In 1919,a classmate of RICHARD RODGERS's brother at COLUMBIA PHILIP LEAVITT introduced them to eachother.This information is in MUSICAL STAGES,the composer's autobiography published in 1975.
Rodgers and Hammerstein wrote "I Have Dreamed" for "King and I"
Rodgers
Pal Joey
ABC Stage 67 - 1966 Rodgers and Hart Today 1-20 was released on: USA: 2 March 1967
I'd Rather be right
Great Performances - 1971 The Rodgers and Hart Story Thou Swell Thou Witty 27-7 was released on: USA: 6 January 1999
Rodgers and Hammerstein met in college studying art and music.
Richard Rodgers partnered with two other men at different times: Lorenz Hart and Oscar Hammerstein II.
Perhaps Muddy Waters, B.B. King, or Stevie Ray Vaughan. Duke Ellington was very influential as well.
It was called Rodgers and Hart and was a melange, as you stated with a thread bare plot connecting bridges of songs. from Cody, luke and Owen
I believe it was written as a novel or short story by Damon Runyon.
Richard Rodgers, the composer who collaborated with Lorenz Hart and then with Oscar Hammerstein, died on 30 December 1979.