James Rado

James Rado (born James Radomski in 1932), is an American actor, writer and composer, best known as the co-author, along with Gerome Ragni, of 1967's groundbreaking American tribal love-rock musical Hair. He and Ragni were nominated for the 1969 Tony Award for best musical, and they won for best musical at the Grammy Awards in 1969. In college, Rado majored in Speech and Drama and began writing songs. He co-authored 2 musical shows at the Universi... more

James Rado (born James Radomski in 1932), is an American actor, writer and composer, best known as the co-author, along with Gerome Ragni, of 1967's groundbreaking American tribal love-rock musical Hair. He and Ragni were nominated for the 1969 Tony Award for best musical, and they won for best musical at the Grammy Awards in 1969. In college, Rado majored in Speech and Drama and began writing songs. He co-authored 2 musical shows at the University of Maryland, "Interlude" and "Interlude 2". After graduation, followed by two years in the U.S. Navy, he returned to school in Washington, D.C. for graduate work at The Catholic University of America, where he co-authored a musical revue called "Cross Your Fingers." He wrote the lyrics and music for all of his early songs. He then moved to New York where he studied acting with Lee Strasberg and also wrote pop songs and recorded his own band, "James Alexander and the Argyles." Rado's first Broadway show was Marathon '33 in 1963. He met... less