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{{Short description|American playwright}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2015}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2015}}
{{Infobox writer
{{Infobox writer
| name = Thomas Meehan
| name = Thomas Meehan
| image = Thomas Meehan Writer.jpg
| birth_name = Thomas Edward Meehan
| birth_name = Thomas Edward Meehan
| birth_date = {{birth date|1929|8|14}}<ref>{{cite LAF|id=n 80044649}}</ref><ref>Some other sources state 1932 and 1934 as a year of birth. The U.S. copyright office entry under his name lists 1929.</ref>
| birth_date = {{birth date|1929|8|14}}
| birth_place = [[Ossining (town), New York|Ossining]], [[New York (state)|New York]], [[United States|U.S.]]
| birth_place = [[Ossining (town), New York|Ossining, New York]], U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|2017|8|21|1929|8|14}}
| death_date = {{death date and age|2017|8|21|1929|8|14}}
| death_place = [[Manhattan]], New York, U.S.
| death_place = New York City, U.S.
| occupation = Writer
| occupation = Playwright
| alma_mater = [[Hamilton College (New York)|Hamilton College]]
| alma_mater = [[Hamilton College (New York)|Hamilton College]]
| notableworks = ''[[Annie (musical)|Annie]]''<br /> ''[[The Producers (musical)|The Producers]]''<br />''[[Hairspray (musical)|Hairspray]]''
| notableworks = ''[[Annie (musical)|Annie]]''<br /> ''[[The Producers (musical)|The Producers]]''<br />''[[Hairspray (musical)|Hairspray]]''
| spouse = Karen Meehan (divorced)<br>{{marriage|Carolyn Wagstaff Capstick|1988}}
| spouse = {{ubl|Karen Meehan (divorced)|{{marriage|Carolyn Wagstaff Capstick|1988}}}}
| children = 4
| children = 4
| awards = [[Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical]]<br>[[Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Book of a Musical]]
| awards = [[Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical]]<br>[[Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Book of a Musical]]
}}
}}


'''Thomas Edward Meehan''' (August 14, 1929 – August 21, 2017) was an American playwright. He was best known for writing the [[Musical theatre#Book musicals|books]] for the musicals ''[[Annie (musical)|Annie]]'', ''[[The Producers (musical)|The Producers]]'', and ''[[Hairspray (musical)|Hairspray]]''. Meehan also wrote the books for the musicals ''[[Young Frankenstein (musical)|Young Frankenstein]]'' and ''[[Cry-Baby (musical)|Cry-Baby]]'' and co-wrote the books for ''[[Elf: The Musical]]'' and ''[[Limelight: The Story of Charlie Chaplin]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wcvb.com/article/annie-writer-thomas-meehan-dies-at-88/12049816|title='Annie,' 'The Producers' writer Thomas Meehan dies at 88|publisher=WCVB News|date=August 22, 2017|accessdate=August 22, 2017}}</ref>
'''Thomas Edward Meehan''' (August 14, 1929<ref>{{cite LAF|id=n 80044649}}</ref><ref>Some other sources state 1932 and 1934 as a year of birth. The U.S. copyright office entry under his name lists 1929.</ref> – August 21, 2017) was an American playwright. He wrote the [[Musical theatre#Book musicals|books]] for the musicals ''[[Annie (musical)|Annie]]'', ''[[The Producers (musical)|The Producers]]'', ''[[Hairspray (musical)|Hairspray]]'', ''[[Young Frankenstein (musical)|Young Frankenstein]]'' and ''[[Cry-Baby (musical)|Cry-Baby]]''. He co-wrote the books for ''[[Elf: The Musical]]'' and ''[[Limelight: The Story of Charlie Chaplin]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wcvb.com/article/annie-writer-thomas-meehan-dies-at-88/12049816|title='Annie,' 'The Producers' writer Thomas Meehan dies at 88|website=WCVB News|date=August 22, 2017|access-date=August 22, 2017}}</ref>


He received the [[Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical]] three times—in 1977 for ''Annie'', in 2001 for ''The Producers'' (shared with [[Mel Brooks]]), and in 2003 for ''Hairspray'' (shared with [[Mark O'Donnell]]).<ref name=vault>[http://www.playbillvault.com/Person/Detail/27776/Thomas-Meehan "Thomas Meehan Broadway Credits and Awards"] playbillvault.com, accessed October 17, 2015</ref>
He received the [[Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical]] three times—in 1977 for ''Annie'', in 2001 for ''The Producers'' (shared with [[Mel Brooks]]), and in 2003 for ''Hairspray'' (shared with [[Mark O'Donnell]]).<ref name=vault>{{cite web |title=Thomas Meehan (Writer) |url=https://www.playbill.com/person/thomas-meehan-vault-0000027776 |website=Playbill |access-date=June 20, 2022}}</ref>


