Michael Owen

More the former, I think, than the latter. By 1954, when Ira wrote what turned out to be his last two significant works, the songs for Stars Born and for the drama The Country Girl with Bing Crosby and Grace Kelly, which was also written with Harold Arlen, he wrote a few songs for that. At times, it changed. Musical theater had changed.

Ira had had a couple of unsuccessful shows in the 40s with Kurt Weill and the composer Arthur Schwartz. So he was somewhat put off from writing for Broadway just because it seemed to him that it was too much effort at too much cost and not enough that was coming back to him. Music was changing. Obviously, we had rock and roll arriving in the 1950s and what was popular was changing.

Ira had had a couple of unsuccessful shows in the 40s with Kurt Weill and the composer Arthur Schwartz. So he was somewhat put off from writing for Broadway just because it seemed to him that it was too much effort at too much cost and not enough that was coming back to him. Music was changing. Obviously, we had rock and roll arriving in the 1950s and what was popular was changing.

Ira had had a couple of unsuccessful shows in the 40s with Kurt Weill and the composer Arthur Schwartz. So he was somewhat put off from writing for Broadway just because it seemed to him that it was too much effort at too much cost and not enough that was coming back to him. Music was changing. Obviously, we had rock and roll arriving in the 1950s and what was popular was changing.

Although the Gershwin songs, as you've mentioned, were becoming part of the world of what we call standards now. And people like Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett and Peggy Lee and Billie Holiday were increasingly doing the songs on recordings and making for Ira quite a pleasant amount of money.

Although the Gershwin songs, as you've mentioned, were becoming part of the world of what we call standards now. And people like Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett and Peggy Lee and Billie Holiday were increasingly doing the songs on recordings and making for Ira quite a pleasant amount of money.

Although the Gershwin songs, as you've mentioned, were becoming part of the world of what we call standards now. And people like Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett and Peggy Lee and Billie Holiday were increasingly doing the songs on recordings and making for Ira quite a pleasant amount of money.

He just wasn't interested in what was going on in the world of movie musicals and theater at that point, enough to want to work in them anymore.

He just wasn't interested in what was going on in the world of movie musicals and theater at that point, enough to want to work in them anymore.

He just wasn't interested in what was going on in the world of movie musicals and theater at that point, enough to want to work in them anymore.

Well, Ivor died in 1983. He had been housebound for a number of years. His last real work was in the early 1960s. And so after the end of the 1960s, which was basically the last time he traveled to He increasingly stayed at his house. He had had a stroke and various other physical ailments over the years which were leaving him more incapacitated.

Well, Ivor died in 1983. He had been housebound for a number of years. His last real work was in the early 1960s. And so after the end of the 1960s, which was basically the last time he traveled to He increasingly stayed at his house. He had had a stroke and various other physical ailments over the years which were leaving him more incapacitated.

Well, Ivor died in 1983. He had been housebound for a number of years. His last real work was in the early 1960s. And so after the end of the 1960s, which was basically the last time he traveled to He increasingly stayed at his house. He had had a stroke and various other physical ailments over the years which were leaving him more incapacitated.

He was hospitalized on a number of occasions for different things related to his heart. I will say that his final years actually were quite good ones because Among other things was the arrival of a young man by the name of Michael Feinstein, who I know you've had on your show, who was hired initially to ... to entertain Ira and wound up working on Ira's archive.

He was hospitalized on a number of occasions for different things related to his heart. I will say that his final years actually were quite good ones because Among other things was the arrival of a young man by the name of Michael Feinstein, who I know you've had on your show, who was hired initially to ... to entertain Ira and wound up working on Ira's archive.

He was hospitalized on a number of occasions for different things related to his heart. I will say that his final years actually were quite good ones because Among other things was the arrival of a young man by the name of Michael Feinstein, who I know you've had on your show, who was hired initially to ... to entertain Ira and wound up working on Ira's archive.

I did some similar work to what Michael did in terms of the archive, but certainly not entertaining Ira. I wasn't around then. There was a piano that was brought up into Ira's bedroom and Michael spent a lot of time at the house. singing for Ira, some of the more obscure corners of Ira's catalog, which entertained a man who had become somewhat isolated. But it was a good life.

I did some similar work to what Michael did in terms of the archive, but certainly not entertaining Ira. I wasn't around then. There was a piano that was brought up into Ira's bedroom and Michael spent a lot of time at the house. singing for Ira, some of the more obscure corners of Ira's catalog, which entertained a man who had become somewhat isolated. But it was a good life.

I did some similar work to what Michael did in terms of the archive, but certainly not entertaining Ira. I wasn't around then. There was a piano that was brought up into Ira's bedroom and Michael spent a lot of time at the house. singing for Ira, some of the more obscure corners of Ira's catalog, which entertained a man who had become somewhat isolated. But it was a good life.

It was a successful life. And it's certainly one that is well remembered by those of us who love great songs, great lyrics, and the great American songbook.