Tom Morrow (artist)
Encyclopedia
Tom Morrow was an American painter and commercial artist, best known as the designer of numerous iconic advertisements for Broadway plays and musicals from the 1950s to the 1980s. In 1975, Morrow was credited with "having the distinction of creating artwork for more Broadway musicals and plays than any other living artist".
in Greenwich Village, New York City
. He began his career as a book illustrator; his best known work in that field was the 1961 children's book Time for Bed, by Inez Bertail. By the mid-1950s, Morrow had already turned to the design of Broadway theatre advertisements. Early examples, such as his posters for the play Auntie Mame
(1955) and the musical Candide
(1956), already displayed the lively, colourful and almost expressionist style that would characterise his work for the next three decades. He devised many particularly memorable images that become well-known through their use on posters, Playbills, sheet music and on the record sleeves of original cast albums. These included stylised depictions of Gwen Verdon
(in her 1959 show, Redhead
), Tammy Grimes
(The Unsinkable Molly Brown
, 1960) and Lucille Ball
(Wildcat
, 1960). Morrow's association with producer/director Harold Prince saw him design some of his most memorable Broadway logos of the 1960s, including the Cupid motif from She Loves Me
(1963), the Chagall-influenced peasant village scene from Fiddler on the Roof
(1964), the crowded nightclub from Cabaret
(1966) and the handstand male figure from Zorba (1968). Morrow also produced the series of paintings that were used in the title sequence of Prince's 1970 feature film, Something for Everyone.
By the early 1970s, Morrow had also become well-known as a painter. He exhibited exclusively at the Zachary Waller Gallery in Los Angeles, whose proprietor, John Waller, once described him thus:
Morrow's paintings could be found in the private collections of many of his colleagues in the performing arts, including not only Harold Prince but also composer/lyricist Stephen Sondheim
, writer/director Arthur Laurents
, choreographer Jerome Robbins
, composer/musical director Saul Chaplin
, fashion designer Bill Blass
and actors Angela Lansbury
, Joel Grey
, Farley Granger
, Ron Rifkin
and Peggy Cass
.
During the 1970s and '80s, Morrow worked only sporadically as a designer of theatre advertisements. His final poster design, for the stage musical Grind
(1985), fittingly representing a reunion with producer Harold Prince. In 1988, Morrow was invited to contribute to A Quilt for the American Theater, which was assembled to raise funds for the charity Broadway Cares
. He provided a 24-inch fabric square based on his logo for Fiddler on the Roof, depicting actor Zero Mostel
as Tevye. The finished quilt was shown in the foyer of the Marriott Marquis Hotel prior to being raffled on Valentine's Day, 1989.
Morrow died on February 11, 1994 after suffering a heart attack at his home in Manhattan.
Career
Morrow was a graduate of the Parsons School of DesignParsons The New School for Design
Parsons The New School For Design, known colloquially as Parsons, is the art and design college of The New School university. It is located in New York City's Greenwich Village, and has produced artists and designers such as Marc Jacobs, Dean and Dan Caten, Norman Rockwell, Donna Karan, Jane...
in Greenwich Village, New York City
Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village, , , , .in New York often simply called "the Village", is a largely residential neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City. A large majority of the district is home to upper middle class families...
. He began his career as a book illustrator; his best known work in that field was the 1961 children's book Time for Bed, by Inez Bertail. By the mid-1950s, Morrow had already turned to the design of Broadway theatre advertisements. Early examples, such as his posters for the play Auntie Mame
Auntie Mame
Auntie Mame is a 1955 novel by Patrick Dennis that chronicles the madcap adventures of a boy, Patrick, growing up as the ward of his deceased father's eccentric sister, Mame Dennis. The book is a work of fiction inspired by the author's eccentric aunt, Marion Tanner, whose life and outlook in many...
