Peter Howard (born Howard Weiss, 1927-2008) was elected to The Lambs in 2004 as a Professional Member. He was an arranger, composer, and musician. He worked closely with choreographers like Bob Fosse and Gower Champion to support dance and drama, earning him the title of “the greatest dance arranger” by many in the theater world. A Juilliard graduate, he was a skilled pianist, conductor, and composer, known for his humility and deep understanding of musical theater. He played Tinkerbell’s bell in the 1960 TV production of Peter Pan.
Sheila Smith, partner of Shepherd Randy Phillips, wrote in The Lambs’ Script: “the American Theater mourns the death of Peter Howard, Lamb and Broadway music man, who left us in April 2008. His major credits range from dance arrangements for the original Broadway productions of Hello, Dolly, Chicago, Crazy for You, and assistant conductor on The Sound of Music, to musical director for 1776 and Annie.”
“Peter, an amazing pianist/vocal arranger first met Randy Phillips in Hello, Dolly (1962), and in 1957 he introduced me to Shepherd Billy Gaxton, Bert Lahr, and Tom Dillon at an extravagant Gambol.”
His work extended to movies. Howard arranged the Chinese-influenced version of “Anything Goes” used to open Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom for Steven Spielberg in 1984.
In his seventies, he toured with his one-man show, Peter Howard’s Broadway, sharing his vast knowledge and love for musical theater.
Peter Howard died April 18, 2008, in Englewood, New Jersey, in the Actors Fund Home. He was 80 years old.