==Early life==
==Early life==
Meehan was born in [[Ossining (town), New York|Ossining]], [[New York (state)|New York]], but grew up in [[Suffern, New York|Suffern]], New York.<ref name=city/> His father, Thomas, was a businessman, and his mother, Helen Cecilia O’Neill, was an [[emergency department]] nurse.<ref name="NYTobit"/> He graduated from [[Hamilton College (New York)|Hamilton College]].<ref name=city>[http://cityfile.com/profiles/thomas-meehan "Thomas Meehan bio"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110621192516/http://cityfile.com/profiles/thomas-meehan |date=June 21, 2011 }} cityfile.com, accessed March 12, 2011. according to this biography, Meehan was born in 1929)</ref>
Meehan was born in [[Ossining (town), New York|Ossining]], New York, but grew up in [[Suffern, New York|Suffern]], New York.<ref name=city/> His father, Thomas, was a businessman, and his mother, Helen Cecilia O’Neill, was an [[emergency department]] nurse.<ref name="NYTobit"/> He graduated from [[Hamilton College (New York)|Hamilton College]].<ref name=city>[http://cityfile.com/profiles/thomas-meehan "Thomas Meehan bio"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110621192516/http://cityfile.com/profiles/thomas-meehan |date=June 21, 2011 }} cityfile.com, accessed March 12, 2011. according to this biography, Meehan was born in 1929)</ref>


==Career==
==Career==
Meehan moved to Manhattan at age 24, and worked at ''[[The New Yorker]]'''s "Talk of the Town".<ref>Gurley, George and Larocca, Amy. [http://www.observer.com/1999/thomas-meehan-writer-horst-fifth-avenue "Thomas Meehan, Writer – Horst of Fifth Avenue"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110616060351/http://www.observer.com/1999/thomas-meehan-writer-horst-fifth-avenue |date=June 16, 2011 }}, ''The New York Observer'', November 14, 1999</ref>
Meehan moved to Manhattan at age 24, and worked at ''[[The New Yorker]]'''s "Talk of the Town".<ref>{{cite web |last=Larocca |first=Amy |title=Thomas Meehan, Writer … Horst of Fifth Avenue |url=https://observer.com/1999/11/thomas-meehan-writer-horst-of-fifth-avenue/ |website=The New York Observer |access-date=June 20, 2022 |date=November 15, 1999}}</ref>


In 1972, Meehan was asked to work on a musical based on the comic strip ''[[Little Orphan Annie]]''.<ref name=vault/> At first, Meehan was skeptical to accept the offer, but eventually accepted the offer after reading the strip.<ref name="NYTobit"/> Meehan wrote ''[[Annie (musical)|Annie]]'' with [[Charles Strouse]], who wrote the music.<ref>[http://www.playbill.com/article/thomas-meehan-tony-winning-writer-of-annie-dies-at-88# "Thomas Meehan, Tony-Winning Writer of 'Annie', Dies at 88] Playbill, August 22, 2017</ref> The production took five years to get to [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]], but after opening in 1977 ran for 2,377 performances.<ref name="NYTobit"/>
In 1972, Meehan was approached by [[Martin Charnin]] to work on a musical based on the comic strip ''[[Little Orphan Annie]]''.<ref name=vault/> At first, Meehan was skeptical to accept the offer, but eventually accepted the offer after reading the strip.<ref name="NYTobit"/> Meehan wrote ''[[Annie (musical)|Annie]]'' with [[Charles Strouse]], who wrote the music, and Martin Charnin who directed and wrote the lyrics.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Hetrick |first1=Adam |last2=McPhee |first2=Ryan |title=Thomas Meehan, Tony-Winning Writer of ''Annie'', Dies at 88 |url=https://www.playbill.com/article/thomas-meehan-tony-winning-writer-of-annie-dies-at-88 |website=Playbill |date=August 22, 2017}}</ref> The production took five years to get to [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]], but after opening in 1977 ran for 2,377 performances.<ref name="NYTobit"/>


