Gender
Male
Born
Jan 30, 1928
Brooklyn, New York, USA
Died
Mar 16, 2014
New York, New York, USA
Producer Composer Director Arranger
Also Known As
Irwin Michnik [Birthname]
Comments
Biography: Mitch Leigh was born Irwin Michnick on January 30, 1928 in Brownsville, Brooklyn. He served in the United States Army and studied music at Yale University. He worked in advertising writing jingles while composing for various Broadway shows. He married Renee Goldman, with whom he had his son, Andy. He then married Abby Kimmelman, with whom he had his children, Rebecca and David.

Other Awards: Received the Contemporary Classics Award from the Songwriter's Hall of Fame for "The Impossible Dream."

Trivia:
Some of his commercial clients who he wrote jingles for included: L&M cigarettes, Ken-L Ration dog food, and the Sara Lee Corporation.
The marquees of Broadway theaters were dimmed in his honor on March 19, 2014.
  • CREDITS
    Man of La Mancha (Dec 05, 2002 - Aug 31, 2003)
    • Music by Mitch Leigh
    MusicalDramaRevival
    The Gershwins' Fascinating Rhythm (Apr 25, 1999 - May 09, 1999)
    • Produced by Music Makers, Inc.
    MusicalRevueOriginal
    Ain't Broadway Grand (Apr 18, 1993 - May 09, 1993)
    • Music by Mitch Leigh
    MusicalComedyOriginal
    Man of La Mancha (Apr 24, 1992 - Jul 26, 1992)
    • Music by Mitch Leigh
    • Produced by The Mitch Leigh Company
    MusicalDramaRevival
    Chu Chem (Apr 07, 1989 - May 14, 1989)
    • Music by Mitch Leigh
    • Produced by The Mitch Leigh Company
    MusicalOriginal
    The King and I (Jan 07, 1985 - Jun 30, 1985)
    • Directed by Mitch Leigh
    • Produced by The Mitch Leigh Company
    MusicalComedy DramaRevival
    Mame (Jul 24, 1983 - Aug 28, 1983)
    • Produced by The Mitch Leigh Company
    MusicalComedyRevival
    Saravá (Feb 23, 1979 - Jun 17, 1979)
    • Music by Mitch Leigh
    • Originally produced by Mitch Leigh
    MusicalOriginal
    Man of La Mancha (Sep 15, 1977 - Dec 31, 1977)
    • Music by Mitch Leigh
    MusicalDramaRevival
    Home Sweet Homer (Jan 04, 1976 - Jan 04, 1976)
    • Music by Mitch Leigh
    MusicalRomantic ComedyOriginal
    Man of La Mancha (Jun 22, 1972 - Oct 21, 1972)
    • Music by Mitch Leigh
    MusicalDramaRevival
    Cry for Us All (Apr 08, 1970 - Apr 15, 1970)
    • Produced by Mitch Leigh
    • Music by Mitch Leigh
    MusicalOriginal
    Man of La Mancha (Nov 22, 1965 - Jun 26, 1971)
    • Music by Mitch Leigh
    MusicalDramaOriginal
    Never Live Over a Pretzel Factory (Mar 28, 1964 - Apr 04, 1964)
    • Incidental music by Mitch Leigh
    PlayComedy FarceOriginal
    Too True to Be Good (Mar 12, 1963 - Jun 01, 1963)
    • Incidental music by Mitch Leigh
    PlayComedyRevival
    The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (Feb 13, 2001 - May 12, 2002)
    • Produced by Mitch Leigh
    MusicalComedyRevival
    Man of La Mancha (Sep 20, 2000 - Apr 08, 2001)
    • Music by Mitch Leigh
    MusicalDramaRevival
    Dreamgirls (Sep 30, 1997 - May 03, 1998)
    • Produced in association with Mitch Leigh
    MusicalRevival
    Man of La Mancha (Aug 24, 1996 - Jun 22, 1997)
    • Music by Mitch Leigh
    MusicalDramaRevival
    Man of La Mancha (May 23, 1995 - Nov 12, 1995)
    • Music by Mitch Leigh
    MusicalDramaRevival
    Man of La Mancha (Nov 07, 1991 - Mar 29, 1992)
    • Music by Mitch Leigh
    • Produced by The Mitch Leigh Company
    MusicalDramaRevival
    The King and I (Feb 21, 1984 - Dec 23, 1984)
    • Produced and Directed by Mitch Leigh
    • Produced by The Mitch Leigh Company
    MusicalComedyDramaRevival
    The King and I (Feb 18, 1981 - Jun 05, 1983)
    • Directed by Mitch Leigh
    • Produced by The Mitch Leigh Company
    MusicalComedyDramaRevival
    Man of La Mancha (Jan 03, 1978 - Dec 02, 1979)
    • Music by Mitch Leigh
    • Music arranged by Music Makers, Inc.
    MusicalDramaRevival
    Man of La Mancha (Jan 15, 1976 - Apr 04, 1976)
    • Music by Mitch Leigh
    MusicalDramaRevival
    Odyssey (Dec 09, 1974 - Oct 11, 1975)
    • Music by Mitch Leigh
    MusicalOriginal
    Man of La Mancha (Nov 09, 1971 - Dec 18, 1971)
    • Music by Mitch Leigh
    • Music arranged by Music Makers, Inc.
    MusicalDramaOriginal
    Man of La Mancha (Sep 27, 1968 - Apr 26, 1969)
    • Music by Mitch Leigh
    • Music arranged by Music Makers, Inc.
    MusicalDramaOriginal
    Man of La Mancha (Sep 24, 1966 - Mar 28, 1970)
    • Music by Mitch Leigh
    • Music arranged by Music Makers, Inc.
    MusicalDramaOriginal
  • AWARDS

