Editing Rupert Holmes (section)

==Life and career==
Holmes was born David Goldstein in [[Northwich]], [[Cheshire]], England. His father, Leonard Eliot Goldstein, was a United States Army [[Warrant Officer (United States)|warrant officer]] and bandleader. His mother, Gwendolen Mary (''née'' Pynn),<ref>[http://www.filmreference.com/film/64/Rupert-Holmes.html "Rupert Holmes Biography (1947–)"], FilmReference.com, accessed June 7, 2013</ref> was English, and both were musical. Holmes has dual British and American citizenship. The family moved when Holmes was six years old to the northern New York City suburb of [[Nanuet, New York|Nanuet]], New York, where Holmes grew up and attended nearby [[Nyack, New York|Nyack High School]] and then the [[Manhattan School of Music]] (majoring in clarinet). Holmes's brother, Richard, a principal lyric [[baritone]] with the [[New York Gilbert and Sullivan Players]], has sung roles with regional opera companies, such as [[Glimmerglass Opera|Glimmerglass]], [[Lake George Opera|Lake George]] and [[Virginia Opera]], and has appeared with the [[Metropolitan Opera]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.metopera.org/Discover/Articles/Backstage-Spotlights/richard-holmes |title=Backstage Spotlight: Richard Holmes |work=[[Metropolitan Opera|MetOpera.org]] |date=November 1, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180306150427/http://www.metopera.org/Discover/Articles/Backstage-Spotlights/richard-holmes/ |archive-date=6 March 2018 |last=Heath |first=Mary Jo |authorlink=Mary Jo Heath}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.operamusica.com/artist/richard-holmes/ |title="Richard Holmes: Baritone |work=OperaMusica.com }}{{dead link|date=March 2025}} </ref>

In 1969, Holmes married childhood friend Elizabeth "Liza" Wood Dreifuss, an attorney. Their daughter Wendy died suddenly in 1986, at the age of ten, of an undiagnosed [[brain tumor]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.songfacts.com/facts/the-jets/you-got-it-all |work=Songfacts|access-date=September 10, 2018 |title="You Got It All" by The Jets}}</ref> They have two sons: Nick, a filmmaker, and Timothy, who is [[autism|autistic]]. In 2009, they moved from [[Scarsdale, New York|Scarsdale]], New York, where they had lived since Wendy's death, to [[Cold Spring, New York|Cold Spring]], New York.<ref name=Yarnell2019>{{cite web |url=https://hvmag.com/life-style/rupert-holmes-escape-pina-colada-song-cold-spring |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201208170822/https://hvmag.com/life-style/rupert-holmes-escape-pina-colada-song-cold-spring/ | archive-date= 8 December 2020 |last=Yarnell |first=Laurie |date=July 12, 2019 |title=The Man Who Wrote 'The Piña Colada Song' Lives Locally in Cold Spring |work=[[Hudson Valley (magazine)|Hudson Valley]] |url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Songwriter and recording artist===
In his 20s, Holmes was a session musician (producing sessions, writing and arranging songs, singing and playing a few instruments). In 1969, Holmes and [[Ron Dante]] of [[the Cuff Links]] (and [[the Archies]]) recorded "Jennifer Tomkins" for release on their second album, ''The Cuff Links''.  During the recording of that album, Dante was prohibited by the studio that produced the Archies from any involvement in new recording ventures and was forced to drop out of the Cuff Links.  Holmes finished the project and released "Jennifer Tomkins" separately under a different studio name, Street People (not related to the mid-1970s band [[the Street People]]).<ref>[http://video.aol.com/video-detail/jennifer-tomkins-the-street-people/2913485933/?icid=VIDURVMUS12 Jennifer Tomkins", The Street People], video.aol.com</ref> The song was on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]] for 15 weeks, beginning January 3, 1970, reaching a peak of number 36. In Canada the song reached number 21.<ref>{{cite magazine| url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.3759.pdf| title=RPM Top 100 Singles|date=February 21, 1970|magazine=RPM}}</ref> A follow-up single called "Thank You Girl" reached number 96 on the Billboard pop charts in April 1970.

