In 1937 Latouche contributed two songs in the revue Pins and Needles. For the show Sing For Your Supper (1939), he wrote the lyrics for "Ballad for Uncle Sam", later retitled "Ballad for Americans", with music by Earl Robinson. It was featured at both the 1940 Republican Convention and the convention of the American Communist Party, and was extremely popular in 1940s America.
This 13-minute cantata to American democracy was written for a soloist and as well a full orchestra. When performed on the CBS Radio network by singer Paul Robeson, it became a national success. Subsequently, both Robeson and Bing Crosby[2] regularly performed it. Actor and singer Brock Peters also made a notable recording of the cantata.
Latouche also wrote the libretto to Douglas Moore's opera The Ballad of Baby Doe, one of the few American operas to join the standard repertoire. In 1955, he collaborated with co-writer Sam Locke and composer James Mundy on the Carol Channing vehicle The Vamp, which closed after a run of only 60 performances. He had been working with David Merrick on setting the Eugene O'Neill play Ah, Wilderness to music, but died during working on the adaptation. It was later developed as Take Me Along.
The New York Theatre Company produced Taking a Chance on Love - The Lyrics and Life of John LaTouche, A New Musical Revue ("The Bad Boy of Broadway Is Back") in 2000, with notes by Ned Rorem (recorded by Original Cast Records).
The John LaTouche Archive, containing journals, family letters, scrapbooks of photographs and newspaper articles, is housed at Columbia University. Out in the World - Selected Letters of Jane Bowles 1935-1970, edited by Millicent Dillon (Santa Barbara: Black Sparrow Press, 1985), contains a number of references to LaTouche, and his circle of friends and acquaintances. Chapter 28 of The Autobiography of Jack Woodford (Doubleday, Garden City, 1962) is devoted to La Touche.[4]
^Some sources say his year of birth was 1914, and others say 1917. The "Vermont Death Records, 1909-2008" database on Ancestry.com indicate he was born in 1917. A ship manifest for the S.S. Matadi indicate he was born in 1914. The 1920 U.S. Federal Census lists him (with the first name "Treville") as being 5 years old, consistent with being born in 1914. The 1930 U.S Federal Census lists him (still under the first name Treville) living with his divorced mother and younger brother Louis. His age is given as 15, also consistent with him being born in 1914.
^"A Bing Crosby Discography". BING magazine. International Club Crosby. Retrieved November 3, 2018.
^See Gerry Max, Horizon Chasers - The Lives and Adventures of Richard Halliburton and Paul Mooney (McFarland, 2007) for references.
^See also Virginia Spencer Carr, Paul Bowles - A Life (Scribner: New York London Toronto and Sydney, c2004) for frequent snapshot references to LaTouche.
External links
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Finding aid to the John Latouche papers at Columbia University. Rare Book & Manuscript Library.
February 12, 2023
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This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources John La Touche lyricist news newspapers books scholar JSTOR November 2010 Learn how and when to remove this template message John Treville Latouche La Touche November 13 1914 1 Baltimore Maryland August 7 1956 Calais Vermont was a lyricist and bookwriter in American musical theater John La ToucheBornRichmond Died7 August 1956 Alma materColumbia University AwardsGuggenheim Fellowship 1949 Contents 1 Biography 2 Legacy 3 Notable songs 4 Works 5 References 6 External linksBiography EditJohn Treville Latouche was born in Baltimore Maryland His family moved to Richmond Virginia when he was four months old There he attended school before going north to Columbia University He became involved in music and theater writing for the Varsity Show and joining the Philolexian Society He did not graduate In 1937 Latouche contributed two songs in the revue Pins and Needles For the show Sing For Your Supper 1939 he wrote the lyrics for Ballad for Uncle Sam later retitled Ballad for Americans with music by Earl Robinson It was featured at both the 1940 Republican Convention and the convention of the American Communist Party and was extremely popular in 1940s America This 13 minute cantata to American democracy was written for a soloist and as well a full orchestra When performed on the CBS Radio network by singer Paul Robeson it became a national success Subsequently both Robeson and Bing Crosby 2 regularly performed it Actor and singer Brock Peters also made a notable recording of the cantata Latouche provided the lyrics for Vernon Duke s songs including with Ted Fetter Taking A Chance On Love for the musical Cabin in the Sky 1940 He also wrote lyrics for Duke s musical Banjo Eyes 