60 Minutes Archive: Stephen Sondheim

Stephen Sondheim, the legendary Broadway composer, has died at 91. In 1988, Diane Sawyer profiled Sondheim for 60 Minutes.
"60 Minutes" is the most successful television broadcast in history. Offering hard-hitting investigative reports, interviews, feature segments and profiles of people in the news, the broadcast began in 1968 and is still a hit, over 50 seasons later, regularly making Nielsen's Top 10.
Subscribe to the “60 Minutes” KZbin channel: bit.ly/1S7CLRu
Watch full episodes: cbsn.ws/1Qkjo1F
Get more “60 Minutes” from “60 Minutes: Overtime”: cbsn.ws/1KG3sdr
Follow “60 Minutes” on Instagram: bit.ly/23Xv8Ry
Like “60 Minutes” on Facebook: on. 1Xb1Dao
Follow “60 Minutes” on Twitter: bit.ly/1KxUsqX
Subscribe to our newsletter: cbsn.ws/1RqHw7T
Download the CBS News app: cbsn.ws/1Xb1WC8
Try Paramount+ free: bit.ly/2OiW1kZ
For video licensing inquiries, contact: [e-mail]

[@broqoli]

Sondheim used a thesaurus to write his musicals. That should give you the motivation that you can use every tool at your disposal to get the job done.

[@HedonismCentral]

For Sweeney Todd, he used old maps of London to find exactly the right street names of the right number of syllables, with the stress on the syllable he needed.

[@TheMaestroCraig]

@@HedonismCentral That's new to me! Thank you! (I guess he was ok for Fleet street)

[@johntlew]

His genius went far beyond the use of a thesaurus.

[@KenDanieli]

And Diane Sawyer was a cnut about it.

[@joshuakohlmann9731]

I may be wrong, but I think he invented "Kearney's Lane" because he couldn't find an actual street name in London that fitted properly.

[@broadwaymike92]

My heart is devestated. There will NEVER ever be another Stephen Sondheim. An unforgettable genius who changed the face on how we see Live Theater today. Thank you for inspiring me to be the artist that I want to be. RIP

[@ChrisSmith-tu9bu]

How we see life

[@DivoGo]

AMEN!!

[@Skitdora2010]

I agree there will not be another Stephen Sondheim, but I do not agree that somebody like him won't pop up. As he states as the video concluded, he taught through his musicals as he didn't have his own children. He made us all his children by doing so. Somebody will come along and be in tune with his ideas taught and carry them on, for sure. Following the idea that you write 90% you, you should write your life though, and not write imitating his. His style will only naturally come through the circumstances that made him.

[@kathysherlock-green7098]

He used a thesaurus and a dictionary for inspiration, but he chose the words and where to put them. That was his genius.

[@joshuakohlmann9731]

I think it's very silly to assume that it's somehow "cheating" for a lyricist to use a thesaurus or rhyming dictionary. These are tools at a lyricist's disposal. Is it cheating for a farmer to use a combine harvester?

[@davidserlin8097]

@@joshuakohlmann9731 Agreed. I think it comes from the myth of the singular "heroic" genius, someone who just spouts forth brilliant books (or art, or music, or architecture) that require no effort. No drafts, no research---they just will it into existence and it's perfect. It's such a powerful myth that it makes people believe that they can't create art themselves.

[@johntlew]

@@joshuakohlmann9731 Funny. I’ve never heard that using a thesaurus was “cheating”.

[@gljm]

To paraphrase Edwin Stanton: "“Now he belongs to the ages.”

[@christinefinn9900]

Some years ago I was backstage at a Broadway theatre looking for a dressing room, to congratulate a British actor friend. I was a bit lost but joined by a tall man who was also looking to find the same. We shared a lift. I didn't recognise him, until we knocked on the dressing room door. When it opened, my actor friend inside gasped to the assembled cast - " Stephen! Everyone - it's Stephen Sondheim!" Unforgettable. Thankyou Stephen Sondheim, for the music, and it all.