Additional credits include ''Ain't Broadway Grand''; ''[[Oh, Kay!]]''; ''[[Bombay Dreams]]'', a musical adaptation of ''[[I Remember Mama (musical)|I Remember Mama]]''; and ''Annie 2: Miss Hannigan's Revenge'', which was subsequently reworked and re-staged [[Off-Broadway]] as ''[[Annie Warbucks]]''.<ref>Rothstein, Mervyn. [https://www.nytimes.com/1990/01/16/theater/troubled-annie-2-closing-out-of-town-revisions-planned.html "Troubled 'Annie 2' Closing Out of Town; Revisions Planned"]. ''The New York Times'', January 16, 1990</ref> He also wrote the [[libretto]] to the opera ''[[1984 (opera)|1984]]''.<ref name="play">[http://www.playbill.com/celebritybuzz/whoswho/biography/5231 "Thomas Meehan"]. ''Who's Who'', playbill.com, Retrieved January 30, 2011. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100108092340/http://www.playbill.com/celebritybuzz/whoswho/biography/5231 |date=January 8, 2010 }}</ref><ref name=vault/>
Additional credits include ''Ain't Broadway Grand''; ''[[Oh, Kay!]]''; ''[[Bombay Dreams]]''; a musical adaptation of ''[[I Remember Mama (musical)|I Remember Mama]]''; and ''Annie 2: Miss Hannigan's Revenge'', which was subsequently reworked and re-staged [[Off-Broadway]] as ''[[Annie Warbucks]]''.<ref>{{cite news |last=Rothstein |first=Mervyn |title=Troubled 'Annie 2' Closing Out of Town; Revisions Planned |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1990/01/16/theater/troubled-annie-2-closing-out-of-town-revisions-planned.html |work=The New York Times |date=January 16, 1990 |page=C15}}</ref> He also wrote the [[libretto]] to the opera ''[[1984 (opera)|1984]]''.<ref name="play">[http://www.playbill.com/celebritybuzz/whoswho/biography/5231 "Thomas Meehan"]. ''Who's Who'', playbill.com, Retrieved January 30, 2011. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100108092340/http://www.playbill.com/celebritybuzz/whoswho/biography/5231 |date=January 8, 2010 }}</ref><ref name=vault/>


In addition, Meehan was a long-time contributor of humor to ''[[The New Yorker]]'', including the famous short story "Yma Dream"; an [[Emmy Award]]-winning writer of television comedy; and a collaborator on a number of screenplays, including [[Mel Brooks]]' ''[[Spaceballs]]''; a remake of ''[[To Be or Not to Be (1983 film)|To Be or Not to Be]]''; and the family drama ''[[One Magic Christmas]]''.<ref>{{tcmdb title|85698|One Magic Christmas}}</ref> Meehan went on to work with Brooks on other projects on Broadway, perhaps the most notable of their adaptations was ''[[The Producers (musical)|The Was know as a "freak" in college/high school.Producers]]'', based on the [[The Producers (1967 film)|1967 film]]. The show became a Broadway hit that dominated the [[55th Tony Awards|2001 Tony Awards]] and ran for more than 2,500 performances.<ref name="NYTobit"/>
In addition, Meehan was a long-time contributor of humor to ''[[The New Yorker]]'', including the famous short story "Yma Dream"; an [[Emmy Award]]-winning writer of television comedy; and a collaborator on a number of screenplays, including [[Mel Brooks]]' ''[[Spaceballs]]''; a remake of ''[[To Be or Not to Be (1983 film)|To Be or Not to Be]]''; and the family drama ''[[One Magic Christmas]]''.<ref>{{tcmdb title|85698|One Magic Christmas}}</ref> Meehan went on to work with Brooks on other projects on Broadway, including ''[[The Producers (musical)|The Producers]]'', based on the [[The Producers (1967 film)|1967 film]]. The show became a Broadway hit that dominated the [[55th Tony Awards|2001 Tony Awards]] and ran for more than 2,500 performances.<ref name="NYTobit"/>