1941 which starred Eddie Cantor He appeared as The Gangster in the experimental film Dreams That Money Can Buy 1947 He returned to music writing the lyrics for the song The Girl With the Pre Fabricated Heart music by Louis Applebaum which accompanies a sequence conceived by French artist Fernand Leger Latouche wrote the book and lyrics for The Golden Apple 1954 with music by Jerome Moross it won the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Musical In 1955 he provided additional lyrics for Leonard Bernstein s Candide Latouche also wrote the libretto to Douglas Moore s opera The Ballad of Baby Doe one of the few American operas to join the standard repertoire In 1955 he collaborated with co writer Sam Locke and composer James Mundy on the Carol Channing vehicle The Vamp which closed after a run of only 60 performances He had been working with David Merrick on setting the Eugene O Neill play Ah Wilderness to music but died during working on the adaptation It was later developed as Take Me Along Latouche was a protege of James Branch Cabell and friends with writers Gore Vidal and Jack Woodford Latouche dated Louella Woodford when they were both teenagers He also was friends of the architect William Alexander Levy who designed and built Hangover House for travel writer Richard Halliburton and writer Paul Mooney who assisted Halliburton in several of his classic travel works 3 Latouche died of a sudden heart attack at his home in Calais Vermont aged 41 Legacy EditThe New York Theatre Company produced Taking a Chance on Love The Lyrics and Life of John LaTouche A New Musical Revue The Bad Boy of Broadway Is Back in 2000 with notes by Ned Rorem recorded by Original Cast Records The John LaTouche Archive containing journals family letters scrapbooks of photographs and newspaper articles is housed at Columbia University Out in the World Selected Letters of Jane Bowles 1935 1970 edited by Millicent Dillon Santa Barbara Black Sparrow Press 1985 contains a number of references to LaTouche and his circle of friends and acquaintances Chapter 28 of The Autobiography of Jack Woodford Doubleday Garden City 1962 is devoted to La Touche 4 Notable songs Edit Backer s Audition with John Strauss and Kenward Elmslie The Best of All Possible Worlds with Leonard Bernstein Brown Penny with Duke Ellington Day Dream with Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn I Didn t Do A Thing Last Night with Madame Spivy I Love Town with Peter van Eyck as Goetz Eyck I ve Got Me with Duke Ellington Lazy Afternoon with Jerome Moross My Love with Leonard Bernstein and Richard Wilbur A Nail in the Horseshoe with John Strauss Not a Care in the World with Vernon Duke On the Wrong Side of the Railroad Tracks with Duke Ellington Ragtime Romeo with James Mundy Summer Is A Comin In with Vernon Duke Surrealist with Madame Spivy Taking a Chance on Love with Vernon Duke Wind Flowers with Jerome Moross You Were Dead You Know with Leonard Bernstein and Richard WilburWorks EditWalpurgis Eve 1928 play Flair Flair the Idol of Paree 1935 musical Ballad for Americans 1939 cantata Cabin in the Sky 1940 musical Banjo Eyes 1941 musical The Lady Comes Across 1942 musical Rhapsody 1944 operetta Polonaise 1945 musical Beggar s Holiday 1946 musical The Golden Apple 1954 musical The Vamp 1955 musical The Ballad of Baby Doe 1956 opera Candide 1956 operetta additional lyrics References Edit Some sources say his year of birth was 1914 and others say 1917 The Vermont Death Records 1909 2008 database on Ancestry com indicate he was born in 1917 A ship manifest for the S S Matadi indicate he was born in 1914 The 1920 U S Federal Census lists him with the first name Treville as being 5 years old consistent with being born in 1914 The 1930 U S Federal Census lists him still under the first name Treville living with his divorced mother and younger brother Louis His age is given as 15 also consistent with him being born in 1914 A Bing Crosby Discography BING magazine International Club Crosby Retrieved November 3 2018 See Gerry Max Horizon Chasers The Lives and Adventures of Richard Halliburton and Paul Mooney McFarland 2007 for references See also Virginia Spencer Carr Paul Bowles A Life Scribner New York London Toronto and Sydney c2004 for frequent snapshot references to LaTouche External links EditListen to this article 5 minutes source source This audio file was created from a revision of this article dated 30 July 2019 2019 07 30 and does not reflect subsequent edits Audio help More spoken articles John La Touche at the Internet Broadway Database Photo and biography Finding aid to the John Latouche papers at Columbia University Rare Book amp Manuscript Library Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title John La Touche lyricist amp oldid 1110285507, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
