Excerpts from an interview with Jule Styne, famed composer of FUNNY GIRL, BELLS ARE RINGING, GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES, PETER PAN and Broadway classic GYPSY. Styne discusses his life and career and performs one of the first songs he ever wrote. The interview took place in 1979 on the occasion of the release of Styne’s biography simply entitled, Jule. The legendary composer recalls his early days in London as a Harry Lauder imitator, and growing up in Chicago, playing in jazz bands with Benny Goodman, Glenn Miller and Jack Teagarden, meeting Al Capone, his Hollywood career with Frank Loesser and Sammy Cahn, evenings in Los Angeles with Frank Sinatra and Jerome Kern, and of course, his Broadway shows with Busby Berkeley, Jerome Robbins, George Abbott, Comden & Green, Bob Merrill, Arthur Laurents and Stephen Sondheim.

Featured songs performed by Styne at the piano: “The Guy With The Polka-Dotted Tie,” and “Never Never Land.“

Originally produced and broadcast in 1986. For more information go to AnythingGoesPL.com or BPN.FM/AnythingGoes. Theme music arranged by Bruce Coughlin. Sound mixing by David Rapkin. Associate producer Jeff Lunden. Anything Goes – Backstage with Broadway’s Best – is produced and hosted by Paul Lazarus.

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