Meehan followed that with ''[[Hairspray (musical)|Hairspray]]'', an adaptation based on [[John Waters]]’s [[Hairspray (1988 film)|1988 film of the same name]]. It opened in 2002 and ran for 2,642 performances.<ref name="NYTobit"/> He co-wrote the book, with [[Bob Martin (comedian)|Bob Martin]], for ''[[Elf the Musical]]''.<ref name= "play"/><ref name=vault/><ref>Hetrick, Adam.[http://www.playbill.com/news/article/141993-Beth-Leavel-Mark-Jacoby-and-George-Wendt-to-Star-in-Elf-The-Musical-on-Broadway "Beth Leavel, Mark Jacoby and George Wendt to Star in Elf – The Musical on Broadway"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100815122901/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/141993-Beth-Leavel-Mark-Jacoby-and-George-Wendt-to-Star-in-Elf-The-Musical-on-Broadway |date=August 15, 2010 }} playbill.com, August 11, 2010</ref> He co-wrote the book for the production of the musical ''[[Limelight: The Story of Charlie Chaplin]]'' which ran at the [[La Jolla Playhouse]] in 2010<ref>Jones, Kenneth.[http://www.playbill.com/news/article/143087-Limelight-Musical-Starring-Robert-McClure-and-Ashley-Brown-Opens-at-La-Jolla-Sept-19 "Limelight Musical, Starring Robert McClure and Ashley Brown, Opens at La Jolla Sept. 19"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101125235905/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/143087-Limelight-Musical-Starring-Robert-McClure-and-Ashley-Brown-Opens-at-La-Jolla-Sept-19 |date=November 25, 2010 }} playbill.com, September 19, 2010</ref> and premiered on Broadway in 2012. In 2011 he revised the book originally written by [[Peter Stone]] for the Off-Broadway musical ''[[Death Takes a Holiday (musical)|Death Takes a Holiday]]'' with music and lyrics by [[Maury Yeston]].<ref>Suskin, Steven. [http://www.playbill.com/features/article/155771-ON-THE-RECORD-Maury-Yestons-Death-Takes-a-Holiday-and-the-London-Album-of-Styne-Comden-and-Greens-Do-Re-Mi "On the Record. Maury Yeston's 'Death Takes a Holiday' and the London Album of Styne, Comden and Green's 'Do Re Mi'"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120325135107/http://www.playbill.com/features/article/155771-ON-THE-RECORD-Maury-Yestons-Death-Takes-a-Holiday-and-the-London-Album-of-Styne-Comden-and-Greens-Do-Re-Mi |date=March 25, 2012 }}, Playbill.com, October 20, 2011</ref>
Meehan followed that with ''[[Hairspray (musical)|Hairspray]]'', an adaptation based on [[John Waters]]’s [[Hairspray (1988 film)|1988 film of the same name]]. It opened in 2002 and ran for 2,642 performances.<ref name="NYTobit"/> He co-wrote the book, with [[Bob Martin (comedian)|Bob Martin]], for ''[[Elf the Musical]]''.<ref name= "play"/><ref name=vault/><ref>{{cite web |last=Hetrick |first=Adam |title=Beth Leavel, Mark Jacoby and George Wendt to Star in ''Elf – The Musical'' on Broadway |url=https://www.playbill.com/article/beth-leavel-mark-jacoby-and-george-wendt-to-star-in-elf-the-musical-on-broadway-com-170820 |website=Playbill |access-date=June 20, 2022 |date=August 11, 2010}}</ref> He co-wrote the book for the production of the musical ''[[Limelight: The Story of Charlie Chaplin]]'' which ran at the [[La Jolla Playhouse]] in 2010<ref>{{cite web |last=Jones |first=Kenneth |title=''Limelight'' Musical, Starring Robert McClure and Ashley Brown, Opens at La Jolla Sept. 19 |url=https://www.playbill.com/article/limelight-musical-starring-robert-mcclure-and-ashley-brown-opens-at-la-jolla-sept-19-com-171870 |website=Playbill |access-date=June 20, 2022 |date=September 19, 2010}}</ref> and premiered on Broadway in 2012. In 2011 he revised the book originally written by [[Peter Stone (writer)|Peter Stone]] for the Off-Broadway musical ''[[Death Takes a Holiday (musical)|Death Takes a Holiday]]'' with music and lyrics by [[Maury Yeston]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Suskin |first=Steven |title=ON THE RECORD: Maury Yeston's ''Death Takes a Holiday'' and the London Album of Styne, Comden and Green's ''Do Re Mi'' |url=https://www.playbill.com/article/on-the-record-maury-yestons-death-takes-a-holiday-and-the-london-album-of-styne-comden-and-greens-do-re-mi-com-183802 |website=Playbill |access-date=June 20, 2022 |date=October 20, 2011}}</ref>


In 2012, Meehan wrote the book from the original screenplay by [[Sylvester Stallone]]<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/people/2013/04/28/rocky-musical-headed-to-broadway/2119697/ | title='Rocky' musical bound for Broadway in 2014 | publisher=[[USA Today]] | work=usatoday.com | date=April 28, 2013 | accessdate=December 27, 2013}}</ref> for the musical [[Rocky the Musical|''Rocky'']].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/09/theater/a-hit-in-germany-a-rocky-musical-aims-at-broadway.html?pagewanted=1 | title=Yo, Adrian! I'm Singin'! | publisher=[[New York Times]] | work=nytimes.com | date=December 5, 2012 | accessdate=December 27, 2013}}</ref> The show premiered in [[Hamburg]] in 2012,<ref name="premiere">{{cite web | url=http://www.torontosun.com/2013/10/17/sylvester-stallone-talks-rocky-musical | title=Sylvester Stallone talks 'Rocky' musical | publisher=[[Toronto Sun]] | work=torontosun.com | date=October 17, 2013 | accessdate=October 22, 2013}}</ref> before transferring to [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] in 2014.<ref name=vault/><ref>{{cite web | url=https://variety.com/2013/legit/news/rocky-musical-set-for-a-bout-with-broadway-1200424086/ | title='Rocky' Musical Set for a Bout With Broadway | publisher=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] | work=variety.com | date=April 28, 2013 | accessdate=October 24, 2013}}</ref>
In 2012, Meehan wrote the book from the original screenplay by [[Sylvester Stallone]]<ref>{{cite web | last=Gardner | first=Elysa | url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/people/2013/04/28/rocky-musical-headed-to-broadway/2119697/ | title='Rocky' musical bound for Broadway in 2014 | publisher=[[USA Today]] | work=usatoday.com | date=April 28, 2013 | access-date=December 27, 2013}}</ref> for the musical [[Rocky the Musical|''Rocky'']].<ref>{{cite web | last=Healy | first=Patrick | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/09/theater/a-hit-in-germany-a-rocky-musical-aims-at-broadway.html?pagewanted=1 | title=Yo, Adrian! I'm Singin'! | work=[[The New York Times]] | date=December 5, 2012 | access-date=December 27, 2013}}</ref> The show premiered in [[Hamburg]] in 2012,<ref name="premiere">{{cite web | url=https://torontosun.com/2013/10/17/sylvester-stallone-talks-rocky-musical | title=Sylvester Stallone talks 'Rocky' musical | publisher=[[Toronto Sun]] | work=torontosun.com | date=October 17, 2013 | access-date=June 20, 2022}}</ref> before transferring to [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] in 2014.<ref name=vault/><ref>{{cite web | last=Cox | first=Gordon | url=https://variety.com/2013/legit/news/rocky-musical-set-for-a-bout-with-broadway-1200424086/ | title='Rocky' Musical Set for a Bout With Broadway | publisher=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] | work=variety.com | date=April 28, 2013 | access-date=October 24, 2013}}</ref>


