In 1968, Harry Nilsson began work on a Broadway musical he conceived about the Wright Brothers. To help write the book for "How Wright You Are," Nilsson enlisted David Sontag[1] and John Bradford[2]. Nilsson would provide the score. They intended to use the "living screen technique developed in Czechoslovakia"[3] as well as "projections and graphics."
"Nilsson is said to have completed 14 songs, while Sontag and Bradford are into the second act of the book."[4]
Nilsson said that he would liked to have Tommy and Dick Smothers play the Wright Brothers in the musical. [5]
Man wasn't meant to, to fly
He wasn't meant to go up in the sky
Man wasn't meant for such things
If God wanted Man to fly, we'd have wings
-- "Man Wasn't Meant to Fly" by Harry Nilsson
The play was never produced, but Alyn Shipton found a "substantial draft" of the work, renamed "Orville and Wilbur," in Harry's personal files. It is based on Orville Wright's long struggle to get the Smithsonian to acknowledge that the Wrights had built and flown the first successful powered manned airplane.[6]
- [1] A TV producer and writer who helped create and produce Playboy After Dark
- [2] Most likely, the TV writer known for The Judy Garland Show and The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour
- [3] This probably a reference to "lanterna magica," a multimedia theater experience developed in Czechoslovakia. (https:/
/ )en. wikipedia. org/ wiki/ Magician%27s_Lantern - [4] The Morning Call (Paterson, New Jersey), Hobe Morrison (1968-12-11) "An Airborne Musical?"
- [5] Joyce Haber (1968-09-08) "Harry Nilsson - A Square High in Hip Circles" Publication Los Angeles Times
- [6] Alyn Shipton. Oxford University Press. (2013) "Nilsson: The Life of a Singer-Songwriter"
