The Jule in the Crown

Since the Kennedy Center Honors were just presented the other day, I thought that would be a good time to go back for the show honoring one of my favorite Broadway composers Jule Styne.  He wrote the music to such musicals as Gypsy, Funny Girl, Bells are Ringing, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, songs from Peter Pan and many more, as well as having 10 Best Song Oscar nominations, winning for Three Coins in the Fountain, along with pop hits, like "Time After Time" and "Let It Snow!  Let It Snow!"  Not to mention my fave (as readers of these pages know), Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol, the first -- and I think still the best -- animated TV musical.

Not surprisingly, the 1990 presentation has an excellent entertainment section with great songs overlapping one another -- but also the film bio is filled with his songs.  Jerome Robbins hosts the segment, having been involved with Styne on six shows as director or choreographer, including Peter Pan.