Born Oscar Greeley Clendenning Hammerstein in New York City; nicknamed "Oakie." He spent a year in a law office before turning to his uncle, producer Arthur Hammerstein, for a job in the theater. He wrote the book and lyrics for many famous Broadway musicals and later also films, collaborating with Jerome Kern and George Gershwin, among other composers. His early stage musicals include Rose Marie, Sunny, Show Boat, and New Moon, which were later made into films. In the early 40s he began a long and productive collaboration with composer Richard Rodgers which resulted in many successful musical plays and films. His best-known song is probably "Ol' Man River." He won Academy Awards for the song "The Last Time I Saw Paris" from the film LADY BE GOOD (1941) and for "It Might As Well Be Spring" from STATE FAIR (1945). Appeared as himself in MAIN STREET TO BROADWAY (1953). Some of his screen credits include lyrics for NEW TOYS (1925, from play), THE DESERT SONG and SHOW BOAT (both 1929), GOLDEN DAWN, NEW MOON, SONG OF THE WEST and SUNNY (all 1930), ROBERTA (1935), ROSE MARIE (1936), HIGH, WIDE AND HANDSOME (1937), THE LADY OBJECTS and THE GREAT WALTZ (both 1938), LADY BE GOOD (1941), THE DESERT SONG (1943), STATE FAIR (1945), CENTENNIAL SUMMER (1946), I SURRENDER DEAR (1948), THE STRIP (1951), OKLAHOMA! (1955), CAROUSEL and THE KING AND I (both 1956), SOUTH PACIFIC (1958), FLOWER DRUM SONG (1961) and THE SOUND OF MUSIC (1965). He wrote screenplays for SHOW BOAT (1936, also composer), THE STORY OF VERNON & IRENE CASTEL (1939) and CARMEN JONES (1954). Hammerstein was almost excessively generous at times, when giving credit to his fellow lyricists. The song "Bill", used in Show Boat, was actually from a much older musical, Oh, Lady! Lady!, and its lyrics in that show were by P.G. Wodehouse. When Kern and Hammerstein decided to use it in Show Boat, Hammerstein rewrote half the lyrics to the song, but preferred to let the public think that "Bill" was still entirely the work of Kern and Wodehouse. Thus, in the 1951 film version of Show Boat, the credits read, "Lyrics for 'Bill' by P.G. Wodehouse". Mentor to composer/lyricist Stephen Sondheim, who said: "His work tended to make people think of him as an unsophisticated, platitudinous hick, when in fact he was a highly intelligent, strongly principled, and philosophical man." His Pennsylvania estate, Highland Farms is now a popular bed and breakfast featuring various Hammerstein family Memorbilia. To date, Hammerstein is the only person named "Oscar" to receive an Academy Award.  Nominated for Music Best Song 1938: THE LADY OBJECTS "A Mist Over the Moon" - Lyric  Music Best Song 1941: LADY BE GOOD "The Last Time I Saw Paris" - Lyric  Music Best Song 1945: STATE FAIR "It Might As Well Be Spring" - Lyric  Nominated for Music Best Song 1946: CENTENNIAL SUMMER "All Through the Day" - Lyric  Nominated for Music Best Song 1951: THE STRIP "A Kiss to Build a Dream On" - Music & Lyric 5 nominations, 2 Awards