Photo: U.S. federal government / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Jerry Herman feels to me like Broadway's most generous optimist. The New York-born composer and lyricist behind hits of the 1960s built his reputation on what he called the simple, hummable showtune, and I love that creed without reservation. Tony Awards, Kennedy Center Honors and a Hollywood star confirm his stature, but his real legacy is emotional: melodies an audience carries out of the theatre and hums for days. In an art form that often prizes complexity, his unashamed warmth and joy were a kind of gift. He passed in 2019, yet those buoyant tunes keep playing, and I think that says everything.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Jerry Herman
- Name (Japanese)
- ジェリー・ハーマン
- Reading
- じぇりー・はーまん
- Born
- July 10, 1931 – December 26, 2019
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Cancer / Goat
- Origin
- New York City, New York, United States
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- composer / pianist / lyricist / songwriter / musician
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Henry Snyder High School
- University
- University of Miami
Awards & achievements
- 1999 Theatre World Special Award
- Kennedy Center Honors
- 1987 Johnny Mercer Award
- star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
- 1980 honorary doctor of the University of Miami
- 1964 Tony Award for Best Original Score
- 1984 Tony Award for Best Original Score
- 1964 Tony Award for Best Musical
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
- Official sitehttp://www.jerryherman.com
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry%20Herman
Frequently asked questions
When was Jerry Herman born?
July 10, 1931 – December 26, 2019.
Where is Jerry Herman from?
Jerry Herman is from New York City, New York, United States.
What does Jerry Herman do?
Jerry Herman works as composer, pianist, lyricist, songwriter, musician.
Composer — see all → · Pianist — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-24
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.