Frank Loesser

Frank Loesser (June 29, 1910 – July 28, 1969) was an American composer, lyricist, and librettist best known for writing both the music and lyrics for landmark Broadway musicals such as Guys and Dolls (1950) and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (1961), as well as hit songs like "Baby, It's Cold Outside" and "Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition." and "Two Sleepy People" (1938)., inspired by a chaplain's quip, which became one of the era's biggest sellers. was a modest success, but Guys and Dolls—with its Damon Runyon-inspired story of gamblers and showgirls—won the Tony Award for Best Musical and ran for 1,200 performances., an operatic adaptation of Sidney Howard's play blending arias and folk tunes, won the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award; while How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, a satirical take on corporate climbing, not only garnered seven Tony Awards but also shared the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1962—one of only four musicals to achieve that honor., earning an Oscar nomination for "Thumbelina," and his song "Baby, It's Cold Outside" won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1949. until their 1957 divorce, then to actress Jo Sullivan, star of The Most Happy Fella, with whom he had two more children—and he established Frank Music Corporation to manage his catalog.( A heavy smoker, he died of lung cancer at age 59 in New York City, leaving a prolific output of over 700 songs that influenced American musical theater through their witty, character-driven lyrics and melodic versatility.( His induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970 underscores his enduring impact on popular music.(