Oscar Hammerstein II Romberg; but he is best known for his collaborations with Richard Rodgers, as the duo Rodgers and Hammerstein which include "Oklahoma!", "Carousel", "South Pacific", "The King and I", and "The Sound of Music". Oscar Greeley Clendenning Hammerstein II was born in New York City, the son of Alice Hammerstein (née Nimmo) and theatrical manager William Hammerstein. His grandfather was the German theatre impresario Oscar Hammerstein I. His father was from a Jewish family, and his mother was the daughter of Scottish and English parents. He was raised Episcopalian. Although Hammerstein's father managed the Victoria Theatre for his father and was
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