celeb-db日本語
Photo of Richard Rodgers

Photo: Rodgers_and_Hammerstein_and_Berlin_and_Tamiris_NYWTS.jpg: Al Aumuller, World Telegram staff photographer derivative work: — The Man in Question (gesprec) · (forðung) / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)

Richard Rodgers

American composer

June 28, 1902 – December 30, 1979 · Queens, New York, United States

  • New York
  • composer
  • playwright
  • songwriter

Born on June 28, 1902, Richard Rodgers was from Queens, New York, United States. Public records list Richard Rodgers as a composer, playwright and songwriter. Death is recorded on December 30, 1979, at the age of 77. Schooling on record includes DeWitt Clinton High School and Columbia University. Listed accolades include Pulitzer Prize for Drama (1950), Handel Medallion, Grammy Trustees Award (1998) and 4 more.

My Take

Richard Rodgers is genuinely one of those rare figures whose work is so woven into the fabric of American culture that you almost stop noticing it — until you actually sit down and listen. The guy wrote over 900 songs across 43 Broadway shows, first with Lorenz Hart and then with Oscar Hammerstein II, and honestly the Hammerstein years alone would cement anyone's legacy forever. Oklahoma!, South Pacific, The King and I, The Sound of Music — that's not a career, that's an entire era of what American musical theater means. What I find most striking is how emotionally direct his melodies are; there's no showing off, just this uncanny instinct for a tune that goes straight to the chest. The Pulitzer, the Tony, the Oscar, the Kennedy Center Honors — he collected every major accolade the industry had, and every one of them was earned.

This take was written by generative AI, one per person, from publicly reported facts (editorial policy). It is a reading of the record, not reporting.

1. Profile

Name (English)
Richard Rodgers
Name (Japanese)
リチャード・ロジャース
Reading
りちゃーど・ろじゃーす
Born
June 28, 1902 – December 30, 1979
Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
Cancer / Tiger
Origin
Queens, New York, United States
Occupation
composer / playwright / songwriter / librettist / screenwriter

2. Background

High school
DeWitt Clinton High School
University
Columbia University

Awards & achievements

  • 1950 Pulitzer Prize for Drama
  • Handel Medallion
  • 1998 Grammy Trustees Award
  • 1978 Kennedy Center Honors
  • 1946 Academy Award for Best Original Song
  • 1960 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album
  • 1962 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album
  • 1950 Tony Award for Best Musical

3. Works & records

Filmography / notable works

CategoryTitle
Notable workThe King and I

5. About this entry

Tags

  • New York
  • composer
  • playwright
  • songwriter
Last updated
2026-06-02

Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.

Frequently asked questions

When was Richard Rodgers born?

Born June 28, 1902.

When did Richard Rodgers die?

Died December 30, 1979, aged 77.

Where was Richard Rodgers from?

Richard Rodgers was from Queens, New York, United States.

What did Richard Rodgers do?

Richard Rodgers worked as composer, playwright, songwriter, librettist, screenwriter.

What was Richard Rodgers known for?

Notable works include The King and I.

Composer — see all → · Playwright — see all → · More people from the United States →