a comedy tonight reporter: his work celebrated on stage and film and revered by broadway s best. i m a broadway baby broadway baby slaving at a five and ten reporter: talented first nurtured by oscar hammerstein ii. mentor, surrogate father and lyricist of oklahoma and south pacific. he urged a reluctant sondheim to write the music for west side story. he was the one who said stop fetching, take the job. you write music later. reporter: he didn t love his lyrics, with the least important words on the most important notes. there s a place for us there s a place for us every time i hear that i think, oh, god. i like to be in america reporter: but they would be his launching pad, doing the lyrics for gypsy . reporter: then his words for companies, follies and a little
frank sinatra. send in the clowns reporter: putting the words and music of broadway s master into the top firm meant. it is the right singer at the right time with the right material. reporter: it was sondheim who was right for his time. someone to make you come through who always will be there as frightened as you of being alive reporter: filling theaters with songs about the complex relationships between people. i want you so it is like i m losing my mind reporter: and unusual subjects, a murderous barber. a barber of fleet street reporter: presidential assassins, a 19th century french painter. stephen reinvented the american musical. reporter: presidential honors, eight tonys, pulitzer prize, an oscar, his name
permanently in lights on broadway. something for everyone a comedy tonight reporter: his work celebrated on stage and film and revered by broadway s best. i m a broadway baby broadway baby slafg at a five and ten reporter: talented first nurtured by oscar hammerstein ii. he urged a reluctant sondheim to write the music for west side story. he was the one who said stop fetching, take the job. you write music later. reporter: he didn t love his lyrics, with the least important words on the most important notes. there s a place for us there s a place for us every time i hear that i think, oh, god. i like to be in america reporter: but they would be his launching pad, doing the lyrics for gypsy .