May 17, 1950 – Disney Legend and Lyricist Howard Ashman is Born
“Howard is referred to by Roy Disney as another Walt, which shocked me when I was interviewing him, because of all people, why would Roy say this about Howard Ashman? But he was, to us and our generation, he was a Walt Disney type.” – Don Hahn
Howard Elliott Ashman was born on May 17, 1950, in Baltimore, Maryland. An early lover of theater, Ashman joined the Children’s Theater Association at age nine and remained there until he left for college in 1967. Although Ashman loved acting, in college he discovered his love of writing and directing. After school, he became the artistic director of the WPA Theater in New York, and met writing partner Alan Menken while working on a musical adaptation of Kurt Vonnegut’s God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater. The two had a major success with the show Little Shop of Horrors, and Ashman won a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lyrics.
David Geffen was key in bringing Ashman and Menken to the Disney Studios. When Ashman came to Disney, he was offered three projects: an adaptation of Tina Turner’s autobiography, a live action version of The Thief of Baghdad (which would later become Aladdin), and The Little Mermaid, which he chose to work on. At the film’s crew meeting, Ashman said, “When I was approached with the opportunity to work for Disney, period, I leapt at the – I said, ‘What about animation? What about working in that department?’ That’s what I really wanted to do.” It was Ashman’s idea to make Sebastian the crab a Jamaican crab, which brought a whole different musical style to Disney animation. Ashman also brought in Jodi Benson as the voice of Ariel. He and Alan Menken won the Academy Award for Best Song for “Under the Sea.”
Ashman and Menken (L) winning the Academy Award for “Under the Sea”
In 1988, Ashman found that he was HIV positive, but continued to work for Disney on Beauty and the Beast. Disney allowed Ashman to work in New York, and he was instrumental in many aspects of the film, from the casting to some of the characterizations. The staff showed the film to the New York press, which responded with great reviews. After the showing, the staff rushed down to St. Vincent’s Hospital in Manhattan, where they saw Ashman wearing a Beauty and the Beast sweatshirt. Don Hahn recalled, “Before we left I bent over and whispered, ‘Beauty and the Beast is going to be a great success. Who’d have thought it?’ I said. And Howard lit up and whispered, ‘I would have.’”
Howard Ashman died on March 14, 1991, at the age of 40, from complications with AIDS. He never saw the completed film. The Disney animators honored Ashman at the end with a tribute at the end credits: To our friend, Howard, who gave a mermaid her voice, and a beast his soul. We will be forever grateful. Howard Ashman: 1950 – 1991. Ashman was awarded an Academy Award posthumously for the song “Beauty and the Beast.” He was also named as a Disney Legend in 2001.“Howard Ashman was the key to much of our success,” said Peter Schneider. “He was a great storyteller, he knew how to lyrically be funny…[Howard and Alan] really shaped what these movies were to become.”
disneydetail 