I'd Say Bette Sells It To Some Extent...

[+ Gar1eth]

 

But I doubt Judy Garland or Ethyl Merman were quivering in their boots after this performance.

 

Gman

[+ WilliamM]

 

Difficult to believe, but Bette thought she could sing well enough to star in a Broadway musical in the 1970s. The show never went beyond Philadelphia.

[+ Gar1eth]

 

Difficult to believe, but Bette thought she could sing well enough to star in a Broadway musical in the 1970s. The show never went beyond Philadelphia.

 

 

But in that same era Lauren Bacall was successful with Applause, and I never thought she could really sing either.

 

Gman

 

PS That clip of Bette was from 1962.

[+ WilliamM]

But in that same era Lauren Bacall was successful with Applause, and I never thought she could really sing either.

 

Agree about Lauren Bacall. I know very little about Bacall's two Broadway musicals (Applause and Woman of the Year). Perhaps they were written specifically for someone who can not sing like Lucille Ball and the Broadway show Wildcat.

 

Davis's musical's Miss Moffat was written for Mary Martin.

 

Martin lived six or seven hours from Brasilla. She had to listen to producers who flew to such a remote part of Brazil, whether or not she was truly interested in the musicals.

[+ Gar1eth]

Agree about Lauren Bacall. I know very little about Bacall's two Broadway musicals (Applause and Woman of the Year). Perhaps they were written specifically for someone who can not sing like Lucille Ball and the Broadway show Wildcat.

 

Davis's musical's Miss Moffat was written for Mary Martin.

 

Here is a video from when Applause was broadcast on TV. I think it's the entire show.

 

 

Gman

[+ WilliamM]

Here is a video from when Applause was broadcast on TV. I think it's the entire show.

 

Thank, Gman. Ethel Merman was in the audience on opening night. Now I know why Merman supposedly said "Oh, God!!!" when Bacall was a few notes into her first song. Merman said it loud enough for people sitting near to hear.

[Moondance]

Let's not fail to mention the weirdness of Katharine Hepburn in "Coco."

[+ WilliamM]

 

 

At least Lucille Ball had the option to close "Wildcat" after a few month because Desilu, her company, put up all the money.

[body2body]

Let's not fail to mention the weirdness of Katharine Hepburn in "Coco."

Here is Hepburn as Gabrielle Chanel from the 1970 Tonys- Coco had music by Andre Previn, lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner,

Choreography by Michael Bennett, and Decors and Costumes by Cecil Beaton. It ran for 343 performances on Broadway, and Hepburn did the National tour. The song begins around 8:19.

[Moondance]

...The song begins around 8:19

... if you can call that a song.

[Moondance]

 

At least Lucille Ball had the option to close "Wildcat" after a few month because Desilu, her company, put up all the money.

Hey, wait a minute, isn't that the same car Fred bought from Al Herbesheimer in Brooklyn when the Ricardos and Mertzs were going to drive to California!?

[+ WilliamM]

 

Rex Harrison in "My Fair Lady" in 1957 and the revival in 1981. I saw the revival on Broadway. The only time I saw Rex Harrison in person. He was okay, but the rest of cast had to be carefully selected because of his age. The actress who played his mother was in her early 90s.

 

I felt the same about Vivian Leigh in the musical "Tovarich." At least I saw her in person.