Holmes played the piano for both the Cuff Links and [[The Buoys (American band)|the Buoys]],<ref name=Allmusic1>Summers, Kim. [https://www.allmusic.com/artist/rupert-holmes-p18292/biography Rupert Holmes: Biography]. AllMusic, accessed April 6, 2011</ref> with whom he had his first international hit, "[[Timothy (song)|Timothy]]", which was on the Hot 100 for 17 weeks beginning on January 2, 1971, a number 17 song about human cannibalism that intentionally drew controversy.<ref>[http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=2005 Timothy] at Songfacts, accessed January 12, 2009</ref> He also wrote "Give Up Your Guns" (which peaked at number 84), "The Prince of Thieves", "Blood Knot", and "Tomorrow" for the band.  Holmes also wrote jingles and pop tunes (including for [[Gene Pitney]], [[the Platters]], [[the Drifters]], [[Wayne Newton]], [[Dolly Parton]], [[Barry Manilow]] and television's [[the Partridge Family]]),<ref name=Allmusic1/><ref>Minnick, Susan L. [http://www.us.imdb.com/name/nm0392035/bio Rupert Homes biography] at the IMDB website</ref> as well as the score of the 1970 revenge [[Western (genre)|western]] ''Five Savage Men'' (also known as ''The Animals''), which starred [[Keenan Wynn]].<ref>[http://www.rupertholmes.com/film/five_savage.html ''Five Savage Men''], RupertHolmes.com, accessed May 16, 2015</ref>

As a recording artist, Holmes broke through with his first album, 1974's [[Widescreen (album)|''Widescreen'']] on [[Epic Records]],<ref name=Allmusic1/> which introduced him as a presenter of highly romantic, lushly orchestrated "story songs" that told a witty narrative punctuated by clever rhymes and a hint of comedy. [[Barbra Streisand]] discovered this album and asked to record songs from it, launching Holmes on a successful career. She then used some of his songs in the movie ''[[A Star Is Born (1976 film)|A Star Is Born]]''. Holmes also arranged, conducted, and wrote songs on her 1975 album ''[[Lazy Afternoon (Barbra Streisand album)|Lazy Afternoon]]'' as well as five other Streisand albums.<ref>[http://totaltheater.com/index.php?id=75&idcat=&ncat=periodica&option=com_totaltheater&task=view Feature on ''Curtains''] at the Total Theatre website</ref> Holmes's second, self-titled album led ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' to compare him with [[Bob Dylan]] as an artist of unprecedented originality who commanded attention.<ref>{{cite magazine|date=July 17, 1975|issue=191|page=60|magazine=Rolling Stone|title=Rupert Holmes}}</ref>

Holmes's production skills were also in demand during this period, and he took on this role for [[Lynsey de Paul]]'s album ''Tigers and Fireflies'', which spawned the radio hit "Hollywood Romance". The album also featured the bluesy song "'Twas", co-written by Holmes and de Paul. He additionally produced [[Sparks (band)|Sparks]]' 1976 LP, ''[[Big Beat (album)|Big Beat]]'', though the album was not a success. In 1975, together with Jeffrey Lesser, Holmes produced the UK band [[Sailor (band)|Sailor]]'s album ''[[Trouble (Sailor album)|Trouble]]'' (CBS Epic).<ref>McCarraher, James. ''A Glass of Champagne, The Official Sailor Story'', Sarum Press (2004)</ref><ref>[http://www.sailor-music.com/album75.htm ''Trouble''], Sailor Club, accessed December 29, 2012</ref>

