Larry Kert obituaries in 1991:
New York Times 8th June 1991
Larry Kert, the singer and actor who soared to fame in 1957 as the male romantic lead in “West Side Story,” died Wednesday night at his home in Manhattan. He was 60 years old.
He died of AIDS, a family spokesman said.
Mr. Kert, with his big, resonant tenor, captivated “West Side Story” audiences for three years with such compelling songs as “Tonight,” “Maria” and “Something’s Coming.” The explosive tale of star-crossed lovers doomed by prejudice, with its score by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, direction and choreography by Jerome Robbins and book by Arthur Laurents, enthralled audiences in New York, London and on tour, and, later, in film and repeated revivals.
A decade later, Mr. Kert again triumphed on Broadway and in London in “Company,” interpreting Mr. Sondheim’s elegantly intricate musical exploration of urbane marriage and nonmarriage. He took over the central role from Dean Jones after only three weeks, led the long run and became the first replacement actor to be nominated for a Tony Award.
LA Times 7th June 1991
Larry Kert, whose soaring tenor voice gave the nation its initial glimpse of many of the melodic miracles of “West Side Story,” has died in New York of AIDS.
Kert, 60, died of the disease Wednesday at his home, said director Martin Charnin, who appeared with the actor in the landmark musical.
The musical retelling of “Romeo and Juliet” arrived at the Winter Garden Theater in 1957. Kert and Carol Lawrence played star-crossed lovers doomed by gang warfare between Anglos and Puerto Ricans.
Kert, with his appealing voice and sensitive stance, sang some of the most memorable songs in the Leonard Bernstein-Stephen Sondheim score–“Maria,” “Tonight” and “Something’s Coming.”
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But Kert’s career faltered after that meteoric rise, and it was not until 1970, when he starred in “Company,” that the Los Angeles native returned to his early prominence.
Kert had been hired to understudy Dean Jones as the star of “Company,” Sondheim’s musical about marriage and bachelorhood in Manhattan.
After only two weeks, Jones left the cast, ostensibly for health reasons, but many said it was because of disenchantment with the play.
Kert was drinking a beer at a New York Knicks basketball game when he was told to rush to the theater.
He was nominated for a Tony Award for his subsequent performances, the only replacement actor ever considered for the prize. He toured with the play for several years.
Chicago Tribune 7th June 1991
Larry Kert, the singer and actor who soared to fame in 1957 as the young leader of the Jets gang in ”West Side Story,” died Wednesday night at his home in Manhattan. He was 60.
He died of AIDS, a family spokesman said.
Mr. Kert, with his big, resonant tenor, captivated ”West Side Story”
audiences for three years with such compelling songs as ”Tonight,” ”Maria” and ”Something`s Coming.”
The explosive tale of star-crossed lovers doomed by prejudice, with its score by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, direction and choreography by Jerome Robbins and book by Arthur Laurents, enthralled audiences in New York, London and on tour, and, later, in film and repeated revivals.
A decade later, Mr. Kert again triumphed on Broadway and in London in
”Company” and was nominated for a Tony award.
NEWS
Larry Kert; ‘West Side Story’ Star
June 7, 1991 | BURT A. FOLKART, TIMES STAFF WRITER
Larry Kert, whose soaring tenor voice gave the nation its initial glimpse of many of the melodic miracles of “West Side Story,” has died in New York of AIDS. Kert, 60, died of the disease Wednesday at his home, said director Martin Charnin, who appeared with the actor in the landmark musical. The musical retelling of “Romeo and Juliet” arrived at the Winter Garden Theater in 1957. Kert and Carol Lawrence played star-crossed lovers doomed by gang warfare between Anglos and Puerto Ricans.