Larry Simon Gelbart (1928 – 2009) was an American television writer, playwright, screenwriter and author. Gelbart co-wrote the long-running Broadway musical farce A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum with Burt Shevelove and Stephen Sondheim in 1962. The show was in trouble during its tryout performances in Washington, D.C., which is when Gelbart uttered the now-classic line, "If Hitler is alive, I hope he's out of town with a musical." Rewrites and restaging helped and when the show reached Broadway, it was a smash hit. The original production ran for 964 performances. Its book won a Tony Award. A film version starring Zero Mostel was released in 1966. Gelbart was extremely critical of the movie. Gelbart's other Broadway credits include the musical City of Angels, which won him the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Book of a Musical and an Edgar Award. He also wrote the Iran-contra satire Mastergate, as well as Sly Fox.
