WilliamM

I met Repert Graves in a restaurant in New York's theater district. Usually I do not talk to an actor/actress in their off hours. He was pleasant enough, but not particularly friendly.

I doubt it helped Rupert Graves. After Room with a View and Maurice, he was even more guarded with people he did not know well.

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1953 Arthur Laurent's script for "Gypsy" signed by Ethel Merman, Jack Klugman and Stephen Sondheim. I am much more aware of Mary Martin's signature because she enjoyed meeting people unlike Merman.

Judy Garland's 1962 TV special is the closest view of what she was like in concert at Carnegie Hall nine months before.

"Judy at Carnegie Hall" was one of the best selling albums in 1961, number one in sales for several weeks. Unusual for a two-record live album. I saw Garland perform at Boston Garden in October 1961 because of the album. And Judy Garland had a prime time TV show in 1963-1964. Liza is very good, but she is not in the same league as her mom.

I saw Judy Garland perform in 1961 and twice in 1967. In late 1967, her voice was still pretty good, but not what it once was. She was broke and deeply in debt with little hope of big paydays again. I agree that she could not be Dinah Shore because she was better guest than host of a TV series.

My response: Merman was a bit like Trump. All about me. Since Rodgers and Hammerstein produced "Annie Get Your Gun," I am amazed that Sondheim was surprised when she would not changed anything. Merman believed R&H tricked her into another year of "Annie" and never got over it. Not a particularly nice person; she expected everyone to bow down to her needs -- then she married Ernest Borgnine. (for a few weeks).

I have read about Merman's views on Sondheim many times. She never had a particular good relationship with Sondheim. They were both at fault. You are giving Sondheim's view. I'll stick with Merman's. The producers (Merrick and Hayward) needed Merman far more than Sondheim. Leland Hayward knew Merman very well, and was looking after her interests. Jerome Robbins too

The same comment could be made about St. Petersburg, Russia, Sarajevo, Kiev, Khartoum and perhaps even Juba, South Sudan.