Oscar Hammerstein II
Oscar Greeley Clendenning Hammerstein II was an American lyricist, librettist, theatrical producer, and (usually uncredited) director in musical theater for nearly 40 years. He won eight Tony Awards and two Academy Awards for Best Original Song.
Date of Birth: July 12, 1895
Date of Death: August 23, 1960 (65)
Birth Place: New York, NY, USA
Latest News on Oscar Hammerstein II:
BIO
Oscar Greeley Clendenning Hammerstein II was an American lyricist, librettist, theatrical producer, and (usually uncredited) director in musical theater for nearly 40 years. He won eight Tony Awards and two Academy Awards for Best Original Song. Many of his songs are standard repertoire for vocalists and jazz musicians. He co-wrote 850 songs.
He is best known for his collaborations with composer Richard Rodgers, as the duo Rodgers and Hammerstein, whose musicals include Oklahoma!, Carousel, South Pacific, The King and I, and The Sound of Music. Described by Stephen Sondheim as an "experimental playwright", Hammerstein helped bring the American musical to new maturity by popularizing musicals that focused on stories and character rather than the lighthearted entertainment that the musical had been known for beforehand.
He also collaborated with Jerome Kern (with whom he wrote Show Boat), Vincent Youmans, Rudolf Friml, Richard A. Whiting, and Sigmund Romberg.
Productions
Writing
Lyricist
Bookwriter
Bookwriter
Bookwriter
Lyricist
Lyricist
Bookwriter
Lyricist
Bookwriter
Bookwriter
Lyricist
Bookwriter
Bookwriter
Bookwriter
Lyricist
Bookwriter/Lyricist
Lyricist
Bookwriter
Lyricist
Bookwriter
Lyricist
Bookwriter
Lyricist
Lyricist
Lyricist
Bookwriter
Lyricist
Bookwriter/Lyricist
Bookwriter
Bookwriter
Bookwriter/Lyricist
Lyricist
Bookwriter
Lyricist
Bookwriter
Lyricist
Lyricist
Lyricist
Bookwriter
Bookwriter
Lyricist
Bookwriter/Lyricist
Bookwriter
Lyricist
Bookwriter
Lyricist
Bookwriter
Source Material
Lyricist
Bookwriter
Bookwriter
Bookwriter/Lyricist
Bookwriter/Lyricist
Lyricist
Bookwriter
Bookwriter/Lyricist
Bookwriter/Lyricist
Lyricist
Bookwriter
Lyricist
Bookwriter/Lyricist
See how Oscar Hammerstein II connects to other Broadway stars and creatives.
Six Degrees of Broadway Beta
See how many degrees separate Oscar Hammerstein II from another Broadway star or creative.
Oscar Hammerstein II
Connection
Movies
[ 1925 ] writer
[ 1929 ] writer
[ 1930 ] lyrics
[ 1930 ] lyrics
[ 1930 ] lyrics by
[ 1930 ] writer
[ 1930 ] writer
[ 1934 ] lyrics by
[ 1935 ] librettist
[ 1936 ] lyrics by
[ 1936 ] lyrics by
[ 1937 ] writer
[ 1938 ] lyrics by
[ 1944 ] writer
[ 1946 ] lyricist
[ 1950 ] producer
[ 1953 ] Oscar Hammerstein
[ 1954 ] lyrics
[ 1954 ] lyrics
[ 1954 ] writer
[ 1955 ] book
[ 1956 ] lyrics by
[ 1956 ] lyrics by
[ 1961 ] lyricist
[ 1962 ] lyricist
Awards and Nominations
Oscar Hammerstein II, State Fair
Oscar Hammerstein II, Pipe Dream
winner
Oscar Hammerstein II, The King and I
Oscar Hammerstein II, The King and I
winner
Oscar Hammerstein II, South Pacific
winner
Oscar Hammerstein II, South Pacific
winner
Oscar Hammerstein II, South Pacific
winner
Oscar Hammerstein II, South Pacific
winner
Oscar Hammerstein II, Carousel
Videos
Video: Get A First Look At SOUTH PACIFIC at Maine State Music Theatre
by Joshua Wright - 2024-06-06 12:20:27
News
by Stephi Wild - Oct 21, 2026
The Oscar Hammerstein Museum and Theatre Education Center will present performances by 2026 International Youth Solo Contest winners and open applications for an International Young Playwrights Festival for student writers worldwide.
