Al Morgan (writer)

The novel was adapted for the screen as The Great Man, directed by and starring José Ferrer, with a screenplay co-written by Morgan; the cast included Ferrer, Dean Jagger, and Julie London, and the film was released by Universal Pictures. Morgan and Ferrer later collaborated on the book for the Broadway musical Oh, Captain!, which received a Tony Award nomination for Best Musical; Morgan also wrote the short-lived Broadway play Minor Miracle. In television, Morgan produced NBC’s Today from 1961 to 1968 and won the 1968 Emmy for Outstanding Achievement in Daytime Programming. He died on March 3, 2011, at his home in Brattleboro, Vermont. The novel’s use of the phrase “the great unwashed” did not originate it; the expression is attested at least as early as Edward Bulwer-Lytton’s Paul Clifford in 1830. Kirkus Reviews commented:
Morgan and José Ferrer collaborated on the screenplay of The Great Man, and it was directed in 1956 by Ferrer who also portrayed the lead role. Time's review detailed the story twists:
Bosley Crowther reviewing the film in The New York Times, described the film as:
When Morgan and Ferrer collaborated again two years later on the book for the musical comedy, Oh, Captain!, they were nominated for Broadway's 1958 Tony Award for Best Musical.
Morgan's other novels include One Star General and Anchor Woman.