Meehan held the distinction of being the only writer to have written three Broadway shows that ran for more than 2,000 performances.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thewrap.com/thomas-meehan-writer-annie-hairspray-producers-dies-88/|title=Thomas Meehan, Writer of ‘Annie,’ ‘Hairspray’ and ‘The Producers,’ Dies at 88|author=Reid Nakamura|publisher=The Wrap|date=August 22, 2017|accessdate=August 22, 2017}}</ref> Reflecting on his work in an interview with ''[[The New York Observer]]'' in 1999, Meehan said "I wrote stories that were serious, very somber, trying to be in the style of [[William Faulkner]]. My career has always been that every time I try something really serious, it's no good, but if I try to be funny, then it works".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/pop-culture-news/thomas-meehan-tony-winning-story-writer-annie-dies-n795076|title=Thomas Meehan, Tony-Winning Story Writer of ‘Annie,’ ‘Hairspray’ Dies|publisher=[[NBC News]]|accessdate=August 22, 2017|date=August 22, 2017}}</ref>
Meehan held the distinction of being the only writer to have written three Broadway shows that ran for more than 2,000 performances.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thewrap.com/thomas-meehan-writer-annie-hairspray-producers-dies-88/|title=Thomas Meehan, Writer of 'Annie,' 'Hairspray' and 'The Producers,' Dies at 88|last=Nakamura|first=Reid|website=The Wrap|date=August 22, 2017|access-date=August 22, 2017}}</ref> Reflecting on his work in an interview with ''[[The New York Observer]]'' in 1999, Meehan said "I wrote stories that were serious, very somber, trying to be in the style of [[William Faulkner]]. My career has always been that every time I try something really serious, it's no good, but if I try to be funny, then it works".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/pop-culture-news/thomas-meehan-tony-winning-story-writer-annie-dies-n795076|title=Thomas Meehan, Tony-Winning Story Writer of 'Annie,' 'Hairspray' Dies|work=[[NBC News]]|access-date=August 22, 2017|date=August 22, 2017}}</ref>


==Death==
==Death==
Meehan died on August 21, 2017, at his home in [[Manhattan]], [[New York City]], seven days after his 88th birthday.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://deadline.com/2017/08/thomas-meehan-the-producers-annie-author-has-died-1202154062/|title=Thomas Meehan Has Died; ‘Spaceballs’, ‘Annie’, ‘The Producers’ Author Was 88|author=Jeremy Gerard|publisher=Deadline|accessdate=August 22, 2017|date=August 22, 2017}}</ref> The cause was [[cancer]].<ref name="NYTobit">{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/22/theater/thomas-meehan-dead-tony-winner-hairspray.html?mcubz=3|title=Thomas Meehan, Who Wrote the Books for Broadway Hits, Dies at 88|publisher=[[The New York Times]]|date=August 22, 2017|accessdate=August 22, 2017}}</ref> Five months prior to his death, Meehan had undergone surgery, which later caused his health to deteriorate.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2017/08/22/annie-writer-thomas-meehan-dies-at-age-88.html|title='Annie' writer Thomas Meehan dies at age 88|publisher=[[Fox News]]|date=August 22, 2017}}</ref>
Meehan died from cancer at his home in [[Manhattan]] on August 21, 2017, one week after his 88th birthday.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2017/08/thomas-meehan-the-producers-annie-author-has-died-1202154062/|title=Thomas Meehan Has Died; 'Spaceballs', 'Annie', 'The Producers' Author Was 88|last=Gerard|first=Jeremy|website=Deadline|access-date=August 22, 2017|date=August 22, 2017}}</ref><ref name="NYTobit">{{cite web|last=Genzlinger|first=Neil|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/22/theater/thomas-meehan-dead-tony-winner-hairspray.html?mcubz=3|title=Thomas Meehan, Who Wrote the Books for Broadway Hits, Dies at 88|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=August 22, 2017|access-date=August 22, 2017}}</ref> Five months prior to his death, Meehan had undergone surgery, which later caused his health to deteriorate.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/annie-writer-thomas-meehan-dies-at-age-88|title='Annie' writer Thomas Meehan dies at age 88|website=[[Fox News]]|date=August 22, 2017}}</ref>