by A.A. Cristi - Oct 19, 2026
THE SOUND OF MUSIC will return to Jacksonville as the touring production marks the musical's 65th anniversary. Tickets go on sale Friday with a special offer of 50% off two tickets in select seats.
by A.A. Cristi - Oct 16, 2026
Tenor saxophonist Keith Oxman and bassoonist Frank Morelli release their second collaboration, a dozen reinvented jazz and classical pieces via Capri Records.
by A.A. Cristi - Oct 14, 2026
See photos from the Oscar Hammerstein Museum's Something Wonderful gala, where Tony-winning songwriting duo Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty received the Ockie Award.
by Debbie Hall - Oct 14, 2026
Broadway and Hollywood have long shared a creative partnership, bringing unforgettable musical theatre songs to the big screen and introducing generations of audiences to the music and stories that continue to define both worlds of entertainment. On Oct. 16, Las Vegas audiences can experience that celebrated musical legacy when Broadway Goes Hollywood takes the stage for a special concert gala fundraiser presented by Community Lutheran Church’s Spotlight Cabaret series. The 90-minute, fast-paced musical revue features beloved songs from classic and contemporary Broadway and Hollywood productions, reimagined with a modern twist and performed by a cast of accomplished vocalists and entertainers. The evening will also support an ambitious musical undertaking: bringing God Lives in Glass in Concert to Carnegie Hall in New York City on May 1, 2027.
by Rachel Stone - Oct 13, 2026
Tickets are now available for THE SOUND OF MUSIC, opening at West Herr Auditorium Theatre December 1-6 as part of the 2026-2027 M&T Bank Broadway Season. The North American tour, directed by Jack O'Brien, marks the musical's 65th anniversary.
by Stephi Wild - Oct 9, 2026
The Hammerstein Museum announced a groundbreaking ceremony for renovations at historic Highland Farm in Doylestown, the former home of Oscar Hammerstein II. The property will become a museum and theatre education center.
by Joshua Wright - Oct 7, 2026
Goodspeed Musicals announced its 2027 season featuring INTO THE WOODS, THE HEART OF ROCK AND ROLL, and RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN'S THE KING AND I at its East Haddam, Connecticut venue.
by A.A. Cristi - Sep 29, 2026
Tickets are on sale for the North American tour of THE SOUND OF MUSIC at Shea's Buffalo Theatre, running December 8–13. The production, directed by Jack O'Brien, marks the 65th anniversary of the musical's original stage debut.
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Sep 29, 2026
Birdland Jazz Club and Birdland Theater will present nightly performances throughout October, featuring The Hot Sardines, Ron Carter, and birthday celebrations for Bud Powell and Thelonious Monk.
by Rachel Stone - Sep 22, 2026
Adams-Bickel Associates has been selected to lead renovation work on Highland Farm, the historic home where Oscar Hammerstein II lived and worked. The project will restore the roof, HVAC system, historic porch, balcony, and accessibility features.
by A.A. Cristi - Sep 17, 2026
The Oscar Hammerstein Museum and Theatre Education Center named Adams-Bickel Contractors as general contractor for upcoming renovations at historic Highland Farm in Doylestown, Pennsylvania.
by Rachel Stone - Sep 16, 2026
The Lisa Hilton Quintet releases its thirtieth album featuring tenor saxophonist JD Allen, trumpeter Igmar Thomas, bassist Luques Curtis and drummer Rudy Royston. The recording marks another entry in Hilton's cool jazz catalog.
by A.A. Cristi - Aug 25, 2026
Timothy Bloom will receive The Prince Fellowship and Chase Parker will receive The Prince/TTLP Fellowship, programs supporting early-career producers in association with Columbia University School of the Arts.
by Andrew Poretz - Aug 14, 2026
Deborah Grace Winer’s Songbook Sundays celebrates the Tony Bennett Centennial with Billy Stritch, Debby Boone, Gabrielle Stravelli, and David Marino in a sparkling evening of timeless songs, great stories, and first-rate musicianship.
by A.A. Cristi - Aug 12, 2026
For the first time in 29 years, Rodgers & Hammerstein's Carousel has returned to the Merry-Go-Round Playhouse. The REV Theatre Company's reimagined production opens tonight, August 12, and runs through August 29 in Auburn, New York. Check out photos from the production.
by A.A. Cristi - Aug 7, 2026
THE SOUND OF MUSIC will play Baltimore's Hippodrome Theatre Jan. 5-10, 2027, marking its first area engagement in more than a decade since the 2015 run.
by Joni Lorraine - Jul 31, 2026
What did our critic think of CINDERELLA at McCullough Theatre?
