"The Complete Lyrics of Frank Loesser" will be the fifth volume in the popular Knopf series of oversize books documenting the verse if American theatre lyrics, editor Robert Kimball told Playbill On-Line.

Kimball, who edited the complete lyrics of Cole Porter, Ira Gershwin, Lorenz Hart and (coming for late 2000) Irving Berlin, said there is no publication date, but the book has been assigned and is in the planning stages, with the participation of Jo Sullivan Loesser, the composer lyricist's widow. Steve Nelson will co-edit with Kimball.

Loesser (1910-1969) wrote music and lyrics, and sometimes wrote lyrics for other composers. He wrote pop songs, wartime songs for soldier shows, and songs for film and stage musicals. His work includes scores for Guys and Dolls, The Most Happy Fella, Greenwillow, Where's Charley?, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying and songs for the films "Hans Christian Andersen," "The Perils of Pauline," "Neptune's Daughter," and more.

First up for Kimball, however, is the final stage of the mammoth undertaking that is "The Complete Lyrics of Irving Berlin, co-edited with Berlin's daughter, Linda Emmett.

-- By Kenneth Jones