Meehan was survived by two children from his first marriage with Karen Meehan, which ended in divorce, and two other children with Carolyn Wagstaff Capstick, whom he married in 1988 and with whom he remained until his death.<ref name="NYTobit"/>
Meehan was survived by two children from his first marriage with Karen Meehan, which ended in divorce, and three other children with Carolyn Wagstaff Capstick, whom he married in 1988 and with whom he remained until his death.<ref name="NYTobit"/>


In reaction to his death, [[Mel Brooks]] wrote on [[Twitter]]: "Stunned by the news that my friend/co-writer Tom Meehan has died. I’ll miss his sweetness & talent. We have all lost a giant of the theatre."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/MelBrooks?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor|title=Mel Brooks on Twitter|publisher=[[Twitter]]|date=August 22, 2017|accessdate=August 22, 2017}}</ref> Similar to Brooks, ''[[Hamilton (musical)|Hamilton]]'' creator [[Lin-Manuel Miranda]] released a statement on Twitter stating: "RIP to Thomas Meehan, one of the best around."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-thomas-meehan-20170822-story.html|title=Thomas Meehan, Tony-winning story writer of 'Annie,' dies at 88|publisher=[[The Los Angeles Times]]|date=August 22, 2017|accessdate=August 22, 2017}}</ref>
[[Mel Brooks]] memorialized Meehan, tweeting "I'll miss his sweetness & talent. We have all lost a giant of the theatre."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/MelBrooks?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor|title=Mel Brooks on Twitter|publisher=Twitter|date=August 22, 2017|access-date=August 22, 2017}}</ref>

In 2023 his archives were donated to The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts' Billy Rose Theatre Division.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hall |first1=Margaret |title=Thomas Meehan's Archive Donated to New York Public Library for the Performing Arts |url=https://playbill.com/article/thomas-meehans-archive-donated-to-new-york-public-library-for-the-performing-arts |work=Playbill}}</ref>


== Works ==
== Works ==
===Selected filmography===
*''[[That Was the Week That Was]]'' (TV) (1964)
*''[[When Things Were Rotten]]'' (TV) (1975)
*''[[To Be or Not to Be (1983 film)|To Be or Not to Be]]'' (with Ronny Graham) (1983)
*''[[One Magic Christmas]]'' (with [[Phillip Borsos]])
*''[[Spaceballs]]'' (with [[Mel Brooks]] and [[Ronny Graham]]) (1987)
⚫
*''[[The Producers (2005 film)|The Producers]]'' (with [[Mel Brooks]]) (2005)


=== Plays ===
=== Theater ===


* ''[[Annie (musical)|Annie]]'' (1976), musical
* ''[[Annie (musical)|Annie]]'' (1976)
* ''[[The Producers (musical)|The Producers]]'' (2001, with [[Mel Brooks]]), musical
*''[[I Remember Mama (musical)|I Remember Mama]]'' (1979)
* ''[[Annie Warbucks]]'' (1992)
⚫
*: Dramatization of the film ''[[The Producers (1967 film)|The Producers]]'' (1967)
* ''[[Hairspray (musical)|Hairspray]]'' (2002, with [[Mark O'Donnell]]), musical
* ''[[The Producers (musical)|The Producers]]'' (with [[Mel Brooks]]) (2001)
*: Dramatization of the film ''[[Hairspray (1988 film)|Hairspray]]'' (1988)
* ''[[Hairspray (musical)|Hairspray]]'' (with [[Mark O'Donnell]]) (2002)
*''[[Bombay Dreams]]'' (with [[Meera Syal]]) (2002)
* ''[[Limelight: The Story of Charlie Chaplin]]'', or ''Chaplin: The Musical'' (2006, with Christopher Curtis), musical
* ''[[Young Frankenstein (musical)|Young Frankenstein]]'' (2007, with [[Mel Brooks]]), musical
* ''[[Limelight: The Story of Charlie Chaplin]]'' (with Christopher Curtis) (2006)
*: Dramatization of the film ''[[Young Frankenstein]]'' (1974)
* ''[[Young Frankenstein (musical)|Young Frankenstein]]'' (with [[Mel Brooks]]) (2007)
* ''[[Cry-Baby (musical)|Cry-Baby]]'' (2007, with [[Mark O'Donnell]]), musical
* ''[[Cry-Baby (musical)|Cry-Baby]]'' (with [[Mark O'Donnell]]) (2007)
* ''[[Elf: The Musical]]'' (with [[Bob Martin (comedian)|Bob Martin]]) (2010)
*: Dramatization of the film ''[[Cry-Baby]]'' (1990)
* ''[[Elf: The Musical]]'' (2010, with [[Bob Martin (comedian)|Bob Martin]]), musical
* [[Death Takes a Holiday (musical)|''Death Takes a Holiday'']] (with [[Peter Stone (writer)|Peter Stone]]) (2011)
*: Dramatization of the film ''[[Elf (film)|Elf]]'' (2003)
* ''[[Rocky the Musical]]'' (with [[Sylvester Stallone]]) (2012)
* ''[[Rocky the Musical]]'' (2012, with [[Sylvester Stallone]]), musical
* ''[[Dave (musical)|Dave]]'' (with [[Nell Benjamin]]) (2018)
*: Dramatization of the film ''[[Rocky]]'' (1976)


