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Howard Teichmann
Howard Teichmann
Howard Teichmann
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Howard Miles Teichmann (January 22, 1916 - July 7, 1987) was a Broadway playwright and biographer.

Biography

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Teichmann was born in Chicago in 1916 and graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 1938. He first went to work for Orson Welles on his The Mercury Theatre on the Air. He worked in the United States Office of War Information during World War II and returned to writing for radio after the war. For television, he was a co-writer for The Ford 50th Anniversary Show (1953).[1]

Teichmann wrote the 1953 hit play The Solid Gold Cadillac with George S. Kaufman, which was later adapted to film. Other plays he wrote included Miss Lonelyhearts (1957) (adapted from the 1933 novel) and The Girls in 509 (1958). He also wrote a number of biographies, including of Kaufman (1972), Alexander Woollcott (1976), Alice Roosevelt Longworth (1979), and Henry Fonda (1981). He was also a professor at Barnard College.[1][2][3][4]

Teichmann died of ALS on July 7, 1987, survived by his wife, daughter, and two grandchildren.[1]

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Howard Teichmann

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Howard M. Teichmann (January 22, 1916 – July 7, 1987) was an American playwright, radio and television writer, and biographer known for co-authoring the hit Broadway comedy The Solid Gold Cadillac with George S. Kaufman and for his intimate, gossipy biographies of prominent figures in American theater, journalism, and society. Born in Chicago, Illinois, Teichmann graduated from the University of Wisconsin, where he engaged in student journalism and theatrical productions. He began his professional career in 1938 as a stage manager for Orson Welles' Mercury Theatre, later transitioning to radio as a writer and producer for programs associated with Welles and John Houseman, including the Campbell Playhouse. During World War II he served as a senior editor for the Office of War Information, and in the postwar years he became a prominent figure in radio and early television, writing, directing, and producing anthology series such as Theatre U.S.A. and contributing to award-winning specials like the Ford 50th Anniversary Show, which earned Emmy and Peabody honors. Teichmann achieved his greatest commercial success on Broadway with The Solid Gold Cadillac (1953), a satirical comedy about corporate politics co-written with Kaufman, followed by adaptations of Nathanael West's Miss Lonelyhearts (1957), The Girls in 509 (1959), and other plays. From 1946 until 1986 he taught playwriting, screenwriting, and television writing as a professor at Barnard College, Columbia University, while also serving as executive vice president of Schubert Theatrical Enterprises from 1962 to 1972, where he advised on play selections. In the 1970s Teichmann turned to biography, producing George S. Kaufman: An Intimate Portrait (1972), Smart Aleck: The Wit, World and Life of Alexander Woollcott (1976), Alice: The Life and Times of Alice Roosevelt Longworth (1979), and Fonda: My Life (1981, in collaboration with Henry Fonda), works noted for their engaging, anecdotal style drawn from his extensive personal connections in the arts. He died in New York on July 7, 1987, from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Early Life and Education

Birth and Family Background

Howard Teichmann was born on January 22, 1916, in Chicago, Illinois. He was the son of Jack Teichmann and Rose Teichmann. His mother was born Rose Berliner.

University Years

Howard Teichmann attended the University of Wisconsin in Madison, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1938. While a student, he worked as a reporter for the Daily Cardinal, the university's student newspaper, and contributed material to the all-male Haresfoot Club shows, a campus musical comedy organization. These collegiate experiences in journalism and creative writing provided early foundations for his later professional pursuits. Shortly after graduation in 1938, he began his professional career as a stage manager for Orson Welles' Mercury Theatre.

Radio Career

Early Work with Orson Welles

Howard Teichmann began his professional collaboration with Orson Welles in 1938, shortly after earning his B.A. from the University of Wisconsin, when he joined Welles' Mercury Theatre as assistant stage manager. His initial assignment included work on the stage production of Danton's Death, and he soon advanced to the positions of stage manager and assistant to the president of the Mercury Theatre. As Welles shifted focus to radio in 1939 following the closure of the Mercury Theatre's stage operations, Teichmann continued his association by joining the radio production team alongside Welles and John Houseman, where he took on roles as writer and producer. His contributions included scriptwriting for the sponsored continuation of the Mercury Theatre format, known as The Campbell Playhouse, with a documented example being his adaptation of The Count of Monte Cristo, broadcast on October 1, 1939. Archival records from his papers further reflect involvement with Orson Welles' Mercury Theatre on the Air through correspondence, notes, and related materials from the late 1930s onward. This period marked Teichmann's entry into radio drama, building on his early theater experience with Welles to establish his credentials as a writer and producer in the medium.

Postwar Radio Writing

After his service with the Office of War Information during World War II, Howard Teichmann returned to radio writing and production, contributing to various programs in the late 1940s as the industry adjusted to postwar realities and competition from television. Archival records document substantial contributions during this period, including as writer and editor for Ford Theatre (1947-1948 season), writer, producer, and director for Theatre U.S.A. (late 1940s anthology series), continued script work on soap operas such as Road of Life and Valiant Lady, and episodes for Cavalcade of America into the late 1940s. This built on his earlier experience but occurred in a changing media landscape. By the early 1950s, Teichmann gradually shifted his primary focus toward television writing and other projects, contributing to early anthology specials as the medium expanded rapidly. This transition reflected the broader movement of many radio writers to television during that era.

