Identity area
Type of entity
Person
Authorized form of name
Willson, Meredith
Parallel form(s) of name
Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
Other form(s) of name
- Willson, Robert Reiniger Meredith
- Willson, R. Meredith
Identifiers for corporate bodies
Description area
Dates of existence
1902-05-18 - 1984-06-15
History
Meredith Willson (1902-1984) was born Robert Meredith Willson in Mason City, Iowa. Willson’s first career was as a flautist with the John Philip Sousa Band and the New York Philharmonic. He later pursued a career as conductor and music director in both radio and television. Following a stint in the Army during World War II, he saw success with the production of “The Music Man,” for which he wrote the music, lyrics, and the book. He also wrote the musicals “The Unsinkable Molly Brown,” “Here’s Love,” and “1491.” He was married three times, to Elizabeth Wilson (divorce), Ralina “Rini” Zarova (her death), and Rosemary Sullivan (his death).
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Internal structures/genealogy
General context
Relationships area
Access points area
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Control area
Authority record identifier
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Library of Congress
Rules and/or conventions used
Status
Draft
Level of detail
Partial
Dates of creation, revision and deletion
Language(s)
Script(s)
Sources
Cross, Lucy E. “Meredith Willson.” The Official Masterworks Broadway Site, Sony Music Entertainment, https://masterworksbroadway.com/artist/meredith-willson/.
Who's Who in America: 39th Edition, 1976-1977. Marquis Who's Who, 1977.
Willson, Meredith. But He Doesn’t Know the Territory. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1959.