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Jul 27, 2026
Northern Stage's Summer Musical Theater Intensive will present Oklahoma! at the Byrne Theater at the Barrette Center for the Arts, featuring student performers ages 12 to 18 under director Kevin David Thomas.
by Sabrina Wallace - Jul 21, 2026
I had the chance to preview Impact Arts' 2026 Summer Stock Austin season, and the talent on display was exceptional. With Cinderella and Newsies on the schedule, plus a remarkable cast and inspiring alumni, this promises to be one of the company's strongest seasons yet.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Oscar Hammerstein II has written 61 shows including Cinderella (Bookwriter), The Sound of Music (Lyricist), Always You (Bookwriter), Fly with Me (Lyricist), Tickle Me (Bookwriter/Lyricist), Jimmie (Lyricist), Daffy Dill (Lyricist), Queen O' Hearts (Lyricist), Wildflower (Bookwriter/Lyricist), Mary Jane McKane (Bookwriter/Lyricist), Gypsy Jim (Playwright), New Toys (Playwright), Rose-Marie (Bookwriter/Lyricist), Sunny (Bookwriter/Lyricist), Song of the Flame (Bookwriter/Lyricist), The Wild Rose (Bookwriter), Golden Dawn (Bookwriter/Lyricist), Show Boat (Bookwriter), Good Boy (Bookwriter), Rainbow (Lyricist), Sweet Adeline (Bookwriter/Lyricist), The Gang's All Here (Bookwriter), Free For All (Bookwriter), East Wind (Bookwriter), East Wind (Lyricist), Music in the Air (Bookwriter/Lyricist), Three Sisters (Bookwriter/Lyricist), May Wine (Lyricist), Gentlemen Unafraid (Bookwriter/Lyricist), Hellzapoppin (Lyricist), Very Warm for May (Bookwriter/Lyricist), American Jubilee (Bookwriter/Lyricist), Sunny River (Bookwriter/Lyricist), The New Moon (Bookwriter/Lyricist), Oklahoma! (Bookwriter), Carmen Jones (Bookwriter), Carousel (Bookwriter), The Desert Song (Lyricist), Happy Birthday (Lyricist), Allegro (Bookwriter), South Pacific (Bookwriter), The King and I (Bookwriter), Me And Juliet (Bookwriter/Lyricist), Pipe Dream (Bookwriter/Lyricist), Flower Drum Song (Bookwriter), A Celebration of Richard Rodgers (Lyricist), Dancin' (Lyricist), With Love and Laughter (Material), Barbara Cook: A Concert for the Theatre (Lyricist), Jerome Robbins' Broadway (Bookwriter), A Grand Night for Singing (Lyricist), Something Wonderful (Lyricist), State Fair (Source Material), Swing! (Composer/Lyricist), Patti LuPone: Matters of the Heart (Lyricist), Elaine Stritch At Liberty (Lyricist), Something Good (Lyricist), Never Gonna Dance (Lyricist), Barbara Cook's Broadway! (Lyricist), LoveMusik (Lyricist), Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella (Lyricist).
Oscar Hammerstein II has been nominated for several awards throughout his career. Some of his notable nominations include Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre at the Tony Awards for "State Fair," Best Musical at the Tony Awards for "Pipe Dream," "The King and I," and "South Pacific," Best Musical at the New York Drama Critics Circle Awards for "The King and I" and "Carousel," The Pulitzer Prize for Drama for "South Pacific," Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre at the Tony Awards for "South Pacific," Producer (Musical) at the Tony Awards for "South Pacific," and Best Musical at the New York Drama Critics Circle Awards for "Carousel."
Oscar Hammerstein II has won several awards throughout his career. Some of his notable achievements include winning the Tony Award for Best Musical for "The King and I" and "South Pacific." He also received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for "South Pacific." In addition, Hammerstein won the Tony Award for Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre for "South Pacific." He was recognized as a producer for the musical "South Pacific" at the Tony Awards. Furthermore, "Carousel," another musical by Hammerstein, was awarded the Best Musical title by the New York Drama Critics Circle Awards.
.gif?width=300)
