Mary Rodgers, Famous Musical Composer, Dies at 83

Mary Rodgers, famous composer of various musicals, has died at 83 years old. She was the composer of "Once upon a Mattress", which was the musical that catapulted Carol Burnett's career. Moreover, Rodgers was also the author of the story of "Freaky Friday."

Rodgers died inside her New York home on Thursday. Her son, Alec Guettel, informed Associated Press that Rodgers was battling a long-term illness.

Apart from her accomplishments in the industry of writing and theater, Rodgers was also recognized for her contributions to the music industry. Richard Rodgers, her father, was one of the most celebrated composers of Broadway songs of all time. In fact, he even had numerous musicals that became a hit, such as 'The King and I", "South Pacific", and "The Sound of Music."

Her son, Adam Guettel, is a Tony-award winning lyricist and composer who composed the musical score for "Floyd Collins" and "The Light in the Piazza."

Rodgers told Columbus Dispatch during an exclusive interview in 1998, "I often feel I'm a gene conduit. I'm just passing it between my father and my son."

Her very own hit musical first opened on the Broadway stage in 1959. She said that Burnett was the best choice for the role. However, she was not shy in sharing what she thought about Sarah Jessica Parker's performance for the 1996 revival. She said, "That was absolutely terrible. You need a real clown, and they're very scarce, and finding a singing clown is even harder."

Rodgers was born in New York on the 11^th of January 1931. She was never shy when she talked about her father, who was regarded as a legend of his time. She shared that her father was oftentimes a very difficult man, both professionally and personally.

She was interviewed by the New York Times in 2001 and she shared about a past experience with her father when they watched a home video of him playing with her when she was only 10 months old. She said, "I looked at it and thought, 'God, where did that man go and why did I never see him?' That charming-looking handsome kid turned into a wizened, sad, deer-in-the-headlights person."