Rodgers and Hammerstein to the musical-play form – with such masterworks as "Carousel", "The King and I" and "South Pacific". The examples they set in creating vital plays, often rich with social thought, provided the necessary encouragement for other gifted writers to create musical plays of their own." In 1950, the team of Rodgers and Hammerstein received The Hundred Year Association of New York's Gold Medal Award "in recognition of outstanding contributions to the City of New York." They were also honored in 1999 with a United States Postal Service stamp commemorating their partnership. The Richard Rodgers Theatre in New York City is
Rodgers and Hammerstein from Syracuse" (1938), "Pal Joey" (1940), and "By Jupiter" (1942), as well as many successful film projects. Hammerstein, a co-writer of the popular Rudolf Friml 1924 operetta "Rose-Marie", and Sigmund Romberg operettas "The Desert Song" (1926) and "The New Moon" (1928), began a successful collaboration with composer Jerome Kern on "Sunny" (1925), which was a hit. Their 1927 musical "Show Boat" is considered to be one of the masterpieces of the American musical theatre. Other Hammerstein/Kern collaborations include "Sweet Adeline" (1929) and "Very Warm for May" (1939). Although the last of these was panned by critics, it contains one of