Elaine Stritch retiring

[operalover21]

Chris, When Larry Hagman died recently, few people seemed to know that Mary Martin, Broadway musical star from the 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, was his mother. Martin had a very significant career. She was the original star of a long string of hit Broadway musicals like "South Pacific," "The Sound of Music," "Peter Pan," "One Touch of Venus," "I Do!, I Do!" and others. She famously turned down the lead role in "My Fair Lady." Martin was only seventeen when Hagman was born, so she was not that much older than Larry. My guess is that many people outside major U.S. cities did have occasions to see and remember Broadway stars.

 

Who are these "few people?" Everyone I know and quite a few others knew who Mary Martin was and knew who she was Hagman's mother.

[+ Gar1eth]

She's not a singer. She was a unique personality. Singing was only a part of her. She always melodic. I think what your'e asking is did she have a beautiful voice. The answer is no.

 

I don't consider her voice melodic. Melodic implies to me a nice tone.

 

Gman

[+ Gar1eth]

Who are these "few people?" Everyone I know and quite a few others knew who Mary Martin was and knew who she was Hagman's mother.

 

You are showing your age and your east coast background. Chris is a lot younger than you. Mary Martin has been dead for 23 years. Chris was 13 when she died. Dallas originally went off in 1991-Chris was 14. News stories about either Larry Hagman or Mary Martin have not been burning the presses on a routine basis since then. It is not unlikely that unless Chris was really into Broadway/ dead Broadway stars/ Male stars of defunct TV shows- that he wouldn't necessarily know that fact. Now when I was 13 Mary Martin was still alive, articles were still being written about her. I Dream of Jeanie had only been off for 4 years and there were probably articles about Larry Hagman around. Plus I was from Texas and wanted to be an actor - so the info about their relationship came a lot more naturally to me.

 

Gman

[+ Gar1eth]

Wow. I thought every gay man would at least recognize this name due to her role in the cult classic, Who Killed Teddy Bear, starring Sal Mineo at his hottest:

 

[video=youtube;dK-zilnKh5c]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dK-zilnKh5c

 

You know I think I have vaguely heard about this movie. But I'm not sure. I was only 4 when it came out. And I haven't made a study of movies of closeted bi-gay stars of the early 60's who died young. But the clip was really hot. Thanks for showing it.

 

As for Elaine Strich- you know I was in Drama from junior high to high school. I knew the names of musicals on Broadway and many of the classics. But living so far from New York with no chance of getting there, I never really knew the names of Broadway stars-still don't as much but I'm better now- unless they had crossed over to become big in the movies or TV shows. The other place I might have become more familiar with them might have been TV variety shows. But when the last of these were on in the 70's and maybe 80's, they were more likely to have actors from the movies and television rather than Broadway actors as they would have in the 40's and 50's.

 

Sal looks pretty hunky in the clip there but not so good in his Wikipedia picture

 

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sal_Mineo

 

 

Gman

[+ Charlie]

You are showing your age and your east coast background. Chris is a lot younger than you. Mary Martin has been dead for 23 years. Chris was 13 when she died. Dallas originally went off in 1991-Chris was 14. News stories about either Larry Hagman or Mary Martin have not been burning the presses on a routine basis since then. It is not unlikely that unless Chris was really into Broadway/ dead Broadway stars/ Male stars of defunct TV shows- that he wouldn't necessarily know that fact. Now when I was 13 Mary Martin was still alive, articles were still being written about her. I Dream of Jeanie had only been off for 4 years and there were probably articles about Larry Hagman around. Plus I was from Texas and wanted to be an actor - so the info about their relationship came a lot more naturally to me.

 

Gman

 

There is a myth that gay men are obsessed with celebrities, especially from the past, but some men simply don't care about the identities of performers, only the performance. Although my partner is old enough to have seen Elaine Stritch on Broadway in her prime, if you told him she died, he would say, "Who?" I would have to say, "You saw her in 'Company'," and he would say, "Which one was she?"

 

For the record, I remember seeing Mary Martin as Peter Pan.

[+ WilliamM]

Who are these "few people?" Everyone I know and quite a few others knew who Mary Martin was and knew who she was Hagman's mother.

 

I agree with Gman's comments. I have a video of the Beverly Sills Farewell Gala in 1980. Mary Martin was a major part of the show. In fact, Ethel Merman and Martin sat beside Sills after they performed. You live in New York and are involved in some way with the Met opera. Martin was likely friendly with other opera performers besides Sills. Of course, you and most people you know would be aware that Larry Hagman was her son.