakespeare and the Bible. He was a member of ASCAP and the Dramatists Guild. He died in New York
on October 16, 2007.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
and lyricist
Lyricist
A lyricist is a songwriter who specializes in lyrics. A singer who writes the lyrics to songs is a singer-lyricist. This differentiates from a singer-composer, who composes the song's melody.-Collaboration:...
.
He was director of A&R
A&R
Artists and repertoire is the division of a record label that is responsible for talent scouting and overseeing the artistic development of recording artists. It also acts as a liaison between artists and the record label.- Finding talent :...
and sole producer at RCA Victor Records in the 1940s. He produced Perry Como
Perry Como
Pierino Ronald "Perry" Como was an American singer and television personality. During a career spanning more than half a century he recorded exclusively for the RCA Victor label after signing with them in 1943. "Mr...
's first hit records and signed Glenn Miller
Glenn Miller
Alton Glenn Miller was an American jazz musician , arranger, composer, and bandleader in the swing era. He was one of the best-selling recording artists from 1939 to 1943, leading one of the best known "Big Bands"...
to his final contract. He wrote the lyrics for Rosemary Clooney
Rosemary Clooney
Rosemary Clooney was an American singer and actress. She came to prominence in the early 1950s with the novelty hit "Come On-a My House" written by William Saroyan and his cousin Ross Bagdasarian , which was followed by other pop numbers such as "Botch-a-Me" Rosemary Clooney (May 23, 1928 –...
's first hit, "The Kid's a Dreamer (The Kid from Fool's Paradise)," later a hit for Tony Bennett
Tony Bennett
Tony Bennett is an American singer of popular music, standards, show tunes, and jazz....
; also Johnnie Ray
Johnnie Ray
Johnnie Ray was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Popular for most of the 1950s, Ray has been cited by critics as a major precursor of what would become rock and roll, for his jazz and blues-influenced music and his animated stage personality.-Early life:John Alvin Ray was born in...
’s “Coffee and Cigarettes,” Nat King Cole
Nat King Cole
Nathaniel Adams Coles , known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American musician who first came to prominence as a leading jazz pianist. Although an accomplished pianist, he owes most of his popular musical fame to his soft baritone voice, which he used to perform in big band and jazz genres...
's "The Magic Tree" and "Hot Toddy," a hit for Ralph Flanagan
Ralph Flanagan
Ralph Flanagan , was a famed big band leader, conductor, pianist, composer, and arranger for the orchestras of Hal McIntyre, Sammy Kaye, Blue Barron, Charlie Barnet, and Alvino Rey.-Biography:He was educated at Lorain High School, where he was a member of the National Honors...
, Ted Heath and Julie London
Julie London
Julie London was an American singer and actress. She was best known for her smoky, sensual voice. London was at her singing career's peak in the 1950s. Her acting career lasted more than 35 years...
, recorded by some eighty other artists. He created and managed the Ralph Flanagan Orchestra, which was greatly popular in the early 1950s and had many chart hits , and also managed the Buddy Morrow
Buddy Morrow
Buddy Morrow was an American trombonist and bandleader. He is known for his mastery of the upper range which is evident on records such as "The Golden Trombone," as well as his ballad playing.- His life :Morrow was once a member of The Tonight Show Band...
Orchestra.
Hendler was born in Philadelphia on June 17, 1918. He majored in journalism at the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
, later transferring to New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
. In the late 1950s he became administrative assistant to the president of Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
and was instrumental in launching Bob Newhart
Bob Newhart
George Robert Newhart , known professionally as Bob Newhart, is an American stand-up comedian and actor. Noted for his deadpan and slightly stammering delivery, Newhart came to prominence in the 1960s when his album of comedic monologues The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart was a worldwide...
and the Everly Brothers. At Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
in the 1960s, as vice president and general manager of Beechwood Music, Hendler signed up some 200 songwriters across the country and had more than a dozen top 40 hits. Among the groups he discovered and championed was The Association.
He became involved in musical theatre and wrote book and lyrics (with Roslyn Baws) for the rock musical Alison, a Haight-Ashbury Alice in Wonderland with music by many Beechwood songwriters including Larry Norman
Larry Norman
Larry David Norman was an American Christian musician, singer, songwriter, record label owner, and record producer, who worked with Christian rock music...
. Featuring Kay Cole (creator of the role of Maggie in A Chorus Line), Ted Neeley
Ted Neeley
Ted Neeley is a rock and roll drummer, singer, actor, composer, and record producer. He is probably best known for performing the title role in the film Jesus Christ Superstar in 1973....
and Richard Hatch
Richard Hatch
Richard Hatch is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Captain Apollo in the original Battlestar Galactica television series, and also as Tom Zarek in the remake of Battlestar Galactica....
, it was presented in Los Angeles in 1968 and optioned for Broadway by his co-producer Hal James, producer of Man of La Mancha. In Boston in 1971 he co-produced and staged Hey Dad, Who Is This Guy Gershwin Anyway?, a colorful array of Gershwin tunes in rock style, and later George, Paul, Ringo, John and Gershwin, seamlessly melding the music of the Beatles and George Gershwin.
He wrote the book and lyrics for Rock Carmen, which he co-produced and directed at the Roundhouse, London, in 1972, featuring Elaine Paige
Elaine Paige
Elaine Paige OBE is an English singer and actress best known for her work in musical theatre. Raised in Barnet, North London, Paige attended the Aida Foster stage school, making her first professional appearance on stage in 1964, at the age of 16...
. He returned to London the next year as co-founder and executive director of the Franklin School of Contemporary Studies.
As an author, his books included Year by Year in the Rock Era, Greenwood/Praeger, 1983/1987, and How to Win the Lottery (co-author), Signet, London, 1994. In his last years he compiled a comprehensive survey of the parallels between Shakespeare and the Bible. He was a member of ASCAP and the Dramatists Guild. He died in 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...
on October 16, 2007.