Frank Loesser

Profession: Songwriter and Composer

Biography: Frank Loesser was an American songwriter, lyricist, and composer best known for the musical Guys and Dolls (1950), for which he wrote both the music and lyrics—including classic songs such as Luck Be a Lady and Sit Down and You're Rockin' the Boat. The show was a hit on Broadway at its 1950s release and has been revived multiple times since.

Loesser won a Tony Award for Guys and Dolls, and he shared the Pulitzer Prize for Drama with Abe Burrows for his work on How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (1961). He also wrote songs for Hollywood films, being nominated for an Academy Award five times and winning once with Baby, It's Cold Outside (1949).

Outside of film and musical theatre, Loesser also wrote popular songs during World War II and the post-war era, including hits like Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition (1942) and The Ballad of Rodger Young (1943).

Born: June 29, 1910
Birthplace: NYC, New York, USA

Generation: Greatest Generation
Chinese Zodiac: Dog
Star Sign: Cancer

Died: July 28, 1969 (aged 59)