(1955) and the musical Candide
Candide (operetta)
Candide is an operetta with music composed by Leonard Bernstein, based on the novella of the same name by Voltaire. The operetta was first performed in 1956 with a libretto by Lillian Hellman; but since 1974 it has been generally performed with a book by Hugh Wheeler which is more faithful to...
(1956), already displayed the lively, colourful and almost expressionist style that would characterise his work for the next three decades. He devised many particularly memorable images that become well-known through their use on posters, Playbills, sheet music and on the record sleeves of original cast albums. These included stylised depictions of Gwen Verdon
Gwen Verdon
Gwenyth Evelyn “Gwen” Verdon was an actress and dancer who won four Tony awards for her musical comedy performances. With flaming red hair and an endearing quaver in her voice, Verdon was a critically acclaimed dancer on Broadway in the 1950s and 1960s...
(in her 1959 show, Redhead
Redhead (musical)
Redhead is a musical with music composed by Albert Hague and lyrics by Dorothy Fields, who with her brother, Herbert, along with Sidney Sheldon and David Shaw wrote the book/libretto...
), Tammy Grimes
Tammy Grimes
-Early life:Grimes was born in Lynn, Massachusetts, the daughter of Eola Willard , a naturalist and spiritualist, and Nicholas Luther Grimes, an innkeeper, country-club manager, and farmer. She attended high school at the then-all girls school, Beaver Country Day School, in Chestnut Hill,...
(The Unsinkable Molly Brown
The Unsinkable Molly Brown
The Unsinkable Molly Brown is a 1964 American musical film directed by Charles Walters. The screenplay by Helen Deutsch is based on the book of the 1960 musical The Unsinkable Molly Brown by Richard Morris. The song score was composed by Meredith Willson. The plot is a fictionalized account of the...
, 1960) and Lucille Ball
Lucille Ball
Lucille Désirée Ball was an American comedian, film, television, stage and radio actress, model, film and television executive, and star of the sitcoms I Love Lucy, The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour, The Lucy Show, Here's Lucy and Life With Lucy...
(Wildcat
Wildcat (musical)
Wildcat is a musical with a book by N. Richard Nash, lyrics by Carolyn Leigh, and music by Cy Coleman.The original production opened on Broadway in 1960, starring a 48-year-old Lucille Ball in her only Broadway show.-Background and production:...
, 1960). Morrow's association with producer/director Harold Prince saw him design some of his most memorable Broadway logos of the 1960s, including the Cupid motif from She Loves Me
She Loves Me
She Loves Me is a musical with a book by Joe Masteroff, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and music by Jerry Bock.The musical is the fifth adaptation of the play Parfumerie by Hungarian playwright Miklos Laszlo, following the 1940 James Stewart-Margaret Sullavan film The Shop around the Corner and the...
(1963), the Chagall-influenced peasant village scene from Fiddler on the Roof
Fiddler on the Roof
Fiddler on the Roof is a musical with music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and book by Joseph Stein, set in Tsarist Russia in 1905. It is based on Tevye and his Daughters by Sholem Aleichem...
(1964), the crowded nightclub from Cabaret
Cabaret (musical)
Cabaret is a musical based on a book written by Christopher Isherwood, music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb. The 1966 Broadway production became a hit and spawned a 1972 film as well as numerous subsequent productions....
(1966) and the handstand male figure from Zorba (1968). Morrow also produced the series of paintings that were used in the title sequence of Prince's 1970 feature film, Something for Everyone.
By the early 1970s, Morrow had also become well-known as a painter. He exhibited exclusively at the Zachary Waller Gallery in Los Angeles, whose proprietor, John Waller, once described him thus:
Morrow's paintings could be found in the private collections of many of his colleagues in the performing arts, including not only Harold Prince but also composer/lyricist Stephen Sondheim
Stephen Sondheim
Stephen Joshua Sondheim is an American composer and lyricist for stage and film. He is the winner of an Academy Award, multiple Tony Awards including the Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre, multiple Grammy Awards, a Pulitzer Prize and the Laurence Olivier Award...