[@alexgray727]

“Rest now, my friend. Rest now forever. Sleep now, the untroubled sleep of the angels…”

[@cynthiahawkins2389]

Decades ago: I was a young secretary at Ted Bates Advertising. We had gotten comps to a new show. On Valentine's Day evening....a group of us from the media buyers went to see it in preview. The cast included Glynis Johns, Hermione Gingold, Len Cariou and an astonishing singer named D. Jamin Bartlett who stood the audience on its ear with a song called "The Miller's Son'... But my most vivid memory: a white canopied bed. Glynis in a bright red empire gown, whispering, "Isn't it rich, isn't it queer..?".. as a transfixed Cariou in his tuxedo watches her lovingly from downstage. You could have heard a pin drop. We didn't know it then, but musical theatre history was happening - before our very eyes as we watched this incredible production. Sondheim, with his unique genius made it happen... RIP...

[@adelasussman3838]

Thank you, Cynthia Hawkins, for this story! I've been listening to Dame Judi Dench singing "Send in the Clowns" - another brilliant interpretation of that memorable song!

[@bteasley99]

Thank you.

[@anneludlow4891]

Someone else said this elsewhere, so I'll say it here-- There's a giant in the sky now. And we are not alone. RIP, Stephen Sondheim. You are forever honored, loved, and missed.

[@cufflink44]

The only kind of immortality that's real is what you achieve when the work you leave behind continues to enrich the lives of others. On that basis, Stephen Sondheim will live forever.

[@nasugbubatangas]

I don't know if it is only me but I like looking at Sondheim all this interview. His smile and his expressions are larger than life. There is a certain sweetness on the way he responds. I'd even call him an eye candy. Even when at 90 years old, he still had that charm.

[@thomasmccabe6690]

He was a master of his craft. We will never know his equal. Thankful to have shared the earth at the same time.

[@tracyroweauthor]

how often do we get to say we were alive at the same time as a legend? Sondheim constantly changed musical theater, and touched the lives of all the people he worked with. You can see the absolute joy he got from everything he did. Rest in peace, Mr. Sondheim. Your music will live on for you.

[@evesmith3724]

Absolute genius. We’ll miss you. Rest In Peace.

[@ZackPaslay]

A once-in-a-generation talent. A mastermind

[@Mason_____]

A master of western music. In the books alongside masters like Mozart.

[@dr.scanlan6112]

@@Mason_____ 100%

[@keitha.355]

Sometimes people leave you halfway through the wood. Do not let it grieve you, no one leaves for good.

[@gastronautadf]

Thank you 60 Minutes for pulling this from the archives to share it with us.

[@joshuakohlmann9731]

For me the most emotional moment in the interview is when he says that art & teaching are "the other way " of having children...echoing a song in Sunday In The Park With George. RIP Stephen Sondheim, father to millions.

[@mguevarra61]

Isn't it terrific that we have his brilliant work to remember him by? His songs have always brought me comfort and joy, whatever time of day it is. I will forever adore Sondheim.

[@mariasmay6201]

RIP Mr. Sondheim. You're the reason I started writing lyrics and performing. You'll be sorely missed by so many ❤️❤️

[@francescarubino9453]

Thank you so much for posting this. My favorite song of his is "Nothing's Gonna Harm You" from Sweeney Todd. What a brilliant and talented man. Rest in Peace and much comfort to his family at this time.

[@quinbrick8861]

same

[@jessepferr2814]

RIP STEPHEN SONDHIEM. Your songs will always be in my heart

[@battlegirldeb]

Not many of my friend understand how much I loved his musicals and how much I will miss this man.

[@Peter-oh3hc]

I understand. Besides my daughter there is noone for me to talk to about this

[@chrisa0001]

I understand. I accompany and play in pits. I first played Into the Woods in 1990, probably the post-Broadway west coast premiere at a LORT house in Palo Alto. I have since then played over a dozen different productions of Woods. It doesn't get old.

[@Peter-oh3hc]

@@chrisa0001 you probably saw it, but there is is a 50+ minute KZbin video called "into the woods - MTI conversation piece with stephen sondheim" where he explains how to play all the songs if you are putting on a production. I found it fascinating and I am not involved in theater

[@kathyastrom1315]

I just watched Tick, Tick, Boom this week. It has a wonderful example of Sondheim’s generous sharing of his insights with young show writers. He even rewrote and recorded the final audio clip heard from his character in the show.

[@riverebec1]

I just rewatced that yesterday! So, that WAS the actual Sondheim.

[@KirkLinnDeGrassi]

@@riverebec1 only in “Sunday” the rest was actually Bradley Whitford

[@riverebec1]

@@KirkLinnDeGrassi I meant the message on the answering machine. That sounded exactly like the actual Stephen Sondheim.