"[[Escape (The Piña Colada Song)]]" was on Holmes's fifth album, ''[[Partners in Crime (album)|Partners in Crime]]'', and was the final [[List of Hot 100 number-one singles of 1979 (U.S.)|Hot 100 number 1 of 1979]]. Another popular song on that album was "[[Him (Rupert Holmes song)|Him]]", which peaked at number 6 on the Hot 100. Holmes had another top-40 hit with "Answering Machine". In 1986, Holmes's composition "[[You Got It All (The Jets song)|You Got It All]]" (sometimes called "You Got It All Over Him") was a top 3 hit single for [[The Jets (Minnesota band)|the Jets]]; it was later recorded by [[Britney Spears]] and featured in her internationally released version of ''[[Oops!... I Did It Again (album)|Oops!... I Did It Again]]'' (2000). His song "The People That You Never Get to Love" was featured on four albums by [[Susannah McCorkle]]: ''The People That You Never Get to Love'' (1981), ''From Bessie to Brazil'' (1993), ''Most Requested Songs'' (2001), and ''Ballad Essentials'' (2002). [[Frank Sinatra Jr.]] also recorded the tune on his 2006 album ''That Face!''

In the 1980s and 1990s, Holmes also played in cabarets and comedy clubs, mostly in New York City, telling often autobiographical anecdotes illustrated with his songs.<ref>Holden, Stephen. [https://www.nytimes.com/1990/08/03/arts/review-cabaret-rupert-holmes-onstage.html "Review/Cabaret; Rupert Holmes Onstage"], ''The New York Times'', August 3, 1990, p. 17</ref> In 2021, Holmes received an honorary [[Doctor of Musical Arts]] degree from the [[Manhattan School of Music]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Manhattan School of Music Ninety-Fourth and Ninety-Fifth Commencement Ceremony| url=https://issuu.com/msmnyc/docs/2021commencementprogram_pages|access-date=2021-08-22|website=Issuu| date=May 20, 2021}}</ref>

===Playwright===
Holmes made his professional debut as a playwright with the [[Musical theater|musical]] ''[[The Mystery of Edwin Drood (musical)|The Mystery of Edwin Drood]]'' in 1985. [[Joseph Papp]] and his wife encouraged Holmes to write a musical after they attended one of his cabarets in 1983. The result, loosely based on [[Charles Dickens]]'s unfinished novel ''[[The Mystery of Edwin Drood]]'', and inspired by Holmes's memories of English [[pantomime]] shows he attended as a child, was a hit in New York's Central Park and on [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]]. Because Dickens left the novel unfinished at his death, Holmes employed the unusual device of providing alternate endings for each character suspected of the murder, and letting the audience vote on a different murderer each night. The show earned Holmes the [[Tony Award]] for both book and score, as well as the [[Drama Desk Award]]s for [[Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lyrics|lyrics]], [[Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Music|music]], the [[Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Book of a Musical|book]] and [[Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Orchestrations|orchestrations]], among various other honors. The musical has been given London and Broadway revivals, among others, garnering another Tony nomination for best revival. ''Drood''{{'s}} success led Holmes to write other plays (both musical and non-) in later years, though he has said that he avoided musical theater for some time after his daughter's death.

