David Bianculli

Clausen had demonstrated his gifts for musical satire and cleverness before joining the Simpsons. He provided the music for the famous episode of the TV series Moonlighting that was a parody of Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew. On The Simpsons, one of his many inspired contributions was the music for a local musical production of another theatrical classic, A Streetcar Named Desire.

Clausen had demonstrated his gifts for musical satire and cleverness before joining the Simpsons. He provided the music for the famous episode of the TV series Moonlighting that was a parody of Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew. On The Simpsons, one of his many inspired contributions was the music for a local musical production of another theatrical classic, A Streetcar Named Desire.

Its songs featured solo turns by Julie Kavner's Marge as Blanche and Harry Shearer's Ned Flanders as Stanley, and a big closing production number, The Kindness of Strangers, featuring quite a few of Springfield's familiar residents.

Its songs featured solo turns by Julie Kavner's Marge as Blanche and Harry Shearer's Ned Flanders as Stanley, and a big closing production number, The Kindness of Strangers, featuring quite a few of Springfield's familiar residents.

Its songs featured solo turns by Julie Kavner's Marge as Blanche and Harry Shearer's Ned Flanders as Stanley, and a big closing production number, The Kindness of Strangers, featuring quite a few of Springfield's familiar residents.

That was Music from the Simpsons by composer and orchestrator Alf Klassen. He spoke with Terry Gross in 1997, and she asked him how he worked with the writers of The Simpsons, who provided the delightful lyrics.

That was Music from the Simpsons by composer and orchestrator Alf Klassen. He spoke with Terry Gross in 1997, and she asked him how he worked with the writers of The Simpsons, who provided the delightful lyrics.

That was Music from the Simpsons by composer and orchestrator Alf Klassen. He spoke with Terry Gross in 1997, and she asked him how he worked with the writers of The Simpsons, who provided the delightful lyrics.

Alf Klassen, longtime composer, arranger, and orchestrator for The Simpsons, speaking with Terry Gross in 1997. He died last week at age 84. Coming up, I discuss George Clooney's Broadway hit Good Night and Good Luck, which CNN is televising live Saturday night. This is Fresh Air.

Alf Klassen, longtime composer, arranger, and orchestrator for The Simpsons, speaking with Terry Gross in 1997. He died last week at age 84. Coming up, I discuss George Clooney's Broadway hit Good Night and Good Luck, which CNN is televising live Saturday night. This is Fresh Air.

Alf Klassen, longtime composer, arranger, and orchestrator for The Simpsons, speaking with Terry Gross in 1997. He died last week at age 84. Coming up, I discuss George Clooney's Broadway hit Good Night and Good Luck, which CNN is televising live Saturday night. This is Fresh Air.

This Saturday, CNN is presenting a live telecast directly from Broadway featuring George Clooney as pioneering CBS newsman Edward R. Murrow in the stage drama Good Night and Good Luck. CNN is promoting the telecast as unprecedented. That's somewhat debatable. But what isn't debatable is that it's the TV event of the season and not to be missed.

This Saturday, CNN is presenting a live telecast directly from Broadway featuring George Clooney as pioneering CBS newsman Edward R. Murrow in the stage drama Good Night and Good Luck. CNN is promoting the telecast as unprecedented. That's somewhat debatable. But what isn't debatable is that it's the TV event of the season and not to be missed.

This Saturday, CNN is presenting a live telecast directly from Broadway featuring George Clooney as pioneering CBS newsman Edward R. Murrow in the stage drama Good Night and Good Luck. CNN is promoting the telecast as unprecedented. That's somewhat debatable. But what isn't debatable is that it's the TV event of the season and not to be missed.

Live TV broadcasts of stage dramas, comedies, and musicals are as old as television itself. That's not an exaggeration. A musical written expressly for TV called The Boys from Boise was broadcast by New York's Dumont Station in 1944, back when television still was considered experimental. In 1955, NBC presented a live-staged version of Peter Pan, a musical starring Mary Martin.

Live TV broadcasts of stage dramas, comedies, and musicals are as old as television itself. That's not an exaggeration. A musical written expressly for TV called The Boys from Boise was broadcast by New York's Dumont Station in 1944, back when television still was considered experimental. In 1955, NBC presented a live-staged version of Peter Pan, a musical starring Mary Martin.

Live TV broadcasts of stage dramas, comedies, and musicals are as old as television itself. That's not an exaggeration. A musical written expressly for TV called The Boys from Boise was broadcast by New York's Dumont Station in 1944, back when television still was considered experimental. In 1955, NBC presented a live-staged version of Peter Pan, a musical starring Mary Martin.

But that was a Broadway musical that had closed one week earlier to prepare for the live telecast. In 1983, the PBS series American Playhouse presented a live version of Thornton Wilder's The Skin of Our Teeth, starring Blair Brown. That was broadcast directly from the Old Globe Theater, but the Globe was in San Diego, not on Broadway.

But that was a Broadway musical that had closed one week earlier to prepare for the live telecast. In 1983, the PBS series American Playhouse presented a live version of Thornton Wilder's The Skin of Our Teeth, starring Blair Brown. That was broadcast directly from the Old Globe Theater, but the Globe was in San Diego, not on Broadway.

But that was a Broadway musical that had closed one week earlier to prepare for the live telecast. In 1983, the PBS series American Playhouse presented a live version of Thornton Wilder's The Skin of Our Teeth, starring Blair Brown. That was broadcast directly from the Old Globe Theater, but the Globe was in San Diego, not on Broadway.