Frank Goodman, Press Agent During Broadway’s Golden Age, Dies at 89
By Robert Simonson
06 Feb 2006
Frank Goodman, the Broadway press agent who created fanfare for Gypsy, Irma La Douce, The Night of the Iguana and many shows by Rodgers and Hammerstein over a five-decade career, died at the NYU Medical Center on Feb. 3, his daughter Barbara Goodman said. He was 89.
Mr. Goodman began his career with the Federal Theatre Project in the 1930s, working with Orson Welles and John Housman. He later worked under Richard Maney, the publicist famed for his independent nature, flair for the dramatic and the literary bent of his press releases. With Maney, he chased publicity for such shows as Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and Come Back, Little Sheba.
He struck out on his own in the late '50s and handled press for such shows as The World of Suzie Wong, The Andersonville Trial, Luv, Do I Hear a Waltz?, The Lion in Winter, The Impossible Years, George M!, Funny Girl and Two by Two.
For his final Broadway show, Broadway, in 1987, he also took on the role of producer. The revival of the old Philip Dunning play lasted only seven performances. The legendary George Abbott directed.
A steady client was Richard Rodgers. The composer hired Mr. Goodman for The Sound of Music, No Strings, Two by Two and Do I Hear a Waltz?
A short, energetic man, Mr. Goodman was known for his somewhat bombastic personality and his habit of conducting business at the top of his lungs. These qualities frequently led to speedy turnover at the Goodman office.
"He was hugely creative," remembered one-time associate Susan L. Schulman. "He always had the fire in the belly and could come up with clever angles."
He is also survived by his wife Arlene Wolf.
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