Holmes also wrote ''[[Say Goodnight, Gracie]]'' (2003), which was nominated for a [[Tony Award for Best Play]], based on the relationship between [[George Burns]] and [[Gracie Allen]]. The play, which starred [[Frank Gorshin]], was that Broadway season's longest-running play and became the third-longest-running solo-performance show in Broadway history; it also won the [[Touring Broadway Awards|National Broadway Theatre Award]] for best play in 2004.<ref>Gioia, Michael. [http://www.playbill.com/news/article/154560-Joel-Rooks-Will-Say-Goodnight-Gracie-at-Off-Broadways-St-Lukes "Joel Rooks Will Say Goodnight Gracie at Off-Broadway's St. Luke's"], Playbill.com, September 14, 2011</ref> He wrote the comedy-thriller ''[[Accomplice (play)|Accomplice]]'' in 1990, the second of Holmes's plays to receive an [[Edgar Award]] (after ''Drood'') and also won a Mystery Writers of America award. Holmes has written a number of other shows, including ''Solitary Confinement'', which played on Broadway at the [[Nederlander Theatre]] in 1992<ref>Gussow, Mel. [http://theater.nytimes.com/mem/theater/treview.html?res=9E0CE7DD103BF93AA35752C1A964958260 "The Manipulations of a Villain Trapped In His Own Devices"], ''The New York Times'', November 9, 1992</ref> and set a new [[Kennedy Center]] box office record before its Broadway run; ''Thumbs'', the most successful play in the history of the Helen Hayes Theatre Company; and the musical ''Marty'' (2002), starring [[John C. Reilly]].<ref>[http://www.playbill.com/news/article/78049.html Review of the Boston production of ''Marty''], ''Playbill'' (2003)</ref> He wrote the book to ''[[Swango (musical)|Swango: The Theatrical Dance Experience]]'', a swing-tango dance piece that premiered Off-Broadway in 2002 inspired by ''[[Romeo and Juliet]]''.<ref>[http://www.villagevoice.com/2002-09-03/dance/dance/ "Swinging Summer"], ''[[The Village Voice]],'' September 3, 2002</ref> It has had several revivals.<ref>[http://theater2.nytimes.com/mem/theater/treview.html?_r=2&res=9C07E6D71438F936A25755C0A9659C8B63 "In ''Swango'', This Time Opposites Don't Attract"], ''[[The New York Times]]'', June 15, 2003; and Parks, Steve. [http://www.mysteryofedwindrood.com/theatre/050513_NewsdayRaveReview.htm "In lively competition, swing vs. tango rocks"], ''Newsday'', May 13, 2005</ref><ref name=Swango1>[http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/SWANGO-to-Play-Schimmel-Center-1015-17-20150910 "''SWANGO'' to Play Schimmel Center, 10/15–17"], BroadwayWorld.com, September 10, 2015</ref> Holmes joined the creative team of the musical ''[[Curtains (musical)|Curtains]]'' after the deaths of both [[Peter Stone (writer)|Peter Stone]] (the original book-writer) and [[Fred Ebb]] (the lyricist). Holmes rewrote Stone's original book and contributed additional lyrics to the [[Kander and Ebb]] songs. ''Curtains'' played at the [[Al Hirschfeld Theatre]] on Broadway, with [[David Hyde Pierce]] and [[Debra Monk]] in the lead roles. Holmes and Peter Stone (posthumously) won the 2007 [[Drama Desk Award]] for Outstanding Book of a Musical and was nominated for two more Tonys for ''Curtains''.<ref>[https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/curtains-453332#Awards "''Curtains'': Awards], IBDb. Retrieved April 25, 2025</ref>

Holmes wrote the book of the musical ''[[First Wives Club (Musical)|The First Wives' Club]]'', adapted from the film ''[[The First Wives Club]]''. The musical premiered at The [[Old Globe Theater]] in San Diego, California in 2009.<ref>Jones, Kenneth. [https://archive.today/20120907174407/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/129771 "Musical First Wives Club Will Now Convene July 17 Toward July 31 Opening"]. Playbill.com, June 1, 2009</ref> Its score is by [[Lamont Dozier]], [[Brian Holland]] and [[Eddie Holland]].<ref>Hebert, James. [http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20080905/news_1c05globe.html "Globe to be first to stage musical ''First Wives Club''"]. ''The San Diego Union-Tribune'', September 5, 2008</ref><ref>Gans, Andrew. [https://archive.today/20120906031449/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/129292 "Ziemba, Lenox and Walsh to Star in Old Globe's First Wives Club"]. Playbill.com, May 15, 2009; and [http://www.playbill.com/news/article/130293-Tell_Us_Miss_Jones_Sheryl_Lee_Ralph_Will_Be_Part_of_First_Wives_Club "Tell Us, Miss Jones: Sheryl Lee Ralph Will Be Part of First Wives Club"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090619023025/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/130293-Tell_Us_Miss_Jones_Sheryl_Lee_Ralph_Will_Be_Part_of_First_Wives_Club |date=June 19, 2009 }}. Playbill.com, June 16, 2009</ref> The production received generally unenthusiastic reviews but sold well.<ref>[https://variety.com/2009/film/news/critics-have-issues-with-first-wives-1118006835/ "Critics have issues with ''First Wives''"]. ''Variety'', August 3, 2009</ref> [[Linda Bloodworth-Thomason]] wrote a new book, and the reworked show opened in Chicago in 2015.<ref>Jones, Chris. [https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/theater/reviews/ct-first-wives-club-review-20150312-column.html "Not so sweet revenge in pre-Broadway ''First Wives Club''"], ''Chicago Tribune'', March 12, 2015</ref> Holmes next wrote the book for a [[jukebox musical]], ''Robin and the 7 Hoods'', inspired by the 1964 film ''[[Robin and the 7 Hoods]]'' starring [[Frank Sinatra]], with a new story line that Holmes set in 1962. Songs are by [[Sammy Cahn]] and [[Jimmy Van Heusen]], including "[[My Kind of Town]]". A production ran in 2010, also at the Old Globe. [[Casey Nicholaw]] directed and choreographed. The story is about a likable gangster hoping to get out of the crime business. A do-gooder TV reporter likens him to a modern-day Robin Hood.<ref>Stevens, Rob. [http://www.theatermania.com/san-diego/reviews/08-2010/robin-and-the-7-hoods_28909.html '"Review: ''Robin and the 7 Hoods''"]. TheaterMania, August 2, 2010</ref><ref>Jones, Kenneth. [http://www.playbill.com/celebritybuzz/article/142054-PLAYBILLCOMS-BRIEF-ENCOUNTER-With-Rupert-Holmes "Playbill.com's Brief Encounter with Rupert Holmes"]. Playbill.com, August 16, 2010</ref>

