Menken was born in New York City. Surprisingly, the same is true for six other EGOTS.
Alan Menken won a Daytime Emmy on June 12, making him the 16th EGOT. He won for composing “Waiting in the Wings” by Tangled: the series: Rapunzel and the big treewith lyrics Glenn Slater. The song won an outstanding original song on a children’s, youth or animated show.
Menken is the third of 16 EGOT winners whose only Emmy is Daytime Emmy, not Primetime Emmy, which are high-profile awards. Whoopi Goldberg and Robert Lopez I’ve also won only Daytime Emmy, two each, in both cases. Goldberg won for co-hosting The view (2009) and hosting Beyond Tara: the extraordinary life of Hattie McDaniel (2002), about the pioneering artist who was the first African American to receive an Oscar nomination (and an award). López won twice for outstanding achievements in musical direction and composition for Wonder Pets! (2008 and 2010).
Menken had received an honorary Primetime Emmy Award in 1990 for his contribution to the children’s academy anti-drug special, Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue. She contributed the song “Wonderful Ways to Say No”. But non-competitive prizes, while always welcome, do not count towards official EGOT counts.
Menken has won 11 Grammys, eight Oscars, and one Tony. Her first EGOT award was the Oscar. She won two Oscars in 1990 for her music for The little Mermaid. The Grammys came later. She won two awards for The little Mermaid in 1991. He won his only Tony in 2012 – best original score for Newsies.
Menken was halfway to EGOT status before his composition partner’s death from AIDS, Howard Ashman, in March 1991.
Menken was born in New York City. Surprisingly, six other EGOTS were also born in all five boroughs: Richard Rodgers, Marvin Hamlisch, Jonathan Tunick, Mel Brooks, Goldberg and López. Further, Scott Rudin was born in nearby Baldwin, NY
Menken is 71 years old. That puts you on the older side of the artists when completing the EGOT. Five artists were even older when they completed the award sweep: Tim Rice (73), Brooks (74), Helen Hayes (76) and John Gielgud (87)
