Howard Ashman (1950-1991) was a lyricist for Disney Animation. Howard Ashman was born on May 17, 1950 in Baltimore, Maryland. He began his career as a playwright writing plays and musicals including Little Shop of Horrors which was later turned into a movie starring Steve Martin and Rick Moranis and directed by Muppet Performer and Director Frank Oz.
Disney
The Little Mermaid
Howard Ashman and Alan Menken were approached to write music for a Disney film of their choice. Ashman chose Little Mermaid the story of a Mermaid named Ariel who falls in love with a prince on land. They wrote the songs "Part of Your World", "Kiss the Girl", "Poor Unfortunate Souls", and "Under the Sea". Ashman not only wrote the music with Menken but he also served as the film's producer. Ashman also conducted Jodi Benson to sing Part of Your World right and he also dressed up as Ursula to show Pat Carroll how to sing "Poor Unfortunate Souls". Ashman and Menken won three Academy Awards for original songs in the movie in 1989.
Beauty and the Beast
Ashman and Menken were bought into team writing songs again for another Disney Movie called Beauty and the Beast which was early selected by Walt Disney in the 1940s and 50s but was scrapped when the animators couldn't find the right story. Walt's nephew Roy Edward Disney decided to give Beauty and the Beast another shot. Ashman and Menken wrote Be Our Guest, Gaston, and Beauty and the Beast and also a deleted song Human Again. Since Beauty and the Beast was a musical Ashman chose many Broadway actors and actresses including Paige O'Hara, Jerry Orbach, and Angela Lansbury to voice the characters and he also coached them very well to sing the songs just perfectly.
Aladdin
After Beauty and the Beast Ashman and Menken were bought to compose songs for Aladdin the story of a poor boy who falls in love with a princess and must save her from an evil sorcerer. Ashman and Menken wrote the songs Arabian Nights, Prince Ali, Friend Like Me, and Proud of Your Boy (which was deleted). Directors Ron Clements and John Musker talked to Menken and Ashman about writing a song for the Magic Carpet ride but sadly Ashman and Menken wouldn't be able to write this or finish the rest of the songs together. Tim Rice was hired to replace Ashman.
Death and Legacy
At the 1989 Oscars for Little Mermaid Ashman told Menken they needed to talk when they got home to New York City about something important that couldn't be mentioned at the Oscars. When they got back to Ashman's house in New York Ashman told Menken that he was sick and was HIV positive and revealed during the production of Beauty and the Beast that he had been diagnosed with AIDS which made him weaker everyday but never stopped him from writing songs. Before he passed away, they showed him a finished version of Beauty and the Beast. He then died four days later on March 14 1991 at a Hospital in New York City at the age of 40. Ashman never married, but he was survived by his life partner Bill Lauch, his sister Sarah Ashman-Gillespie, and his mom Shirley Ashman. Beauty and the Beast was dedicated to Ashman during the end credits reading:
TO OUR FRIEND HOWARD
WHO GAVE A MERMAID HER VOICE
AND A BEAST HIS SOUL
WILL BE FOREVER GREATFUL
HOWARD ASHMAN
1950-1991.
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