Holmes adapted the [[John Grisham]] novel and [[A Time to Kill (1996 film)|film]] ''[[A Time to Kill (Grisham novel)|A Time to Kill]]'' for the stage. The play premiered at the [[Arena Stage]] in Washington, D.C., in 2011.<ref>Jones, Kenneth. [http://www.playbill.com/news/article/150570-A-Time-to-Kill-With-Sebastian-Arcelus-Dion-Graham-Erin-Davie-Begins-World-Premiere-in-DC "''A Time to Kill'', with Sebastian Arcelus, Dion Graham, Erin Davie, Begins World Premiere in DC"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110530110456/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/150570-A-Time-to-Kill-With-Sebastian-Arcelus-Dion-Graham-Erin-Davie-Begins-World-Premiere-in-DC |date=May 30, 2011}}. Playbill.com, May 6, 2011</ref> The courtroom drama, set against a background of evolving 1980s Southern racial politics, was called "funny, shocking, witty, and sly".<ref>Ponick, Terry. [http://dctheatrescene.com/2011/05/26/a-time-to-kill "''A Time to Kill''"], DCTheatreScene, May 26, 2011</ref> He wrote the book and lyrics for ''[[The Nutty Professor (1963 film)#Musical adaptation|The Nutty Professor]]'', a musical based on the 1963 film ''[[The Nutty Professor (1963 film)|The Nutty Professor]]''. [[Marvin Hamlisch]] wrote the score. The musical was directed by [[Jerry Lewis]] and premiered in [[Nashville]], Tennessee, in 2012.<ref>Jones, Kenneth. [http://www.playbill.com/news/article/169188-Producers-of-Nutty-Professor-Hope-to-Earn-Broadway-Tenure-for-New-Marvin-Hamlisch-Rupert-Holmes-Show "Producers of ''Nutty Professor'' Hope to Earn Broadway Tenure for New Marvin Hamlisch-Rupert Holmes Show"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120819030200/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/169188-Producers-of-Nutty-Professor-Hope-to-Earn-Broadway-Tenure-for-New-Marvin-Hamlisch-Rupert-Holmes-Show |date=August 19, 2012 }}, Playbill, August 17, 2012, accessed August 19, 2013</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/culture/la-et-cm-nutty-professor-jerry-lewis-musical-nashville-20120801,0,4021683.story |title=Jerry Lewis' 'Nutty Professor' musical opens in Nashville |last=Ng |first=David |date=August 2, 2012 |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |access-date=August 18, 2013}}</ref> With Hamlisch, he also wrote songs for the 2013 [[Liberace]] biopic ''[[Behind the Candelabra]]''.<ref name=Swango1/> He next wrote the book of ''[[Secondhand Lions: A New Musical]]'', which premiered in [[Seattle]], Washington, in 2013.<ref name=Swango1/> ''A Time to Kill'' was produced on Broadway, but lasted only four weeks plus previews, closing on November 17, 2013.<ref>Isherwood, Charles. [https://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/21/theater/reviews/a-time-to-kill-opens-on-broadway.html "Grisham's Tale Retold Onstage"], ''The New York Times'', October 20, 2013, updated November 17, 2013, accessed April 22, 2017</ref> In 2016, ''The Sweet Potato Queens'', with music by [[Melissa Manchester]], lyrics by [[Sharon Vaughn]] and a book by Holmes, premiered at [[Theatre Under The Stars (Houston)|TUTS Underground]].<ref>Cullum, Brett. [https://www.broadwayworld.com/houston/article/BWW-Review-THE-SWEET-POTATO-QUEENS-at-TUTS-Underground-20160321 "BWW Review: ''The Sweet Potato Queens'' at TUTS Underground"], BroadwayWorld.com, March 21, 2016</ref>

