CHILDRENS HEARING INSTITUTE
Martin Richards Grateful
For Restored Hearing

Story and Photos by TIM BOXER

ROADWAY/HOLLYWOOD producer Martin Richards deserved every tribute bestowed on him by the Children’s Hearing Institute. Board chairman Leonard Boxer sang his praises as Dennis Basso and Michele Herbert presented him with the 2001 Jule Styne Humanitarian Award at a magnificent dinner at Cipriani 42^nd Street. None other than the legendary Arlene Dahl presided as emcee.

“I was a patient a couple years ago,” Martin revealed. “I thought I was losing my hearing. I was hysterical.”

Judith and Burt Resnick

Martin credited Dr. Simon C. Parisier, the organization’s medical director, for saving his hearing.

“Dr. Parisier took care of me and reassured me,” Marty said.

Margaret Styne, Jule’s widow, said: “If Jule were here, he’d be singing, “People, people who love Marty, are the luckiest people in the world.”

All the distinguished guests – among them real estate tycoon Burt Resnick and his glamorous wife Judith, also a Broadway producer, Star Jones and Joy Behar of TV’s The View, Lesley Gore, Adolph Green, Phyllis Newman, Betty Comden, Susan Lucci, Neil Sedaka, Andrew Tisch, Andrew Stein – applauded in agreement.

Roberta Brudner also recognized the philanthropic efforts of Penny Glazier who received the Judy Silberstein Award for Volunteerism. Penny is of the Glazier Group, which operates the Monkey Bar, Bridgewaters and other fine restaurants.

Martin, of course, is the distinguished head of Producer Circle, which he founded in 1976 with his late wife, Mary Lea Johnson. Their very first Broadway musical, On the Twentieth Century, directed by Harold Prince, won five Tony Awards. Their second, Sweeney Todd, another Prince vehicle, earned eight Tony Awards.

Star Jones of TV’s The View

Martin’s recent Broadway venture was the Cy Coleman musical, The Life. He’s currently in production with the musical feature film Chicago.

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