Harold Prince
The visionary producer and director who reshaped the American musical, steering it from breezy romance toward psychological depth and daring spectacle.
1928–2019 (age 91)·American theatre producer and director·Birthday: January 30·The Silent Generation
Biography
Hal Prince didn't just work on Broadway; he defined its modern era. Starting as a stage manager and producer in his twenties, he quickly became the driving force behind some of the mid-century's biggest hits, like 'The Pajama Game' and 'West Side Story.' But his legacy was cemented in a legendary partnership with composer Stephen Sondheim, with whom he created a string of challenging, concept-driven masterpieces including 'Company,' 'Follies,' and 'Sweeney Todd.' These shows turned the musical inside out, exploring alienation, regret, and obsession with unprecedented sophistication. Never one to repeat himself, Prince also helmed the global phenomenon 'The Phantom of the Opera,' a testament to his mastery of pure theatrical magic. With a record-breaking 21 Tony Awards, his career was a sixty-year masterclass in artistic risk, proving that commercial theater could be both intellectually substantial and wildly popular.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Harold was born in 1928, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Harold Was Born
The biggest hits of 1928
#1 Movie
The Singing Fool
Best Picture
Wings
Harold's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1928Born
Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin; Mickey Mouse debuts
President: Calvin Coolidge"Ol' Man River" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: Wings
1933Started school
FDR's New Deal launches; Prohibition ends
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stormy Weather" — Ethel WatersBest Picture: Cavalcade
1941Became a teenager
Pearl Harbor attack brings the US into WWII
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,060Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Chattanooga Choo Choo" — Glenn MillerBest Picture: How Green Was My Valley
1944Could drive
D-Day: Allied forces land at Normandy
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,400Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Swinging on a Star" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Going My Way
1946Could vote
United Nations holds its first General Assembly
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $5,150Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Prisoner of Love" — Perry ComoBest Picture: The Best Years of Our Lives
1949Turned 21
NATO founded; Mao proclaims the People's Republic of China
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Riders in the Sky" — Vaughn MonroeBest Picture: All the King's Men
1958Turned 30
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1968Turned 40
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1978Turned 50
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1988Turned 60
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1998Turned 70
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2008Turned 80
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2019Died at 91
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
Key Achievements
- Won a record 21 Tony Awards for his work as a producer and director.
- Directed and produced the groundbreaking Stephen Sondheim musicals 'Company,' 'Follies,' 'Sweeney Todd,' and 'Evita.'
- Directed 'The Phantom of the Opera,' which became the longest-running show in Broadway history.
Did You Know?
He produced the original Broadway production of 'West Side Story' at the age of 29.
His first Broadway job was as an assistant stage manager for director George Abbott, who became his mentor.
He directed the original 1974 production of 'Candide,' which, though a box-office failure, is considered a landmark for its inventive staging.
““If they don’t need you, if you’re not necessary, get out.””
