Writing Career
Larsen was a writer for the classic Ralph Edwards audience participation TV show Truth or Consequences (1956–1977) starring Bob Barker.
He also wrote the Malibu U television series (1967) and audience participation shows starring Vin Scully and Jim Nabors.
Milt Larsen and collaborator Bobby Lauher wrote the book for the stage musical Victory Canteen starring Patty Andrews of the Andrews Sisters fame. Songs were written by Mary Poppins songwriters Robert B. Sherman and Richard M. Sherman.
Richard Sherman and Larsen wrote words and music for the comedy musical Pazzazz! (book by Larsen, Sherman and Joseph Hoffman). The musical had its world premiere at the Granada Center for the Performing Arts in Santa Barbara, California in June 2008. It was produced by Larsen and his wife Arlene. A capsulized version of the musical was presented at Walt Disney's El Capitan Theater in Hollywood (February 2010).
Richard Sherman and Larsen created a satirical record album which has since made the transition to CD: Smash Flops, featuring tongue-in-cheek songs like "Bon Voyage, Titanic", "General Custer", and features "Congratulations Tom Dewey", which was used for the theme song in the stage production Give 'Em Hell, Harry!, a one-man stage play about United States President Harry S. Truman starring James Whitmore, later made into an Academy Award nominated film (1975). They also wrote the comedy classic LP, now a CD, Banned Barbershop Ballads (which includes tunes like "Watch World War Three on Pay TV").
Frequent collaborators include John Shrum, Dr. Thomas Heric, Richard M. Sherman, Carol Marie, Verne Langdon, Tom Glover, and Ralph Edwards.
Read more about this topic: Milt Larsen
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