Abbott, George (1887-1995), was a director, playwright, and producer who had one of the longest careers in the history of American theater. He directed and co-produced a Broadway musical at the age of 95. Abbott wrote or co-wrote almost 50 plays and musical comedies, but he achieved his greatest success as a director of more than 100 melodramas, farces, and musicals.
George Francis Abbott was born on June 25, 1887, in Forestville, New York. He began his stage career as an actor in 1913. He gained fame as a playwright with the melodrama Broadway (1926), written with Philip Dunning. Also in 1926, Abbott achieved acclaim as a director with the melodrama Chicago. Abbott coauthored several more Broadway plays in the 1920’s, including Four Walls with Dana Burnett and Coquette with Ann Preston Bridgers (both 1927).
During the 1930’s, Abbott directed several hit farces, starting with Twentieth Century (1932). He directed and couthored the farce Three Men on a Horse (1935) with John Cecil Holm. His other successes as a director of comedy included Boy Meets Girl (1935), Brother Rat (1936), and Room Service (1937).
Abbott directed many of the biggest musical comedy hits in Broadway history. They included Jumbo (1935), On Your Toes (1936), The Boys from Syracuse (1938), Pal Joey (1940), On the Town (1944), High Button Shoes (1947), Where’s Charley? (1948), Call Me Madam (1950), Wonderful Town (1953), The Pajama Game (1954), Damn Yankees (1955), Fiorello! (1959), and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1962).
Abbott shared the 1960 Pulitzer Prize in drama for his contribution to Fiorello! Abbott also directed several motion pictures. He wrote an autobiography, Mister Abbott (1963). Abbott died on Jan. 31, 1995, at the age of 107.
