He was a cultural deity, the leading musical artist of our age, always on the cutting edge of American theater, the consummate artist, his lyrics totally integrated with his music. If Bob Dylan is deserving of the Pulitzer, seems to me that Sondheim is as well. Although a “musical theatre” figure, he is far more, a poet whose lyrics captured the urbanity of modern life and chronicled human relations in dramas within a musical structure. His musicals have as much in common with opera as they do with Broadway theatre (although Sondheim himself did not generally enjoy opera).
If you look at one’s life as a piece of music, there may be a few long measures preceded by a rest notation. Covid not only led to sickness and death, but also took large blocks of our lives away, experiences we can never recover. It’s like a musical piece where, suddenly, the rest notation is unnaturally prolonged, taking up space where there should be music. The older one is, the more that horridly mismanaged illness is a percentage of one’s remaining life.
Although we missed that moment, we had hoped there would be another, and then the following year Sondheim passed away. After his death I learned about the letters he wrote to others, even selflessly responding to strangers like me who revered him.
He had an extensive exchange of letters with Robert Osborne who for so many years was the face of Turner Classic Movies. Watching the classic movies on TCM is just about the only TV I truly enjoy.
Sondheim also had an intense interest in such films, particularly those of the thirties, such as ones starring Joe E. Brown, and a host of other stars from that era. Where in the world did he find the time to watch all of these? I think of him, steeped in nostalgia and pastiche. He once said something along the lines that if he was on a trip and a customs officer asked him where he’s from, he’d reply, “the past.” He wrote to Osborne, a kindred soul, formed a mutual admiration society, and obviously Osborne kept him well supplied in tapes of films mostly from that era.
I’ve been able to collect ten of those letters. Eighty-five were auctioned off in London in 2018 so my collection represents only a portion of their exchanges. I framed the ones I collected and they now grace our hallway with other Sondheim memorabilia. I’ve transcribed the contents of the ones I have below for future Sondheim scholars.
They are fascinating, such as the September 5, 2006 letter in which he says “As for Angie's interview, do you by any chance have an unedited audiotape of it? I'd love to hear what she said.” That must have been Osborne’s interview of Angela Lansbury who originated the role of the mad meat pie maker Mrs. Lovett in Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd and was in Sondheim’s early short-lived musical Anyone Can Whistle (1964). Lansbury said Sweeney Todd was a huge success for her and that the show was a benchmark for Sondheim and “finally, down the road, that is the [Broadway] role” for which she’ll be remembered. (Watching that interview reminds me of the gift Osborne had, such a gentle, probing ability to get the best from an interview.)
The one dated Jan. 3, 2008 was on the eve of the financial (and ultimately political) crisis, and Sondheim concludes it with “Meanwhile, Happy New Year to all of us, please God” – something we were all feeling at the time.
Or the July 28, 2010 letter, the only one not signed “Steve,” which he signs “Affectionately Yours, Merle” obviously an in-joke, and not seeing what preceded it I’m guessing it was a reference to Merle Oberon.
The June 27, 2011 letter requests that Osborne send the tape of "London Can Take It;" as he wanted “Jeff to understand what went on during wartime there,” presumably Jeff being his husband-to-be at the time, Jeffrey Romley. Or, the last Sondheim – Osborne letter I have dated June 12, 2012 requesting “Act One,” a 1963 film based on Moss Hart’s autobiography. As he explains “James Lapine has been trying to track a copy down because he's writing a play based on the book.” The play premiered on Broadway in 2014 to good reviews.
There are so many interesting references in these letters, so I’ll let these transcriptions do the talking themselves:
August 31, 1998
Dear Bob –
Thanks so much. What can I do for you?
Steve S.
*****
December 18, 2003
Dear Bob -
What I do with TCM is tape the movies and watch them days, weeks or even months later. I don't remember which Gordon Douglas, but it was in the midst of the Gordon Douglas festival a few months back. I didn't mean to keep you awake nights when I brought this whole thing up -- my apologies.
