Hank Beebe
Hank Beebe | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 16, 1926 Woodbury, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Died | February 5, 2023 (aged 96) |
| Genres | Musical theatre, film, television |
| Occupation(s) | Composer |
| Instrument(s) | Piano |
| Years active | 1954–2023 |
| Website | https://www.hankbeebe.com/ |
Hank Beebe (July 16, 1926 – February 5, 2023) was an American composer, known for his choral compositions, Broadway musicals, and most notably for his work through the 1950s to the early 1980s composing industrial musicals for the employees and shareholders of major American business corporations. His work during this period was documented in the 2018 American documentary film Bathtubs Over Broadway.
Early life
Hank Beebe was born on July 16, 1926, in Woodbury, New Jersey, to Harold Henry and Miriam Priscilla (née Davidson) Beebe.[
Career
Beebe’s first job was music director at WCAU television in Philadelphia on ‘’The Children’s Hour’’. In 1967, he worked briefly on The Mike Douglas Show before turning to musical theatre.
While working on Broadway in New York City, Beebe auditioned for "The Chevy Show": a "corporate musical" presenting the new 1957 Chevrolet line of production. Although the show consisted of a musical book, score, cast and full orchestra, it was not meant to be seen by the public; only Detroit dealers and Chevy executives and their employees.
Beebe worked as a musical consultant, arranger and composer on hundreds of "Industrial Musicals" for
In the early 1990s, a staff writer for The David Letterman Show, Steve Young, purchased an album entitled Go Fly a Kite (a 1966 GE Industrial Musical), for Letterman’s "Dave’s Record Collection" segment. "It started as something to make fun of," Young said. "I thought, How pathetic, an insurance musical. But then I wondered why, three days later, I was still singing these songs."[3]
Record collector Scott Murphy teamed up with Young to write the book "‘’Everything's Coming Up Profits: The Golden Age of Industrial Musicals’’” in 2013 which told the story of Beebe and other composers and actors who took part in creating these one-time corporate musicals. Their collaboration was turned into the award-winning documentary ‘’Bathtubs Over Broadway’’.[4]
Beebe also wrote for both Off- and On- Broadway. His most popular work was the musical The Cowboy and The Tiger that ran for two years at the
In 1977, Beebe was contracted to work on the
Beebe was organist and choir director for such churches as St. Matthew's and St. Timothy's in New York, St. Albans in Cape Elizabeth, Maine and St. Elizabeth's Mission in Portland, Maine.[9] Moving to Portland, Maine, in 1980, the Beebe family founded The Embassy Players: a company that produced and performed musicals composed and written by Beebe. The company was passed on to its board of directors in 1990.[6]
Personal life and death
Beebe was married to Nancy Beebe. They had two children and lived in Portland, Maine.[10][9]
Beebe died on February 5, 2023, at the age of 96.[11]
References
- ^ Fletcher, Stephen (September 27, 2017). "History on the Hill". UNC. Retrieved April 25, 2020.
- ^ Celebrating Grace. Make a Joyful Noise – Choral Plus Folio. Hank Beebe.
- ^ a b Grimes, William (January 29, 2014). "Singing of Toilets, Instead of for Tonys". NY Times. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
- ^ Bathtubs Over Broadway. Official Website.
- ^ Fox, Sonny (November 26, 2018). "Sonny Fox discusses his production of the 1963 television special The Cowboy and the Tiger". Retrieved April 24, 2020.
- ^ a b CAST & CREW. Happy 25th, Schoolhouse Arts Center. Muriel Kenderdine. April 2013.
- ^ The Angry Professor: My (Failed) Attempt to Interview Jerry Lewis. NEWSWEEK. February 2, 2009. Marc Peyser.
- ^ Hymnary. TUNE: Bickford. Hank Beebe.
- ^ a b Beckenhorst Press. Composer: Hank Beebe.
- ^ Maine News Index. Casco Bay Weekly. Wilkins, Jason. "Edge" piece on composer Hank Beebe of Portland.
- ^ "Hank Beebe, prolific composer and founder of Schoolhouse Arts in Standish, dies at 96". Press Herald. February 16, 2023. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
Bibliography
- Young, Steve (2013). Everything's Coming Up Profits: The Golden Age of Industrial Musicals. Blast Books. ISBN 978-0-9222334-4-1.
- Beebe, Hank (2017). I Chose to Compose (Against the Advice of Just About Everyone). ASIN B071DRMTDM.