Harper, Ken, d. 1988.

Ken Harper was the producer of the popular Broadway musical The Wiz. Born in New York, Harper became a radio disc jockey in the army. In the late 1960's and early 1970's he worked for radio station WPIX (New York), and later left his job to begin a full time fund raising effort for his musicals. Harper died in 1988 without finding financial support for his second musical production entitled BAMBOO.

From the guide to the Ken Harper sound recordings for Bamboo [sound recording], (The New York Public Library. Rodgers and Hammerstein Archives of Recorded Sound.)

Ken Harper was the producer of the popular Broadway musical The Wiz.

Born in New York, Harper became a radio disc jockey in the army. In the late 1960's and early 1970's he worked for radio station WPIX, New York, and later left his job to begin a full time fund raising effort for THE WIZ. This black version of the L. Frank Baum story won seven Tony awards in 1975 including best musical. The show ran for over 1600 performances and was also produced as a film. Harper died in 1988 without finding financial support for his second musical production entitled BAMBOO.

From the description of Ken Harper papers, 1972-1988. (New York Public Library). WorldCat record id: 122346267

Ken Harper was the producer who conceived and brought the successful, all-black musical The Wiz to Broadway. This L. Frank Baum adaptation ran for five years and won seven Tony awards in 1975.

Born around 1939, Kenneth G. Harper was an adopted child who was raised in Bronx, New York. He graduated high school and entered Columbia University but later dropped out to join the army. In Korea he began his career as a disc jockey, playing music for Armed Forces radio. After his discharge in the 1960s he was hired by radio station WPIX, New York. He worked there for nearly a decade, eventually becoming the Music and Public Affairs Director.

The concept for an all-black musical came to Harper in 1971. He originally planned to make the production into a television special. When that fell through, he initiated the campaign to seek funding for a Broadway musical. Harper contacted numerous individuals and corporations like Xerox and Warner Brothers for financial support, but his concept was rejected out of hand. Many scoffed at the idea of a production that competed against the Judy Garland film version and thought investing in this show was a huge gamble. Ken Harper eventually convinced Twentieth Century-Fox to provide $650,000 in backing in exchange for the movie, record and publishing rights.

The Wiz premiered at the Morris A. Mechanic Theater in Baltimore on October 21, 1974. After performances in Detroit and Philadelphia it almost closed because of production problems and mixed reviews. The show became livelier after costume designer Geoffrey Holder was named director. The Wiz opened in New York at the Majestic Theatre on January 5, 1975, but did not receive critical acclaim. Only after principal backer Twentieth Century-Fox poured $120,000 into a television advertising blitz did the show's popularity and revenues begin to rise. This advertising campaign combined with word-of-mouth brought in thousands of theatergoers and contributed to making The Wiz one of the most popular Broadway musicals. There were several U.S. road productions along with foreign performances that included Australia and Japan.

Ken Harper later acquired the motion picture rights for The Wiz from Twentieth Century-Fox. Universal Pictures then acquired the rights from Harper and produced the 1978 movie version starring Diana Ross and Michael Jackson. Ken Harper served as executive producer.

Harper spent his remaining years searching for financial backing for another musical called Bamboo, based on a ninth-century Japanese fairy tale. He intended to have Diana Ross star.

Ken Harper died at his home on January 20, 1988, at the age of 48.

From the guide to the Ken Harper papers, 1972-1988, (The New York Public Library. Billy Rose Theatre Division.)