"Hello, Dolly" in Vietnam 1965 Mary Martin

[+ WilliamM]

 

Mary brought Hello, Dolly to Japan. President Johnson asked her to take the musical to Vietnam. She later regreted her decision because it put the large cast in grave danger.

[bostonman]

President Johnson asked her to take the musical to Vietnam. She later regreted her decision because it put the large cast in grave danger.

 

They were all amazingly brave to be there, and like others famous for entertaining the troops of any war, true undeniable heroes. But - I see a very different account of the event in this write-up (http://www.callondolly.com/mary-martin/) which seems to intimate that Merrick demanded of Johnson that they tour Vietnam, not that Johnson asked Martin at all. Merrick reminding Johnson that he borrowed his campaign song ("Hello, Lyndon!") from the show's score.

[+ WilliamM]

Merrick "demanded" LBJ to send the Dolly company to Vietnam?

 

I was born in Texas and served in Vietnam in 1968 and 1969.

 

It was terrible, very dangerous tour.

 

Johnson knew Mary Martin far better than David Merrick. She lived near Forth Worth and was born there.

Edited August 17, 2019 by WilliamM

[bostonman]

I would of course, first and foremost, thank you for your service in Vietnam. That can never be said enough.

 

I would just tend to think that, no matter her popularity and perhaps her closeness to Johnson, that a star is not the one responsible for such a big tour - the producer has to be the one engineering that, even if the idea came from her. (I also tend to trust Richard Skipper who wrote the cited article - I don't know him personally but he's a very respected name in the biz and I doubt he would make things up.)

 

Merrick was the ultimate sleazebag showman, lol - for all the great shows he produced, he was also shameless. I can certainly see him trying to strong-arm Johnson into sanctioning the tour.

 

Whatever the case, it was indeed a dangerous thing to attempt - but if it brought joy to the troops, I think it was right to do.

[+ WilliamM]

I believe you mentioned being born in 1964. Nobody strong armed Lyndon Johnson. He saw a chance to get some good publicity for Vietnam.

 

 

Even though I was not in the infantry, I always traveled with loaded rifle in Vietnam because the Viet Cong were a daily concern. The tour was a mistake.

[bostonman]

Yes, 1964. And you're probably right about the publicity - which surely would have been Merrick's angle as well.

[+ WilliamM]

I have never seen "Hello, Dolly" on stage, only the film.

 

I enjoyed Richard Skipper's comments.

[bostonman]

I have never seen "Hello, Dolly" on stage, only the film.

 

I enjoyed Richard Skipper's comments.

 

I haven't watched the film in years - my choice. Never felt comfortable with either Streisand or Michael Crawford in that film. Wonderful cinematography, but so miscast. Except for the fact that the show was, at one point, believe it or not, to be called Dolly - A Damn Exasperating Woman (I'm not making this up, you know...) - and that's definitely how Streisand played the part, IMO.

 

By coincidence, I saw the tour this afternoon in Boston, with Betty Buckley as Dolly. Really really fun, and a very respectably enjoyable production - by which I mean the tone of it all was just right - it wasn't overstaged or overchoreographed as I feel so many revivals tend to be nowadays - the piece had life and breath and the comedy all worked as it should - Jerry Zaks just trusted what works about the script and score, and it was refreshing to see that. I could complain that Herman's gorgeous ballads like "Ribbons Down My Back" and "It Only Takes A Moment" were too sped up for my taste - but I get the sensibility that they wanted the show to keep moving along. Whatever. But Buckley was really perfect - again, not overplayed but still very much her own take on the role - and Lewis J. Stadlen was also a perfectly cantankerous (but also charming) Vandergelder. He's famous for his Groucho impression as well, and I felt I heard a hint of it now and then. Which was kinda fun.

 

I've seen (and done) Hello Dolly a few times with non-stars playing the lead - but I do feel there's something extra special about seeing a famous diva playing the role. And Buckley brought all of her star quality to the role today.

[+ WilliamM]

I was in college when "Hello, Dolly" and "Funny Girl" opened. I saw the OBC casts of "Take Me Along" "Gypsy" and "The Sound of Music" in 1960.

 

Yes, I remember when Merman turned down "Hello,Dolly" and whatever the title originally was earlier. So, yes I believe you.

 

And I know Alan Scott from all that chat.

 

I very much enjoyed your comments about Buckley in Dolly.

Edited August 18, 2019 by WilliamM

[BasketBaller]

 

Here she is. It's pretty surreal seeing those colorful costumes in front of an audience of soldiers. Merrick appears near the end, too. Note her reading the names inserted in her encore off her fan.

Edited August 22, 2019 by BasketBaller

[+ WilliamM]

 

Here she is. It's pretty surreal seeing those colorful costumes in front of an audience of soldiers. Merrick appears near the end, too. Not her reading the names inserted in her encore off her fan.

 

I lwsas lucky to see Mary Martin five or six times, but seldom as animated and joyful. Amazing. Even so, Vietnam was far too dangerous. And the Dolly company still her her Miss M, but privately, "fox hole Mary."

Edited August 23, 2019 by WilliamM