Jacques Brel Scribe Eric Blau Dead at Age 87

Eric Blau, the man who penned one of off-Broadway’s longest running hits, Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris, passed away from complications related to pneumonia and stroke on February 17. The New York City resident was 87.

A poet, author and children’s television producer, Blau was inspired by the songs of Belgian-born songster Jacques Brel after being introduced to his music by a friend who worked at Columbia Records. According his his wife, Elly Stone, it was she who requested the songs be translated into English. Blau and composer Mort Shuman eventually collaborated on an entire evening of the Brel’s haunting, bittersweet selections, all translated into English and strung together with connective material into a now famous musical revue. The resulting show, performed by a cast of four including the playwright’s wife, Ms. Stone, and the composer, debuted at The Village Gate in 1968, running for four years and sparking numerous regional and community productions across the globe. The show eventually transferred for a short run on Broadway at the Royale Theatre, playing 51 performances between September 13, 1972 and October 28, 1972.

Born in Connecticut on June 1, 1921, Blau was the son of Hungarian immigrants. Raised on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, the scribe would remain in the city for the rest of his life. After a stint at City College of New York, Blau served in the United States Army during World War II, publishing poems in French journals during his time in Europe. Upon his return, the veteran found work in both writing and public relations, eventually becoming editor of the Communist journal Masses and Mainstream.

After the creation of Jacques Brel, Blau published several novels and books of poetry, as well as additional off-Broadway musicals, including 1974’s How to Get Rid of It and The Cockeyed Tiger, both of which he directed, though neither reached the level of acclaim their predecessor did—which, according to his son Matthew, was just fine with the writer.

In 2006, the artist also provided additional material for the acclaimed off-Broadway revival of Jacques Brel, which ran for a year at the Zipper Theater and starred Robert Cuccioli, Natascia Diaz, Rodney Hicks and Gay Marshall.

Blau is survived by his wife, sons Matthew, John and Peter, four grandchildren and one great-granddaughter.