An adaptation of ''[[The Pirates of Penzance]]'' titled ''Pirates! The Penzance Musical'' is playing on Broadway from April to July 2025.<ref>Evans, Greg. [https://deadline.com/2025/03/pirates-the-penzance-musical-broadway-closing-date-1236354810 "Broadway’s ''Pirates! The Penzance Musical'' Gets Four-Week Extension Prior to Opening"], ''Deadline'', 31 March 2025</ref> Holmes adapted the libretto for [[Roundabout Theatre Company]] with a [[New Orleans]] setting.<ref>Hall, Margaret. [https://playbill.com/article/jinkx-monsoon-more-complete-cast-of-broadways-upcoming-the-pirates-of-penzance "Jinkx Monsoon, More Complete Cast of Broadway's Upcoming ''The Pirates of Penzance''"], ''Playbill'', 13 November 2024</ref> A concert of this concept was staged in October 2022 by Roundabout.<ref>Gans, Andrew. [https://playbill.com/article/ramin-karimloo-lilli-cooper-david-hyde-pierce-more-will-star-in-roundabouts-the-pirates-of-penzance-concert-on-broadway "Ramin Karimloo, Lilli Cooper, David Hyde Pierce, More Will Star in Roundabout's ''The Pirates of Penzance'' Concert on Broadway"], ''Playbill'', 6 September 2022; and [https://www.townandcountrymag.com/the-scene/parties/g41712513/roundabout-theatre-company-pirates-of-penzance-benefit "Inside a Broadway Benefit Reading of ''The Pirates of Penzance''"], ''[[Town & Country (magazine)|Town & Country]]'', 18 October 2022</ref>

===Television writer and novelist===
In 1996, Holmes created the television series ''[[Remember WENN]]'' for [[American Movie Classics]], writing the theme song and writing or co-writing all but one of the 56 episodes of that series. In 2003, he published his first novel, ''Where the Truth Lies'' (later adapted into the film ''[[Where the Truth Lies]]'' by [[Atom Egoyan]]), followed in 2005 by ''Swing'', a [[multimedia]] release combining a novel with a music CD providing clues to the mystery. His next novel, ''[[Murder Your Employer|Murder Your Employer: The McMasters Guide to Homicide]]'' (2023);<ref>{{cite news | newspaper=[[The Sunday Times]] | location=London, England | date=February 18, 2023 | last=Sanderson | first=Mark | title=The McMasters Guide to Homicide: Vol 1 by Rupert Holmes review | url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/the-mcmasters-guide-to-homicide-vol-1-by-rupert-holmes-review-989klkzbt}}</ref> peaked at number six on the ''New York Times'' Best Seller list for hardcover fiction on March 12, 2023.<ref>{{cite web | title=Hardcover Fiction Books | website=The New York Times | date=March 12, 2023 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/books/best-sellers/2023/03/12/hardcover-fiction | access-date=June 10, 2024}}</ref>