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Hal Hackady
Hal Hackady
Hal Hackady
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Harold Clayton MacHackady (February 10, 1922 – October 12, 2015), best known as Hal Hackady, and sometimes credited as Hal Hackaday, was an American lyricist, librettist and screenwriter.

Key Information

Early life

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He was born in Middletown, Connecticut in 1922.[1][2] He studied at Wesleyan University, before starting work in New York City in the 1950s.[1]

Career

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He began his career writing teleplays for early anthology series General Electric Theater and Alfred Hitchcock Presents. He graduated to feature films as the screenwriter of B-movies capitalizing on the rock and roll craze, including Let's Rock, Senior Prom (both with music by Don Gohman), and Hey, Let's Twist, which earned him a Writers Guild of America nomination for Best Written Musical.

Hackady's theatrical career began with the 1955 Broadway revue Almost Crazy starring Kay Medford, for which he wrote sketches and lyrics. Additional Broadway credits include Minnie's Boys (1970), Ambassador (London, 1971. Broadway, 1972), Goodtime Charley (1975), and Teddy & Alice (1987). He also wrote lyrics for Divorce, of course! (1987) with Angela Paton and Robert Goldsby writing the book, and Lee Pockriss writing the music, based on the French play Divorçons by Victorien Sardou and Émile de Najac.[3]

Hackady wrote the lyrics for Snoopy!!! The Musical in 1975, a sequel to You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown. It premiered at the Little Fox Theatre in San Francisco, but it was not until 1982 that it was staged in New York City, at the off-Broadway Lamb's Theatre, with a cast that included David Garrison, Vicki Lewis, and Lorna Luft. It was then mounted in the West End at the Duchess Theatre, where it enjoyed a successful run. Hackady was also represented off-Broadway with a musical adaptation of The Hunchback of Notre-Dame (1993) and the revue Little by Little (1999). Alias Jimmy Valentine and Empty Pleasures have received regional theatre stagings.

In addition, he wrote the lyrics for the 1984 London musical Blockheads, based on the lives of Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy.[4]

Hackady wrote the lyrics for Eddie Fisher's 1956 hit "Without You". With co-writer Charles Naylor, he wrote the sentimental ballad "Shake Me I Rattle (Squeeze Me I Cry)", originally recorded by the Lennon Sisters in 1957; it became a national chart record for Marion Worth in 1962-63, and returned as a country music hit for Cristy Lane in 1977-78. It has been recorded as a Christmas song. Hackady also wrote the lyrics for the song "Kites", composed by Lee Pockriss, which was first recorded by the Rooftop Singers and became a top ten hit in Britain in 1967 for Simon Dupree and the Big Sound.[5] Hackady and Pockriss also co-wrote a song called "The Key" that Billy Thornhill recorded for Wand Records in 1968.[6]

New York Mets fans are familiar with Hackady's lyrics for "Let's Go, Mets," the team's theme song that was commissioned by advertising executive Jerry Della Femina in 1986. The recording earned a gold record and its companion video was a best-seller.[7]

Death

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He died in the Bronx, New York City, on October 12, 2015, aged 93.[1]

References

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Hal Hackady

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''Hal Hackady'' is an American lyricist, librettist, and screenwriter known for his work on Broadway musicals and popular songs during the mid-20th century. Born Harold Clayton MacHackady on February 10, 1922, in Middletown, Connecticut, he attended Wesleyan University before moving to New York City in the 1950s to pursue a career in entertainment. He established himself as a versatile writer, contributing lyrics to Broadway productions including Minnie's Boys and Goodtime Charley, as well as the Off-Broadway Snoopy!!!, and writing for films and composing the theme song for the New York Mets. His career spanned theater, film, and other media, showcasing his ability to craft memorable lyrics for both stage and screen. Hackady continued working into his later years and remained a respected figure in musical theater until his death on October 12, 2015.