, writer/director Arthur Laurents
Arthur Laurents
Arthur Laurents was an American playwright, stage director and screenwriter.After writing scripts for radio shows after college and then training films for the U.S...
, choreographer Jerome Robbins
Jerome Robbins
Jerome Robbins was an American theater producer, director, and choreographer known primarily for Broadway Theater and Ballet/Dance, but who also occasionally directed films and directed/produced for television. His work has included everything from classical ballet to contemporary musical theater...
, composer/musical director Saul Chaplin
Saul Chaplin
Saul Chaplin was an American composer and musical director.He was born Saul Kaplan in Brooklyn, New York.He had worked on stage, screen and television since the days of Tin Pan Alley...
, fashion designer Bill Blass
Bill Blass
William Ralph "Bill" Blass was an American fashion designer, born in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He is known for his tailoring and his innovative combinations of textures and patterns...
and actors Angela Lansbury
Angela Lansbury
Angela Brigid Lansbury CBE is an English actress and singer in theatre, television and motion pictures, whose career has spanned eight decades and earned her more performance Tony Awards than any other individual , with five wins...
, Joel Grey
Joel Grey
Joel Grey is an American stage and screen actor, singer, and dancer, best known for his role as the Master of Ceremonies in both the stage and film adaptation of the Kander & Ebb musical Cabaret. He has won the Academy Award, Tony Award and Golden Globe Award...
, Farley Granger
Farley Granger
Farley Earle Granger was an American actor. In a career spanning several decades, he was perhaps best known for his two collaborations with Alfred Hitchcock, Rope in 1948 and Strangers on a Train in 1951.-Early life:...
, Ron Rifkin
Ron Rifkin
Ron Rifkin is an American actor. He is best-known for his roles as Arvin Sloane on the spy drama Alias and as Saul Holden on the American family drama Brothers & Sisters.-Personal life:...
and Peggy Cass
Peggy Cass
Mary Margaret “Peggy” Cass was an American actress, comedian, game show panelist, and announcer.A native of Boston, Massachusetts, Cass became interested in acting as a member of the drama club at Cambridge Latin School; however, she attended all of high school without a speaking part...
.
During the 1970s and '80s, Morrow worked only sporadically as a designer of theatre advertisements. His final poster design, for the stage musical Grind
Grind (musical)
Grind is a musical with a book by Fay Kanin, music by Larry Grossman, and lyrics by Ellen Fitzhugh. Grind is a portrait of a largely African-American burlesque house in Chicago in the Thirties.The reviews were mixed at best...
(1985), fittingly representing a reunion with producer Harold Prince. In 1988, Morrow was invited to contribute to A Quilt for the American Theater, which was assembled to raise funds for the charity Broadway Cares
Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS
Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS is the theatre community’s response to the AIDS crisis. By drawing upon the talents, resources and generosity of the theatre community, on Broadway, Off-Broadway and across the country, BC/EFA raises funds for AIDS-related causes across the United States...
. He provided a 24-inch fabric square based on his logo for Fiddler on the Roof, depicting actor Zero Mostel
Zero Mostel
Samuel Joel “Zero” Mostel was an American actor of stage and screen, best known for his portrayal of comic characters such as Tevye on stage in Fiddler on the Roof, Pseudolus on stage and on screen in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, and Max Bialystock in the original film version...
as Tevye. The finished quilt was shown in the foyer of the Marriott Marquis Hotel prior to being raffled on Valentine's Day, 1989.
Morrow died on February 11, 1994 after suffering a heart attack at his home in Manhattan.