Wartime Service

Office of War Information Role

During World War II, Howard Teichmann served as a senior editor for the United States Office of War Information (OWI). The OWI, established in 1942, coordinated government information activities, including propaganda directed at both domestic audiences and overseas populations to support the Allied war effort and counter Axis messaging. Teichmann's role at the OWI drew upon his established background in radio scriptwriting, though detailed accounts of specific programs or broadcasts he contributed to are limited in available records. This wartime service marked a temporary departure from his civilian radio work.

Television Writing

Major Specials and Series Contributions

Howard Teichmann contributed to television as a writer, director, and producer during the 1950s and early 1960s, focusing on specials and anthology series. His early television work included writing and directing for Showtime U.S.A. (1950–1951), an anthology series produced for the American National Theatre and Academy (ANTA) that extended the format of the earlier radio series Theatre U.S.A. He wrote the script for The Ford 50th Anniversary Show (1953), a landmark two-hour television special celebrating the Ford Motor Company's 50th anniversary, broadcast simultaneously on CBS and NBC without commercial interruption and featuring prominent performers including Mary Martin and Ethel Merman. The program was broadcast as a significant cultural event, for which Teichmann received an Emmy Award and a Peabody Award. Teichmann also wrote Christmas with the Stars (1955), a television special showcasing a variety of entertainers such as Victor Borge, Rosemary Clooney, and Eddie Anderson. Later in the decade and into the early 1960s, he provided contributions to several anthology programs. He supplied the idea for one episode of Startime in 1959. In 1960, he contributed the play for an episode of Play of the Week, titled "The Girls in Room 509." That same year, he served as writer for one episode of New Comedy Showcase. These credits reflect his involvement in the era's live and dramatic television formats.

Broadway Career

The Solid Gold Cadillac

The Solid Gold Cadillac is a satirical comedy co-written by Howard Teichmann and George S. Kaufman that premiered on Broadway in 1953. The play skewers post-war corporate America and the stock market through the story of Laura Partridge, a persistent small shareholder with ten shares in a large company who asks innocent but probing questions at a stockholders' meeting and ultimately disrupts the complacent board of directors. The role of Laura Partridge was written with Josephine Hull in mind, and she starred in the original production, earning strong reviews for her portrayal of the no-nonsense older woman. The Broadway production featured a recorded narration by Fred Allen and opened at the Belasco Theatre on November 5, 1953. Directed by Kaufman, the play transferred to the Music Box Theatre during its run and closed on February 12, 1955, after 526 performances. It became one of Kaufman's final major Broadway successes and a notable hit of the era. The play was adapted into a 1956 Columbia Pictures film starring Judy Holliday, with the screenplay credited to Abe Burrows and based on the original play by Kaufman and Teichmann.

Miss Lonelyhearts and The Girls in 509

Howard Teichmann adapted Nathanael West's 1933 novel Miss Lonelyhearts for the Broadway stage in 1957. The play opened on October 3, 1957, at the Music Box Theatre, where it was directed by Alan Schneider and produced by Dore Schary. Robert Ryan starred as the disillusioned advice columnist known as Miss Lonelyhearts, with supporting performances by Pat O'Brien, Kevin McCarthy, and Anne Seymour. The production received mixed notices and closed after 12 performances on October 12, 1957. The following year, Teichmann presented his original comedy The Girls in 509, which premiered on October 15, 1958, at the Belasco Theatre. Directed by Delbert Mann and produced by Robert Whitehead and Roger L. Stevens, the play starred Peggy Wood, Imogene Coca, and Betty Field in a story involving humorous political clashes among women sharing a hotel suite. It ran for 54 performances before closing on November 29, 1958. The 1957 stage adaptation of Miss Lonelyhearts was followed by a 1958 film version of the novel titled Lonelyhearts, though the film was not directly based on Teichmann's play.

Biographies and Books

Major Published Works

In the later stages of his career, Howard Teichmann shifted focus to non-fiction biographies of prominent figures in American culture and public life. His first major work in this vein was George S. Kaufman: An Intimate Portrait (1972), a detailed biography of playwright George S. Kaufman that drew upon Teichmann's firsthand experience as Kaufman's collaborator on the Broadway comedy The Solid Gold Cadillac. He continued with Smart Aleck: The Wit, World, and Life of Alexander Woollcott (1976), a biography examining the personality, career, and cultural influence of the sharp-tongued critic and Algonquin Round Table member Alexander Woollcott. Teichmann then published Alice: The Life and Times of Alice Roosevelt Longworth (1979), a portrait of Alice Roosevelt Longworth, the outspoken daughter of President Theodore Roosevelt known for her long presence in Washington social and political circles. His final major published work was Fonda: My Life (1981), an autobiography of actor Henry Fonda written as told to Teichmann.

Academic Career and Later Years

Professorship at Barnard College

Howard Teichmann maintained a long-term academic position at Barnard College, where he served as a professor from 1946 to 1986 in the English department. This role at the Columbia University-affiliated institution spanned over 40 years, providing a stable foundation amid his diverse career in radio, theater, and writing. As a member of the English Department, Teichmann taught the craft of writing for the stage, screen, and television, drawing on his extensive professional experience in those media. His professorship represented a consistent commitment throughout the later decades of his life.

Personal Life and Death

Marriage and Family

Howard Teichmann married Evelyn Goldstein in 1939, a marriage that continued until his death in 1987. The couple had one daughter, Judith Teichmann Steckler. At the time of his death, Teichmann was survived by his wife Evelyn and his daughter Judith.

Final Years and Death

In his later years, Howard Teichmann continued teaching as a professor at Barnard College until his retirement in 1986. He was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. Teichmann died from ALS on July 7, 1987, in Manhattan, New York, at the age of 71. He was survived by his wife and daughter.
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