Early life

Early life and education

Harold Clayton Hackady, better known professionally as Hal Hackady, was born on February 10, 1922, in Middletown, Connecticut. He attended Wesleyan University for his formal education. In the 1950s, he moved to New York City to pursue writing.

Career

Television and film screenwriting

Hal Hackady established himself as a screenwriter in the early days of American television, contributing scripts to several anthology drama series during the 1950s. He wrote five episodes of the horror anthology Lights Out between 1950 and 1951. He also provided writing credits for The Web from 1954 to 1957, Pond's Theater in 1955, General Electric Theater in 1956, and Matinee Theatre in 1956. In 1956, he received a story credit for an episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents. Hackady moved into feature films in the late 1950s, focusing on youth-oriented musicals. He wrote the screenplay for Let's Rock (1958) and Senior Prom (1958). He followed with the screenplay for Hey, Let's Twist (1961), which earned him a nomination for the 1962 Writers Guild of America Award for Best Written Musical. His film work continued with Two Tickets to Paris (1962), for which he wrote both the screenplay and the original story. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Hackady contributed to animated television programming. He wrote for The Smokey Bear Show from 1969 to 1971 and scripted two episodes of The Jackson 5ive in 1971.

Broadway and theatre career

Hal Hackady's Broadway and theatre career began with the 1955 revue Almost Crazy, for which he wrote sketches and lyrics. The production marked his debut on Broadway and featured a short run at the Longacre Theatre. He gained further recognition as a lyricist for several musicals, starting with Minnie's Boys in 1970, a show about the Marx Brothers' early years with music by Larry Grossman that ran for 80 performances. Other Broadway credits include Ambassador, which premiered in London in 1971 before opening on Broadway in 1972, and Goodtime Charley in 1975. In 1975, he also wrote lyrics for Snoopy!!! with music by Larry Grossman; the musical premiered in San Francisco and later transferred Off-Broadway in 1982. Later works encompassed Teddy & Alice in 1987, for which he provided lyrics adapted to music from John Philip Sousa. Additional contributions included lyrics for the 1987 musical Divorce, of course! with composer Lee Pockriss, the 1984 London production Blockheads, various regional productions such as Alias Jimmy Valentine and Empty Pleasures, and an Off-Broadway adaptation of The Hunchback of Notre-Dame in 1993. Hackady's theatre output focused primarily on lyric writing for musical revues and book musicals across Broadway, Off-Broadway, London, and regional stages. Hal Hackady achieved notable success as a lyricist for popular songs beginning in the 1950s. His early credit included "Without You," recorded by Eddie Fisher in 1956. He co-wrote "Shake Me I Rattle (Squeeze Me I Cry)" with Charles Naylor, originally recorded by the Lennon Sisters in 1957 and later covered by multiple artists. In the 1960s, Hackady frequently collaborated with composer Lee Pockriss. Their song "Kites" (1967) was initially recorded by the Rooftop Singers and became a UK hit through Simon Dupree and the Big Sound's version. The duo also wrote "The Key" in 1968. Hackady's later popular work included co-writing "Let's Go Mets" with Shelly Palmer and Gregory Smith in 1986, which served as the official theme song for the New York Mets' World Series championship team and earned gold record status. He additionally contributed lyrics to film and television projects, such as the 1976 film Squirm, the 1988 TV movie adaptation Snoopy: The Musical, a 1988 Peanuts television episode, and uncredited special lyrics for Jetsons: The Movie (1990). While his Broadway lyrics appeared in shows like Minnie's Boys, those contributions are primarily covered in his theater career.

Personal life and death

Personal life

Hal Hackady resided in the New York City area for much of his adult life after relocating there in the 1950s to pursue his songwriting and theater career. No additional verified details about his family, marriages, or other personal matters appear in available reputable sources.

Death

Hal Hackady died on October 12, 2015, at the age of 93. He passed away at Atria Riverdale, an assisted living facility in the Bronx, New York City. Hackady left no survivors. In lieu of flowers, contributions were requested in his name to The Actors Fund.
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