[@kathyastrom1315]

@@riverebec1 According to Lin-Manuel Miranda on the Colbert show, Sondheim saw a early cut of the film and told him that the dialogue that Whitford’s Sondheim used in the original phone message was way too cliche to be coming from him. He volunteered to rewrite the message and then said he’d be willing to record it if Whitford wasn’t available. LMM immediately said that he wasn’t (even though BW probably would have been fine with re-recording it) and snapped him up on his offer.

[@johnps30]

@Kathy Astrom me too! Now I understand all the talk about Andrew Garfield - what a gifted actor. Loved the clips of Jonathan under the credits. Remarkable movie.

[@sandybear61]

Stephen Sondheim giving permission to use a thesaurus in songwriting is everything

[@MrLiangyuwei]

Thank you for everything sir

[@robrivax]

The epitome of a creative life in the musical theater. Thank you Mr. Sondheim. Thank you.

[@portiacue5320]

Stephen, wishing you the sweetest, most blissful, this new beginning. There are no words to express the gratitude. ❤

[@TheSometimesWhy]

His life, his genius, was as such that if the world ever sought to make a movie of his life, one could never imagine anyone else playing the role of Mr. Sondheim because no one ever could--he was as singular as could be...Rest in the thunderous applause that your life inspired, sir!

[@joyj1219]

Rest In Peace, Sir, thank you for your beautiful songs.

[@aarongreenberg159]

Oh if life were only moments, even now and then a bad one//but if life were only moments, then you’d never know you had one

[@princepeterwolf]

He was the greatest gift the musical theater ever had

[@marielenaflorapuda4810]

Can't believe he's dead, didn't know him that much. I found just earlier how he has greatly influenced broadway and etc. I just saw and heard him from Jonathan Larsons story and the film *"tick, tick...boom!"* . This news is big. I just know now that he is legend, for creating many musicals. RIP Sir Stephen :(

[@troydanielboy]

Sunday and Wednesday, in cities all over, Fathom Events is hosting West Side Story. You might be near a theatre. Sunday is 3pm and Wednesday 7 I believe. Check it out.

[@sadface7321]

Rest in peace, dear Stephen Sondheim. You will forever be remembered as an exquisite and incredibly gifted composer, lyricist and creator. Thank you for all you've given us, your artwork has heavily impacted and changed my life. Thank you, sir.

[@bluet6898]

Sad to hear of his passing,Sondheim his musicals,songs,lyrics part of a dying breed of good song writers, not bad for a native New Yorker.

[@ryanscottlogan8459]

No place produced greater talent than NY!

[@cynthiahusband106]

A true genius in every sense of the word, putting lyrics and music together like stringing diamonds together in making a gorgeous necklace. When my child was born I sang to him “Not While I’m Around” the lyrics are gorgeous the music as well. So glad there was a Stephen Sondheim to fill the world with such beauty, such beauty we may never hear or see again. Thank you Mr Sondheim for your “ other worldly talents” that will live on forever for generations to come may know your music , it’s beauty , music that touched your very soul and heart. RIP

[@mildredhighcock7333]

passing what? Gas?

[@themoviecritic1092]

@@mildredhighcock7333 He's dead.

[@lorrainechandler7864]

@@cynthiahusband106 💙

[@mercygrrl]

I remember watching this on TV one Sunday night in 1988. Thank you, CBS for uploading. Thank you Mr Sondheim-- your music will remain a blessing in everyone's memory.

[@bernardcleary4330]

A one-in-a-million genius whose work will go down in history as a treasure-trove of brilliance and profundity. I will always treasure the countless hours of thought-provoking entertainment he has provided me.

[@haraecca8251]

RIP Stephen Sondheim. His kind of talent was rare. As someone who loves theatre, he serves as an inspiration in my life

[@otterhero6229]

So much love In his words Forever with his colours How he looks He can look forever

[@johnnydidonna6081]

The Jets are gonna pour one out, tonight. God speed Stephen!

[@thomasfredjackson1115]

Seeing Ethyl Merman was icing on this whole interview..

[@chrisyoungblood9234]

Rest In Peace gentle man. You live on through the work you have left us. ❤️

[@ruby-annlevendal2294]

Rest in eternal peace

[@hases2772]

Rest In Peace, your work will be with us forever, generations will enjoy your work and your legacy is secure. I feel blessed where work like this was being made in my age

[@randyisble5996]

The angels singing in your choir must sound exquisite. RIP Stephen...you are already missed.

