Pippin Book Writer Roger O. Hirson Dies at 93

Roger O. Hirson, an acclaimed writer of stage and screen whose major Broadway success was as book writer of the hit musical Pippin, died on May 27 at home in New York City, according to The New York Times. He was 93.

Hirson was born in New York City on May 5, 1926. After serving in the army, he earned a bachelor's degree in English from Yale University.

He made his Broadway debut writing the libretto to the musical Walking Happy (1966), featuring music by James Van Heusen and lyrics by Sammy Cahn. The show ran 161 performances at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre and marked Hirson's first Tony Award nomination.

Hirson next collaborated with songwriter Stephen Schwartz, director-choreographer Bob Fosse and star Ben Vereen on Pippin, which opened at the Imperial Theatre in 1972, later moving to the Minskoff Theatre and running for five years, clocking in 1,944 Broadway performances total. The musical earned Hirson his second Tony nomination, with Vereen triumphing for his turn as The Leading Player and Fosse winning a pair of Tonys for his work.

Early in his career, two of Hirson's straight plays were produced off-Broadway, Journey to the Day (1963) and World War 2 1/2 (1969). Later on, his Hollywood writing work netted him an Emmy nomination for the drama series The Adams Chronicles (1976).

Four decades after Pippin opened, the musical received an acclaimed Broadway revival (2013), which won the Tony Award for Best Musical Revival in addition to wins for director Diane Paulus and stars Patina Miller and Andrea Martin.

Years after the initial success of Pippin, Hirson excelled on-screen as writer of the miniseries A Woman Named Jackie (1991), about the life of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. It marked his final major writing credit.

Hirson is survived by his sons, David and Christopher, and a grandson.