Based on the 1964 novel The World of Henry Orient by Johnson's daughter Nora and the subsequent film of the same name, the plot focuses on Valerie and Marian, two wealthy, love-struck teenagers who stalk an avant-garde composer and aging philanderer.

The cast featured Don Ameche, Neva Small, Robin Wilson, Carol Bruce, Louise Lasser, Baayork Lee, Priscilla Lopez, Alice Playten, and Pia Zadora.

However, during its Broadway run, Alice Playten and the chorus performed one song from the score – "Poor Little Person" — on The Ed Sullivan Show.

He contends that Henry, Sweet Henry was well received by audience members (getting "every bit as good a reaction as Mame gets", referring to a smash hit of the time) but couldn't survive a bad review from Clive Barnes in the New York Times, who was then on a crusade to bring pop music into Broadway scores.

An Off Off Broadway revival of the musical, directed and produced by James Rocco and choreographed by Rebecca Urich was in the midst of rehearsals when the theatre it was playing at, the Mercer Arts Center, collapsed to the ground.