Dean Fuller

Dean (W.) Fuller (December 12, 1922–October 26, 2017) was an American composer, playwright, arranger, and novelist best known as one of the co-authors of the book for the hit musical Once Upon a Mattress. A New Hampshire native, Fuller studied music and drama at Yale University after World War II, graduating in 1947, and quickly embedded himself in the mid-century New York revue and musical-theatre scene. He also spent time working in the recorded-music and television industries, an early career breadth that helped shape his versatility as a theatrical craftsman.

Before Mattress, Fuller built his reputation in the bustling world of post-war revues. He composed for Once Over Lightly, New Faces of 1956, and Ziegfeld Follies, often partnering with lyricist Marshall Barer and contributing material that was performed by the likes of Zero Mostel, Jack Gilford, Inga Swenson, Tiger Haynes, Maggie Smith, and Beatrice Lillie. He also served as musical director and arranger for Tallulah Bankhead’s only nightclub engagement at the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas—an assignment that showcased his skill as an arranger and accompanist as much as his compositional chops.

Fuller’s most enduring credit arrived in 1959 with Once Upon a Mattress, for which he co-wrote the book alongside Jay Thompson and Marshall Barer, complementing Mary Rodgers’ score. Developed at the Tamiment Playhouse and expanded for Off-Broadway and then Broadway under director George Abbott, Mattress became a breakout vehicle for Carol Burnett and earned Tony nominations including Best Musical, cementing Fuller’s place in musical-theatre history. His addition to the writing team between the Tamiment tryout and the commercial New York run was part of the show’s evolution from a one-act lark into a full evening.

Beyond Mattress, Fuller continued to write for stage and page. He co-created the Off-Broadway musical Smith and composed for the National Repertory Theatre, contributing to productions led by notable artists such as Eva Le Gallienne, Denholm Elliott, Farley Granger, and Sylvia Sidney. A multihyphenate, he also authored three novels—Passage, A Death in Paris, and Death of a Critic—reflecting a literary curiosity that ran parallel to his theatrical career.

A Tamiment Playhouse alumnus and lifelong adventurer—described variously as a sailor, pilot, teacher, and indefatigable collaborator—Fuller died in 2017 at the age of 94. His legacy endures every time Once Upon a Mattress delights a new company and audience, and in the lineage of American revue and musical comedy to which he contributed tunes, jokes, arrangements, and indelible theatrical know-how.