Moss Hart
Moss Hart
Full Name and Common Aliases
Moss Hart was born Moses Hart on October 24, 1904, in New York City, USA. He is commonly referred to as Moss Hart.
Birth and Death Dates
October 24, 1904 – December 20, 1961
Nationality and Profession(s)
American playwright, director, and librettist.
Early Life and Background
Moss Hart was born into a Jewish family in Manhattan's Lower East Side. His father, Irving Hart, owned a successful theater on Broadway, which would later influence Moss's career. Hart's early life was marked by tragedy when his mother died of tuberculosis at the age of 6. This event would have a profound impact on his writing and worldview.
Hart attended New York University but dropped out to pursue a career in the arts. He began working as an actor, playwright, and librettist, eventually becoming one of the most prominent figures in American theater.
Major Accomplishments
Moss Hart's major accomplishments include:
Collaborating with composer Cole Porter on the hit musical _Leave It to Me!_ (1938)
Writing the successful play _I'd Rather Be Right_ (1937) about President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his New Deal policies
Directing and producing the 1940 Broadway production of _George S. Kaufman's _The Man Who Came to Dinner_
Collaborating with George S. Kaufman on numerous plays, including _Once in a Lifetime_ (1930) and _You Can't Take It with You_ (1936)
Notable Works or Actions
Some of Moss Hart's notable works include:
_The Man Who Came to Dinner_ (1940)
_Act One: A Memoir_ (1953), a memoir that provides insight into his life and career
Hart was also known for his work as a director, particularly with the 1938 production of _Brigadoon_, which earned him a Tony Award nomination.
Impact and Legacy
Moss Hart's impact on American theater cannot be overstated. He was one of the most influential playwrights and directors of his time, contributing to some of the most iconic productions in Broadway history.
Hart's legacy extends beyond his work as an artist. He played a significant role in shaping the cultural landscape of America during the 1930s and 1940s, using his platform to promote progressive values and social justice.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
Moss Hart is widely quoted and remembered for his:
Insight into the human condition: His writing often explored themes of love, loss, and redemption, providing a profound understanding of the human experience.
Influence on American theater: As a playwright, director, and librettist, Hart played a significant role in shaping the course of American theater.
* Commitment to social justice: Through his work, Hart advocated for progressive values and challenged societal norms.
Quotes by Moss Hart
Charity in the theater begins and ends with those who have a play opening within a week of one’s own.
Charity in the theatre usually begins and ends with people who have a play opening the week following one’s own. Their unlikely benevolence is not so much a purity of heart as the knowledge that they face a firing line with rifles aimed in exactly the same direction.
Without vanity a writer’s work is tepid, and he must accept his vanity as part of his stock in trade and live with it as one of the hazards of his profession.
So far as I know, anything worth hearing is not usually uttered at seven o’clock in the morning; and if it is, it will generally be repeated at a more reasonable hour for a larger and more wakeful audience.
I have always understood the unbelieving look in the eyes of those whom success touches early – it is a look half fearful, as though the dream were still in the process of being dreamed and to move or to speak would shatter it.
Boredom is the keynote of poverty – of all its indignities, it is perhaps the hardest of all to live with – for where there is no money there is no change of any kind.
