A California filmmaker has gone viral after sharing a heartwarming Twitter thread detailing his grandfather's relationship with legendary Broadway composer John Kander.
Kander is best known for his prolific work alongside lyricist Fred Ebb on classic musicals like Cabaret and Chicago, which have both been adapted into critically acclaimed films.
The pair also wrote "New York, New York" for the 1977 Martin Scorsese film of the same name, with the song going on to earn recognition as a standard in the U.S.
Individually, Kander also scored several major Hollywood films including, most notably, 1979's Kramer vs. Kramer as part of a stellar career on the stage and screen.
Yet for Los Angeles writer and director Sama'an Ashrawi's late grandfather, David Fisher, Kander was so much more than that.
Writing in a emotional Twitter thread which was retweeted over 30,000 times while earning over 282,000 likes, Ashrawi shared his grandfather's story.
My Grandpa Dave told me he was sure he was gay when he was moving into his dorm room freshman year of college and there was a boy “with the prettiest eyes;” after Grandpa passed, I learned from my mother who that boy was. pic.twitter.com/DTYw6sKFmZ
— Sama’an Ashrawi (@SamaanAshrawi) June 5, 2022
"My Grandpa Dave told me he was sure he was gay when he was moving into his dorm room freshman year of college and there was a boy 'with the prettiest eyes,'" he wrote.
"After Grandpa passed, I learned from my mother who that boy was."
His name was John Kander. After college, John, along with his partner Fred Ebb, would go on to compose two of the greatest Broadway musicals of all-time. pic.twitter.com/tHQEpLnxBu
— Sama’an Ashrawi (@SamaanAshrawi) June 5, 2022
Ashrawi was amazed to discover that man was none other than Kander, a seminal figure in the world of Broadway musicals. However he only recently realized there was more to the story.
"I always thought that was so cool, that grandpa and this guy Kander were in love, but during the pandemic I noticed something on a bookcase," he explained in the thread.
"It was a bookcase I walked by a dozen times a day, maybe more. Why had I never noticed this 7" vinyl poking out of one of the shelves? I pulled it out. It was a custom pressing and written in pencil was: 'Our Boy,' the year, '1951,' and the composer's name: 'John Kander.'"
It was a bookcase I walked by a dozen times a day, maybe more. Why had I never noticed this 7” vinyl poking out of one of the shelves? I pulled it out. It was a custom pressing and written in pencil was: “Our Boy,” the year, “1951,” and the composer’s name: “John Kander.” pic.twitter.com/LYRsFAb49M
— Sama’an Ashrawi (@SamaanAshrawi) June 5, 2022
When Ashrawi asked his mom about the mysterious recording she explained that the record was a "song John had written for Grandpa."
Yet when he listened to the vinyl he felt the recording "sounded theatrical." Eager to know more, he decided to try and get in touch with Kander, now aged 95.
After getting in touch with a relative of the composer, Ashrawi was delighted to receive an email from the man himself, who confirmed his suspicions about the recording.
"He told me the record we have isn't just a song, it's a whole entire one-act musical called 'Our Boy' that he wrote at the age of 22," he said. "Not only that, he wanted my grandfather to be the lead."
He told me the record we have isn’t just a song, it’s a whole entire one-act musical called ‘Our Boy’ that he wrote at the age of 22; and not only that, he wanted my grandfather to be the lead 🥹🥹 It was a play about a boxer grappling with the existential feelings of defeat. pic.twitter.com/IWrCBuqNU7
— Sama’an Ashrawi (@SamaanAshrawi) June 5, 2022
According to the thread, the play was all about "a boxer grappling with the existential feelings of defeat" with Kander even sending on some photos Ashrawi had never before seen of his grandfather preparing for the role "in his shiny boxing shorts, looking young and curious and serious all at once."
Then John sent me some photos of my grandfather that we’d never seen before. There was my grandpa, Dave Fisher, in his shiny boxing shorts, looking young and curious and serious all at once. How incredible ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ pic.twitter.com/mmicQ7sOGB
— Sama’an Ashrawi (@SamaanAshrawi) June 5, 2022
Fast-forward to more recent times and Ashrawi revealed he and his family, including his mother who had not seen Kander since she was a child, met up with the composer for lunch in New York.
Ashrawi said that during the meeting Kander "opened up" about his relationship with their grandfather, telling them: "We were honest with each other,...Not in terms of not lying, but honest about who we were and who we were becoming. [Your grandfather] was a great gift to me."
In New York just recently, my family (minus one sister) went to meet up with John, now 95, in person. My mother hadn’t seen him since she was a child. pic.twitter.com/Jw32uPOlur
— Sama’an Ashrawi (@SamaanAshrawi) June 5, 2022
The thread struck a chord with many on social media.
"Thanks for sharing this moving account of your grandfather and your own determination to find out about his past and honor him," one person wrote. "And how wonderful to be reminded through John Kander's response that early connections like those of his with your grandfather live on in memories."
"This is a lovely story," another said. " Love is love, it should not be judged in any shape or form regardless of how they choose to live their lives. Your beautiful grandfather and his beloved simply saw the humanity and beauty in each other."
"As more time goes by it's important for our younger generation to hear and share these stories," a third said. "While great strides have been made to live authentically, we must remember those who sacrificed and hid their lives for us to do so."
Newsweek has contacted Ashrawi for comment.
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