Legacy
Although Morrow's lively artistic style had become somewhat unfashionable by the 1990s, his classic images from earlier Broadway shows were introduced to a new audience through CD re-issues of original cast albums that had featured his artwork. Awareness of, and interest, in Morrow's theatre artwork has burgeoned in more recent years. His work was the subject of a one-man exhibition, held at the gallery of the York Theatre in 1999. More recently, his posters were shown alongside those of many other artists as part of an exhibition titled The Ballyhoo of Broadway, which was mounted at Grand Central Central in September 2004 to celebrated New York City's inaugral Advertising Week. Recent appreciations of Morrow's work can also be found in publications, notably Steven Suskin's A Must See!: Brilliant Broadway Artwork (2004). In February 2005, an auction of vintage posters in New York City saw original issues of the Morrow-designed posters for Cabaret and Fiddler on the Roof sold, respectively, for $575 and $1,475.Notable works
Morrow designed the logo artwork for the following Broadway stage productions:- Auntie Mame (1955 play)
- Candide (1956 musical)
- Oh, Captain!Oh, Captain!Oh, Captain! is a musical comedy based on the film The Captain's Paradise, which had been written by Alec Coppel and Nicholas Phipps. The film starred Alec Guinness as a philandering ship's captain, with a wife in one port and a mistress in another. The musical starred Tony Randall, and updated the...
(1958 musical) - Whoop-UpWhoop-UpWhoop-Up is a musical with a music by Mark Charlap, lyrics by Norman Gimbel, and book by Cy Feuer and Ernest Martin, based on “Stay Away, Joe” by Dan Cushman...
(1958 musical) - The Unsinkable Molly Brown (1960 musical)
- Take Her, She's Mine (1961 play)
- Wildcat (1961 musical)
- She Loves Me (1963 musical)
- Fiddler on the Roof (1964 musical)
- AnyaAnya (musical)Anya is a musical with a book by George Abbott and Guy Bolton and music and lyrics by Robert Wright and George Forrest. As they had done with Song of Norway and Kismet , Wright and Forrest developed the musical score using themes written by a classical composer, in this case Sergei...
(1965 musical) - Cabaret (1966 musical)
- The Deer ParkThe Deer ParkThe Deer Park is a Hollywood novel written by Norman Mailer and published in 1955 by G.P. Putnam's Sons after it was rejected by Mailer's publisher, Rinehart & Company, for obscenity. Despite having already typeset the book, Rinehart claimed that the manuscript's obscenity voided its contract with...
(1967 play) - Zorba (1968 musical)
- George M!George M!George M! is a Broadway musical based on the life of George M. Cohan, the biggest Broadway star of his day who was known as "The Man Who Owned Broadway." The book for the musical was written by Michael Stewart, John Pascal, and Francine Pascal. Music and lyrics were, of course, by George M...
(1968 musical) - PromenadePromenade (musical)Promenade is an experimental musical with book and lyrics by María Irene Fornés and music by Rev. Al Carmines. The show itself, although a musical comedy, originally produced off-broadway by Edgar Lansbury & Joseph Beruh, falls more into the category of Theatre of the Absurd...
(1969 musical) - Lovely Ladies, Kind GentlemenLovely Ladies, Kind GentlemenLovely Ladies, Kind Gentlemen is a musical with a book by John Patrick and music and lyrics by Stan Freeman and Franklin Underwood.Based on Patrick's play and screenplay The Teahouse of the August Moon, it focuses on Capt. Fisby who, assigned the task of Americanizing the village of Tobiki on...
(1970 musical) - LoreleiLorelei (musical)Lorelei is a musical with a book by Kenny Solms and Gail Parent, lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, and music by Jule Styne. It is a revision of the Joseph Fields-Anita Loos book for the 1949 production Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and includes many of the Jule Styne-Leo Robin songs written for...
(1974 musical) - So Long, 174th StreetSo Long, 174th StreetSo Long, 174th Street is a musical with a book by Joseph Stein and lyrics and music by Stan Daniels.Based on Stein's play Enter Laughing, which had been adapted from the Carl Reiner book of the same name and served as the basis for a 1967 film, it focuses on the journey of young David Kolowitz from...
(1976 musical) - Grind (1985 musical)