== References ==
== References ==
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Latest revision as of 04:14, 10 November 2024

Thomas Meehan
BornThomas Edward Meehan
(1929-08-14)August 14, 1929
Ossining, New York, U.S.
DiedAugust 21, 2017(2017-08-21) (aged 88)
New York City, U.S.
OccupationPlaywright
Alma materHamilton College
Notable worksAnnie
The Producers
Hairspray
Notable awardsTony Award for Best Book of a Musical
Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Book of a Musical
Spouse
  • Karen Meehan (divorced)
  • Carolyn Wagstaff Capstick
    ​
    ​
    (m. 1988)​
Children4

Thomas Edward Meehan (August 14, 1929[1][2] – August 21, 2017) was an American playwright. He wrote the books for the musicals Annie, The Producers, Hairspray, Young Frankenstein and Cry-Baby. He co-wrote the books for Elf: The Musical and Limelight: The Story of Charlie Chaplin.[3]

He received the Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical three times—in 1977 for Annie, in 2001 for The Producers (shared with Mel Brooks), and in 2003 for Hairspray (shared with Mark O'Donnell).[4]

Early life

[edit]

Meehan was born in Ossining, New York, but grew up in Suffern, New York.[5] His father, Thomas, was a businessman, and his mother, Helen Cecilia O’Neill, was an emergency department nurse.[6] He graduated from Hamilton College.[5]

Career

[edit]

Meehan moved to Manhattan at age 24, and worked at The New Yorker's "Talk of the Town".[7]

In 1972, Meehan was approached by Martin Charnin to work on a musical based on the comic strip Little Orphan Annie.[4] At first, Meehan was skeptical to accept the offer, but eventually accepted the offer after reading the strip.[6] Meehan wrote Annie with Charles Strouse, who wrote the music, and Martin Charnin who directed and wrote the lyrics.[8] The production took five years to get to Broadway, but after opening in 1977 ran for 2,377 performances.[6]

Additional credits include Ain't Broadway Grand; Oh, Kay!; Bombay Dreams; a musical adaptation of I Remember Mama; and Annie 2: Miss Hannigan's Revenge, which was subsequently reworked and re-staged Off-Broadway as Annie Warbucks.[9] He also wrote the libretto to the opera 1984.[10][4]

In addition, Meehan was a long-time contributor of humor to The New Yorker, including the famous short story "Yma Dream"; an Emmy Award-winning writer of television comedy; and a collaborator on a number of screenplays, including Mel Brooks' Spaceballs; a remake of To Be or Not to Be; and the family drama One Magic Christmas.[11] Meehan went on to work with Brooks on other projects on Broadway, including The Producers, based on the 1967 film. The show became a Broadway hit that dominated the 2001 Tony Awards and ran for more than 2,500 performances.[6]

Meehan followed that with Hairspray, an adaptation based on John Waters’s 1988 film of the same name. It opened in 2002 and ran for 2,642 performances.[6] He co-wrote the book, with Bob Martin, for Elf the Musical.[10][4][12] He co-wrote the book for the production of the musical Limelight: The Story of Charlie Chaplin which ran at the La Jolla Playhouse in 2010[13] and premiered on Broadway in 2012. In 2011 he revised the book originally written by Peter Stone for the Off-Broadway musical Death Takes a Holiday with music and lyrics by Maury Yeston.[14]

In 2012, Meehan wrote the book from the original screenplay by Sylvester Stallone[15] for the musical Rocky.[16] The show premiered in Hamburg in 2012,[17] before transferring to Broadway in 2014.[4][18]

Meehan held the distinction of being the only writer to have written three Broadway shows that ran for more than 2,000 performances.[19] Reflecting on his work in an interview with The New York Observer in 1999, Meehan said "I wrote stories that were serious, very somber, trying to be in the style of William Faulkner. My career has always been that every time I try something really serious, it's no good, but if I try to be funny, then it works".[20]