[@edithlazenby5839]

I can't imagine having rehearsal with Sondheim!! My God what a perfectionist and true gift to the theater!! May you RIP...

[@debra-vs]

The Thesaurus is an amazing tool for any wordsmith.

[@deboerkanna1]

You will be missed Stephen, i am so sad now….thanks for all your great songs!

[@elichaitman3294]

You can tell from this interview that this man loved what he did with a burning passion. I love that.

[@dennyforest837]

How lucky were we to have him all these years?

[@willec7105]

One of those rare, special, one-of-a-kind people from whom the human community can't get enough so every minute with him or his music is deliciously savored and valued like gold. People like Stephen are "sent" to us from another place to channel what we need to hear, see, feel and learn and that's called "talent" or a "gift." Thank you, Stephen for accepting your mission and agreeing to act as the human conduit for all that flowed from and through you.

[@davidworobec1673]

My favorite Broadway composer! May he Rest In Peace.

[@iliesko]

The one trully magnificent thing about this amazing human being..is that he will live for decades on end..he will live much after we're all gone (and I'm in my early 30s) because his music is everlasting and it will continue to live as it passes generations...he will never actually be gone..and he is a part of that amazing group of people who pass on...but never actually die..how can one die when you hear Being Alive, No one's gonna harm you, and so on..? Glad he got to see his last work in previews..he can rest now. Stephen, you'll live forever, man! Everytime someone in this huge but small world will sing one of your songs..you'll live again..and again..and forever. Thank you!

[@zovalentine7305]

Rest in powerful peace Stephen Sondheim 🙏 22 March 1930 ~ 26 November 2021⚘

[@meveevem1001]

Thank you dearest Stephen Sondheim. Fantastic interview - to see him younger and so candid and alive! ❤❤

[@lucaslukis8166]

RIP Mr. Sondheim, your legacy will be eternal. The world has lost one of the best artist of all time. I hope someday we can watch your last work, your final farewell, your last curtain call, your "square one"

[@aliceraven904]

“May his memory be a blessing” would be the more appropriate thing to say to honor him since Sondheim is Jewish. And I agree, I hope we can witness his last work some day again.

[@hellbenthornball1153]

Sondheim mentioned on Colbert's show that "Square One" had been run through workshops, so that's a good sign that at least his compositions had been completed.

[@johnnydeep7293]

The editing of this video is spot on!

[@lisalala4lyfe206]

well when youre next door neighbors to another Musical legend, why not also be another genius of the times. Stephen was that for us. RIP.

[@lofiftyfifty9206]

Mischief, Magic, Music, Mourned ❤️💧

[@amazingabby25]

May his memory be a blessing

[@ashleelarsen5002]

Wow that's 4 months before I was born

[@AlyssaSteiner]

Into the Woods is my favorite musical (technically tied with Phantom of the Opera) and 2 months ago i played Cinderella for the second time. Obviously the algorithm keeps suggesting Sondheim stuff to me after all my research for the recent production and I'm still missing the show but these kind of videos just make me smile to see the genius talk about his work and make me glad I've gotten to perform one of his beautiful creations

[@HoustonKeith72]

What comes through in this interview is how deeply he loved writing and composing music. His enthusiasm for music and words and painting character and feeling with song was boundless. As if there is nothing he could have ever possibly done with his life. Truly one of our age’s great artistic geniuses.

[@lohphat]

Passing in your sleep at 91 is a blessing. It is so often not so gentle. Yes, sad a chapter of humanity has ended, but we should be celebrating, not wallowing in pathos.

[@nickj7335]

People tend to leave you.....halfway through the woods🕊

[@patrickhicks9880]

there will never be another he's up there with irving berlin ,cole porter,johnny mercer and gershwin

[@Lobajoba]

The part at the end where he regretted not having kids quietly broke my heart. I hope the art and teaching mended his.

[@flarrfan]

Watch Sunday in the Park with George, here on KZbin with original cast pro-shot. If that's too much, just listen to "Children and Art" (and the rest of this 2 1/2 hour birthday celebration)... kzbin.info/www/bejne/g37YmJ6DrMqNg8k

[@localtheatrekid]

Rest In Peace, he will be remembered

[@angelicalicari8355]

He gave musical theater permission to be heavy, to explore the depressing side of the human condition. In that regard, he pave the way for modern favorites; Les Miserable, Rent, Wicked, Spring Awakening, Hamilton. Personally, I have never found depth or triumph or satisfaction in the more flowery musicals the way I have with his works and the works I listen above. Thank you, Stephen Sondheim.

