Pal Joey

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Pal Joey

musical by Rodgers and Hart

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July 1, 2026

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Pal Joey is a musical with music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Lorenz Hart. It premiered on Broadway in 1940. The musical is known for its sophisticated songs, many of which became part of the Great American Songbook. Some of its famous tunes include "Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered" and "I Didn't Know What Time It Was". The collaboration between Rodgers and Hart was a significant partnership in American musical theater, spanning 25 years and resulting in approximately 1,000 songs.12

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Lorenz Hart
Collaboration with Richard Rodgers
…Errors), and, perhaps their masterwork, Pal Joey (1940).
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…Errors), and, perhaps their masterwork, Pal Joey (1940).
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Richard Rodgers
Collaboration with Lorenz Hart
Their Pal Joey (1940), adapted by John O’Hara from a series of his short stories, turned away from purely escapist entertainment to serious drama. Too realistic for its time when first produced, it was revived in 1952 with enormous success. Among its songs was “Bewitched, Bothered,…
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Their Pal Joey (1940), adapted by John O’Hara from a series of his short stories, turned away from purely escapist entertainment to serious drama. Too realistic for its time when first produced, it was revived in 1952 with enormous success. Among its songs was “Bewitched, Bothered,…
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George Abbott
…The Boys from Syracuse (1938), Pal Joey (1940), High Button Shoes (1947), Where’s Charley? (1948), Call Me Madam (1950), Wonderful Town (1953), The Pajama Game (1954), Damn Yankees (1955), Fiorello! (1959), and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1962).
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…The Boys from Syracuse (1938), Pal Joey (1940), High Button Shoes (1947), Where’s Charley? (1948), Call Me Madam (1950), Wonderful Town (1953), The Pajama Game (1954), Damn Yankees (1955), Fiorello! (1959), and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1962).
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Stanley Donen
Early life and work
…production of the stage musical Pal Joey, whose star was Gene Kelly, with whom Donen would work many times over the next 15 years. In 1941 he assisted Kelly with the choreography for another stage musical, Best Foot Forward, the film version of which (1943) Donen co-choreographed and appeared in…
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…production of the stage musical Pal Joey, whose star was Gene Kelly, with whom Donen would work many times over the next 15 years. In 1941 he assisted Kelly with the choreography for another stage musical, Best Foot Forward, the film version of which (1943) Donen co-choreographed and appeared in…
Read More