You got me on "Whispering Streets.” If it's part of the TCM catalogue, make a copy for me. (I'm only up to the C's at the moment, but compiling as I go along.) And as far as Madelon Claudet and Rachel Cade go, what about Harold Diddlebock?
Meanwhile, have a Christmas worthy of Ann Harding and George Raft, or even Deanna Durbin and Gene Kelly.
Best,
Steve
*****
September 5, 2006
Dear Bob –
Thanks, as always, for your generosity. I can't believe the number of movies that Joan Blondell made. It seems she made one out of every two movies that were released before 1940. As for Angie's interview,
do you by any chance have an unedited audiotape of it? I'd love to hear what she said.
Does your visit to Telluride have anything to do with Bill Pence's resignation? When I was there so was Ted Turner.
Surely, these can't be coincidences..
That was a joke,
Steve
P.S. Is "Down on Ami-Ami-Oni-Oni Isle" from "The Hurricane"? I suspect not.
SS
*****
January 3, 2008
Dear Bob –
Thanks for the DVD. One of the things I love about the series films is that people like Audrey Totter and Dennis O'Keefe show up in them in tiny roles.
Meanwhile, Happy New Year to all of us, please God.
Gratefully,
as ever,
Steve
*****
January 5, 2010
Dear Bob
For the thousandth time, thank you so much! When are you coming to our fair city next? Give me a little notice, and we'll have an in-depth conversation about Rondo Hatton.
Meanwhile, Happy New Year.
Steve
*****
July 28, 2010
Dear Bob -
The new recorder didn't arrive in time, so please add the following to your list: "Eleven Men and a Girl"; "Top Speed"; "Broadminded"; "Going Wild"; Local Boy Makes Good"; "Sit Tight"; & Day Bike Rider"; "Bright Lights.”
I don't expect these till 2012 at the earliest.
Affectionately Yours,
Merle
*****
June 27, 2011
Dear Bob -
Thanks so much, as always, for dredging up the movies. By all means, keep them coming if you can. I'm particularly grateful for "London Can Take It;" as I want Jeff to understand what went on during wartime there.
I'd like to add four more titles to the lengthy list:
“The Man with Two Faces," "Innocence," "Gates of Heaven" and "Trouble the Water."
What can I do for you in return? Since you're getting some evenings off, perhaps when you're in New York you'd like to come to dinner and we'll talk about Johnny Sheffield. Seriously, just let me know.
As always,
Steve
*****
August 2, 2011
Dear Bob
The usual request: I screwed up trying to tape "On with the Show' and "Going wild," so please add them to your list.
You're looking more chipper than ever - maybe it was anticipating your vacation. If you spend any of it in New York, give me a call and we can have a drink at least.
Steve
*****
September 8, 2011
Dear Bob -
Just to ruin your vacation, would you add the following four movies to the list of Things My VHS Machine Screwed Up: "Crooner," "Guele d'Amour," "Virtue," "No More Orchids"?
As always,
Steve
*****
June 12, 2012
Dear Bob -
Is "Act One" in the Turner Classic Movies library? It's a Warner Bros. picture, so I thought I'd ask. James Lapine has been trying to track a copy down because he's writing a play based on the book. Can you help him out?
Hope you're thriving -- you certainly seem to be, in your public appearances.
Best,
Steve
Alongside these letters is a framed Sondheim-signed sheet music of “Anyone Can Whistle”. It reads “For Bob Forte’” and as he dates it 10/5/91, well before TCM, perhaps this not dedicated to Osborne. So when I play that piece I do so Forte’!
The opposite wall is devoted to Company Playbills surrounding a cast-signed New York Philharmonic poster of the 2013 production of Company which included such luminaries as Stephen Colbert, Jon Cryer, Neil Patrick Harris, and Patti LuPone, among others. (Yes, Colbert and Cryer who we don’t think of in the context of musical theater do credible work in this production which was aired by PBS that year.)
We’ve made that hallway in our home a memorial to him. Thus, “Not a day goes by / Not a single day / …you're somewhere a part of my life.”
‘Sunday’ from Sunday in the Park with George is one of his masterpieces. I include a brief video of my playing it as I often do with him in mind. There will never be another Sondheim.
