Had written several songs by the age of 14, and had his first published at 17
Met lyricist Lorenz Hart in 1919 and began a 24-year collaboration
Partnership with Hart resulted in a number of enduring hit songs, including "My Heart Stood Still," "My Funny Valentine," "Where or When" and "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered
" Pulitzer Prize-winning 1943 musical Oklahoma! marked the beginning of Rodgers' 17-year partnership with lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II
Rodgers & Hammerstein's subsequent triumphs included the musicals Carousel (1945), South Pacific (1949), The King and I (1951) and The Sound of Music (1959)
Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970
Honored posthumously when the 46th Street Theatre on Broadway was renamed Richard Rodgers Theatre in 1990
Rodgers & Hammerstein were commemorated on a U
S
postage stamp in 1999
Daughters Mary and Linda have established themselves as musical composers, as have their sons, Adam Guettel and Peter Melnick
Awards
1962Emmy-Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composed for Television:winner