[@brianscates5225]

'Send in the Clowns' will always be remembered.

[@sharonsassone2725]

My son Mike sent this to me! How wonderful (and seldom) in life that we are so intimately known by someone else that they can send you a lifetime of what you loved wrapped up in a video! ❤😂😢🎉😊😅

[@BreakfastKids]

he’s great, i hope he does one more musical before he dies . one of the greatest singers of all time and performers!!

[@badabingbadaboom489]

At 4:30 he talks about using a thesaurus. I wonder if he ever considered using a computer program to search for words much faster than even the thesaurus. I really like that he goes into detail about his thinking process.

[@rosea.2222]

Sondheim may not have got the children he envisioned - but as a theatre kid I feel like I've been raised on his music, his ideas and his wonderful shows which have taught me so much. He's the father of the modern american musical - and if the standards we have today (see Lin Manuel miranda's Tony acceptance speech for into the heights) are anything to go off; he taught his children well :))

[@MrJimmy1953]

RIP and Thank you for everything, mostly inspiration. 💙

[@zenboy21]

Thanks for posting. I needed that.

[@meganx6726]

I will always love you Stephen Sondheim. Always.

[@eddisonfoncette9103]

RIP, Stephen Sondheim an absolute giant of Broadway. I'm glad he got to see the new West Side Story and hopefully it will be as revered as the original theatre and movie version's.

[@alexkije]

OH! So very well done! Thanks for sharing.

[@bobsaleh1575]

We will miss you Stephen. You are so important to theatre. Your work is beloved. You can't be replaced but we can use your genius as a gauge for us.

[@MaestroFriedrich]

love him

[@jadenwaz9585]

The score for A Little Night Music will always have a place in my heart, a deep deep place. I’m so sad there are no more Sondheims: nobody nowadays will be able to touch him.

[@nataliep856]

Isn't it lovely how artists can capture us?

[@elizabethramirezsierra3700]

RIP Stephen Sondheim

[@danielledavis1524]

Rest In Peace

[@user-ol3wf4bw2x]

Sondheim may not have had the children he wanted, but his wondrous music is his immortal progeny.

[@emiliog.4432]

The best that ever did it. Rest easy.

[@steerpike66]

One of the greatest of American artists. The sheer magnitude of all the joy he brought into the world is awe-inspiring.

[@lourdesurquiza187]

One of a kind...Rest in Peace. Thanks for all you brought us

[@JeronisLeror]

You have went Into the Woods for one final journey. And I, an amateur composer at best, hope, that wherever you are, the words and songs you wrote will continue to touch hearts till long after even I am gone and the memory of my songs has faded. Rest well, Mr. Sondheim. You have more than earned it.

[@SuperlativeCG]

It's truly phenomenal.

[@owenroubeni4349]

RIP Mr. Sondheim

[@aliciamahmot8470]

thank you for all of your talents that graced our ears all these decades. RIP Mr fabulous! no longer Being Alive-- we will never forget what you gave us!

[@tommysepulveda6756]

My heart hurts so much from his loss ❤️ We’ll miss you always Stephen 🎼🎶

[@susantowers3161]

The greatest Broadway composer ever❤

[@KhasAdun1990]

Wow, that dude was an artist through and through. Incredible.

[@pjnugget333]

So full of life, even into his old age. A true master. RIP

[@Nargon46]

I miss you already, Mr. Sondheim. Thank you. For everything.

[@vanessacabrera8120]

My favorite song is Being Alive. My second is Franklin Shepherd Inc. it’s fun and fast paced!

[@joshuakohlmann9731]

I love Franklin Shepherd Inc too. It's like the comedy equivalent of "Epiphany" from Sweeney Todd. Both deal with characters having some sort of breakdown and turning away from their former lives forever, but one is chilling while the other is funny.

[@beaellie9766]

14:20 - He says it ALL right in this sequence. "Children and Art"...geez.

[@chrisa0001]

True, when he talked about his fervent belief that creating art is like having children, my mind went right to that song from "Sunday".

[@annienoelle4964]

my hero.

[@mildredhighcock7333]

GOD he was sexy and charismatic. Such a shame someone has to die for all of this great footage to be released but thank you anyway - it's terrific