    Tony Award®

     

    Best Direction of a Musical

    1985 | Nominee  | The King and I
    Directed by Mitch Leigh

    Best Composer and Lyricist

    1966 | Winner  | Man of La Mancha
    Music by Mitch Leigh

    Best Musical

    1966 | Winner  | Man of La Mancha
    Music by Mitch Leigh
Man of La Mancha (Dec 05, 2002 - Aug 31, 2003)
  • Music by Mitch Leigh
MusicalDramaRevival
The Gershwins' Fascinating Rhythm (Apr 25, 1999 - May 09, 1999)
  • Produced by Music Makers, Inc.
MusicalRevueOriginal
Ain't Broadway Grand (Apr 18, 1993 - May 09, 1993)
  • Music by Mitch Leigh
MusicalComedyOriginal
Man of La Mancha (Apr 24, 1992 - Jul 26, 1992)
  • Music by Mitch Leigh
  • Produced by The Mitch Leigh Company
MusicalDramaRevival
Chu Chem (Apr 07, 1989 - May 14, 1989)
  • Music by Mitch Leigh
  • Produced by The Mitch Leigh Company
MusicalOriginal
The King and I (Jan 07, 1985 - Jun 30, 1985)
  • Directed by Mitch Leigh
  • Produced by The Mitch Leigh Company
MusicalComedy DramaRevival
Mame (Jul 24, 1983 - Aug 28, 1983)
  • Produced by The Mitch Leigh Company
MusicalComedyRevival
Saravá (Feb 23, 1979 - Jun 17, 1979)
  • Music by Mitch Leigh
  • Originally produced by Mitch Leigh
MusicalOriginal
Man of La Mancha (Sep 15, 1977 - Dec 31, 1977)
  • Music by Mitch Leigh
MusicalDramaRevival
Home Sweet Homer (Jan 04, 1976 - Jan 04, 1976)
  • Music by Mitch Leigh
MusicalRomantic ComedyOriginal
Man of La Mancha (Jun 22, 1972 - Oct 21, 1972)
  • Music by Mitch Leigh
MusicalDramaRevival
Cry for Us All (Apr 08, 1970 - Apr 15, 1970)
  • Produced by Mitch Leigh
  • Music by Mitch Leigh
MusicalOriginal
Man of La Mancha (Nov 22, 1965 - Jun 26, 1971)
  • Music by Mitch Leigh
MusicalDramaOriginal
Never Live Over a Pretzel Factory (Mar 28, 1964 - Apr 04, 1964)
  • Incidental music by Mitch Leigh
PlayComedy FarceOriginal
Too True to Be Good (Mar 12, 1963 - Jun 01, 1963)
  • Incidental music by Mitch Leigh
PlayComedyRevival
The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (Feb 13, 2001 - May 12, 2002)
  • Produced by Mitch Leigh
MusicalComedyRevival
Man of La Mancha (Sep 20, 2000 - Apr 08, 2001)
  • Music by Mitch Leigh
MusicalDramaRevival
Dreamgirls (Sep 30, 1997 - May 03, 1998)
  • Produced in association with Mitch Leigh
MusicalRevival
Man of La Mancha (Aug 24, 1996 - Jun 22, 1997)
  • Music by Mitch Leigh
MusicalDramaRevival
Man of La Mancha (May 23, 1995 - Nov 12, 1995)
  • Music by Mitch Leigh
MusicalDramaRevival
Man of La Mancha (Nov 07, 1991 - Mar 29, 1992)
  • Music by Mitch Leigh
  • Produced by The Mitch Leigh Company
MusicalDramaRevival
The King and I (Feb 21, 1984 - Dec 23, 1984)
  • Produced and Directed by Mitch Leigh
  • Produced by The Mitch Leigh Company
MusicalComedyDramaRevival
The King and I (Feb 18, 1981 - Jun 05, 1983)
  • Directed by Mitch Leigh
  • Produced by The Mitch Leigh Company
MusicalComedyDramaRevival
Man of La Mancha (Jan 03, 1978 - Dec 02, 1979)
  • Music by Mitch Leigh
  • Music arranged by Music Makers, Inc.
MusicalDramaRevival
Man of La Mancha (Jan 15, 1976 - Apr 04, 1976)
  • Music by Mitch Leigh
MusicalDramaRevival
Odyssey (Dec 09, 1974 - Oct 11, 1975)
  • Music by Mitch Leigh
MusicalOriginal
Man of La Mancha (Nov 09, 1971 - Dec 18, 1971)
  • Music by Mitch Leigh
  • Music arranged by Music Makers, Inc.
MusicalDramaOriginal
Man of La Mancha (Sep 27, 1968 - Apr 26, 1969)
  • Music by Mitch Leigh
  • Music arranged by Music Makers, Inc.
MusicalDramaOriginal
Man of La Mancha (Sep 24, 1966 - Mar 28, 1970)
  • Music by Mitch Leigh
  • Music arranged by Music Makers, Inc.
MusicalDramaOriginal

Tony Award®

 

Best Direction of a Musical

1985 | Nominee  | The King and I
Directed by Mitch Leigh

Best Composer and Lyricist

1966 | Winner  | Man of La Mancha
Music by Mitch Leigh

Best Musical

1966 | Winner  | Man of La Mancha
Music by Mitch Leigh

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