Death

[edit]

Meehan died from cancer at his home in Manhattan on August 21, 2017, one week after his 88th birthday.[21][6] Five months prior to his death, Meehan had undergone surgery, which later caused his health to deteriorate.[22]

Meehan was survived by two children from his first marriage with Karen Meehan, which ended in divorce, and three other children with Carolyn Wagstaff Capstick, whom he married in 1988 and with whom he remained until his death.[6]

Mel Brooks memorialized Meehan, tweeting "I'll miss his sweetness & talent. We have all lost a giant of the theatre."[23]

In 2023 his archives were donated to The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts' Billy Rose Theatre Division.[24]

Works

[edit]

Selected filmography

[edit]

Theater

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Date information sourced from Library of Congress Authorities data, via corresponding WorldCat Identities linked authority file (LAF).
  2. ^ Some other sources state 1932 and 1934 as a year of birth. The U.S. copyright office entry under his name lists 1929.
  3. ^ "'Annie,' 'The Producers' writer Thomas Meehan dies at 88". WCVB News. August 22, 2017. Retrieved August 22, 2017.
  4. ^ a b c d e "Thomas Meehan (Writer)". Playbill. Retrieved June 20, 2022.
  5. ^ a b "Thomas Meehan bio" Archived June 21, 2011, at the Wayback Machine cityfile.com, accessed March 12, 2011. according to this biography, Meehan was born in 1929)
  6. ^ a b c d e f g Genzlinger, Neil (August 22, 2017). "Thomas Meehan, Who Wrote the Books for Broadway Hits, Dies at 88". The New York Times. Retrieved August 22, 2017.
  7. ^ Larocca, Amy (November 15, 1999). "Thomas Meehan, Writer … Horst of Fifth Avenue". The New York Observer. Retrieved June 20, 2022.
  8. ^ Hetrick, Adam; McPhee, Ryan (August 22, 2017). "Thomas Meehan, Tony-Winning Writer of Annie, Dies at 88". Playbill.
  9. ^ Rothstein, Mervyn (January 16, 1990). "Troubled 'Annie 2' Closing Out of Town; Revisions Planned". The New York Times. p. C15.
  10. ^ a b "Thomas Meehan". Who's Who, playbill.com, Retrieved January 30, 2011. Archived January 8, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
  11. ^ One Magic Christmas at the TCM Movie Database
  12. ^ Hetrick, Adam (August 11, 2010). "Beth Leavel, Mark Jacoby and George Wendt to Star in Elf – The Musical on Broadway". Playbill. Retrieved June 20, 2022.
  13. ^ Jones, Kenneth (September 19, 2010). "Limelight Musical, Starring Robert McClure and Ashley Brown, Opens at La Jolla Sept. 19". Playbill. Retrieved June 20, 2022.
  14. ^ Suskin, Steven (October 20, 2011). "ON THE RECORD: Maury Yeston's Death Takes a Holiday and the London Album of Styne, Comden and Green's Do Re Mi". Playbill. Retrieved June 20, 2022.
  15. ^ Gardner, Elysa (April 28, 2013). "'Rocky' musical bound for Broadway in 2014". usatoday.com. USA Today. Retrieved December 27, 2013.
  16. ^ Healy, Patrick (December 5, 2012). "Yo, Adrian! I'm Singin'!". The New York Times. Retrieved December 27, 2013.
  17. ^ "Sylvester Stallone talks 'Rocky' musical". torontosun.com. Toronto Sun. October 17, 2013. Retrieved June 20, 2022.
  18. ^ Cox, Gordon (April 28, 2013). "'Rocky' Musical Set for a Bout With Broadway". variety.com. Variety. Retrieved October 24, 2013.
  19. ^ Nakamura, Reid (August 22, 2017). "Thomas Meehan, Writer of 'Annie,' 'Hairspray' and 'The Producers,' Dies at 88". The Wrap. Retrieved August 22, 2017.
  20. ^ "Thomas Meehan, Tony-Winning Story Writer of 'Annie,' 'Hairspray' Dies". NBC News. August 22, 2017. Retrieved August 22, 2017.
  21. ^ Gerard, Jeremy (August 22, 2017). "Thomas Meehan Has Died; 'Spaceballs', 'Annie', 'The Producers' Author Was 88". Deadline. Retrieved August 22, 2017.
  22. ^ "'Annie' writer Thomas Meehan dies at age 88". Fox News. August 22, 2017.
  23. ^ "Mel Brooks on Twitter". Twitter. August 22, 2017. Retrieved August 22, 2017.
  24. ^ Hall, Margaret. "Thomas Meehan's Archive Donated to New York Public Library for the Performing Arts". Playbill.
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