Jacques Levy

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Jacques Levy (29 July 1935 – 30 September 2004) was a Jewish American songwriter, theatre director, and clinical psychologist.

Born in New York City, Levy was educated at its City College and took a doctorate in psychology from Michigan State University. Back in New York he practised as a clinical psychologist, but in 1965 he also directed Sam Shepard's play Red Cross. Two years later he directed Jean-Claude van Italie's America Hurrah.

In 1969, Levy directed the off-Broadway erotic revue Oh! Calcutta!. It was this show which brought him to the attention of Roger McGuinn of the Byrds, who fancied Levy as librettist for a project inspired by Peer Gynt. The musical stalled, but one song, "Chestnut Mare", co-written by McGuinn and Levy, became one of the Byrds' primary performances.

In the mid-Seventies Levy met Bob Dylan. An early result of their brainstorming was the song "Isis". Then came Dylan's album Desire , which featured seven songs co-written by Levy and Dylan including "Hurricane", about the imprisoned boxer Rubin "Hurricane" Carter. Much of Desire’s success lay in the interplay between Dylan and Levy and since then Dylan and his musicians have often reworked Levy's contribution. In 1975, Levy effectively stage-managed Dylan's Rolling Thunder Revue. Levy's lyrics entered the repertoires of Joe Cocker, Crystal Gayle, Carly Simon and, particularly, McGuinn.

Levy's collaborations with Dylan and McGuinn sometimes overshadow his achievements in drama. In 1983 he staged Doonesbury: A Musical Comedy, based on the comic strip Doonesbury, and in 1988 he provided the lyrics for the stage musical of the film Fame. Later came Marat/Sade (1994), Bus Stop (1997) and Brecht on Brecht in 2000.

From 1993 until his death, he was English professor and director of theatre at New York's Colgate University. He is survived by his wife Claudia and their two children, Maya and Julien.