Daniel Davis

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 4/7/05 at 8:30pm

Wonder how long it will be before he surfaces again. Will he explain his side of the La Cage debacle?

He will have to be on his best behavior if he ever gets cast in another show

[LaCageAuxFollesFan2]

Posted: 4/7/05 at 8:37pm

Not sure about Davis, still love his talent and ability on stage and screen. But...the GOULET stuff is up on the show's website...

http://www.lacage.com

La Romance, La Spectecale, La GOULET - I can't wait. I did LOVE Davis in his role, almost as much as I love what those boys do with Mitchells coreography, but I am more than thrilled to see what Goulet does with the role. Hoping he'll be FABULOUS!:)

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 4/7/05 at 8:43pm

Regarding Davis: as has been said before, you've got to get the producers very angry for them to buy out your contract because they want to get rid of you so bad.

I am not a big fan of the show, but I think that I will go back to see Goulet's performance. I will probably go on one of Batt's nights as Albin. I've been a fan of Batt for years and wish that he could actually be cast in a role one of these days, instead of being the eternal standby.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 4/7/05 at 8:58pm

bryan batt is a FAR underrated performer.

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 4/7/05 at 9:01pm

I have no idea why Bryan Batt hasn't done his own show, except for the fact that Broadway producers only want "stars"-not that Gary Beach is a big star outside of Broadway.

[LaCageAuxFollesFan2]

Posted: 4/7/05 at 9:03pm

For those of you wanting to catch LA CAGE again and taking a trip to St. Tropez to catch Goulet with Batt - I posted a link on this website with dates you can catch both of them together.

THEY ARE SOON! Here's the link...

https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.cfm?boardname=bway&thread=845088#934768

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 4/7/05 at 9:04pm

Thanks, LaCageFan.

[LaCageAuxFollesFan2]

Posted: 4/8/05 at 9:18am

Sure thing!

[Broadway Matt]

Posted: 4/8/05 at 9:25am

As much as I enjoy Goulet's past vocal work, I kinda prefer the Will Ferrell impression to the real thing these days. Not to be disrespectful, but that really is a wonderful character.

Speaking of wonderful, do see Bryan if you can. If you can't, don't feel bad. You're in good hands with Gary too. And as long as there are male leading roles that need a standby, Bryan will be gainfully employed.

[LaCageAuxFollesFan2]

Posted: 4/8/05 at 10:31am

Broadway Matt, I agree - the VERY CAPABLE & DARLING Beach serves the character quite well and makes LA CAGE a highly enjoyable evening. Batt makes Albin a force and a character more-so than Beach's characiture, but both give different yet rewarding performances!

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 4/8/05 at 11:13am

I loved Davis in La Cage. In fact, I loved all of the casting in the current production, I just though the direction was HORRIBLE with no concept of how to combine the spectacle and the heart that the show needs to be great. Beach's transition (or lack there of) in I Am What I Am was an embarrasment.

But back to Davis- His singing was pleasant and often beautiful, his performance both fun and touching, and his chemistry which Beach (onstage at least, I saw it about a month into regular performances) and Creel was sweet and appropriate. Sad that things turned out that way, because him being out of the show at Tony voting time probably killed his chances of a nomination.

[Victoria Grant]

Posted: 4/8/05 at 11:57am

not sure what happened with Davis hope he will return to Tv, I think he is a better tv actor. However I am happy that Goulet is being given a chance can't wait to see him in La Cage.

[MagicToDo82]

Posted: 4/8/05 at 11:58am

Well, Fran Drescher DOES have a new sitcom....

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 4/8/05 at 1:03pm

Funny you mention that Magic, because it premieres tonight! I love "The Nanny," so Fran's going to have to work hard to top it.

BUT...I get a kick out of the fact that Charles Shaughnessy is going to make a guest appearance as Fran's ex-husband.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 4/8/05 at 1:20pm

As far as Dainel, I've said it before and don't mind saying it again...

Good riddance to bad rubbish.

Maybe, bext time, instead of just firinf him, they should let the company members that had a problem with him, drag him out back and kick his @ss.

There are MANY actors who have just as much talent as Daniel, but aren't a pain to work with. Let's hope one of them gets a well deserved break.

[Mamie]

Posted: 4/8/05 at 7:07pm

Diva - your railing at Davis is really getting old. He has a massive number of friends in the business who don't seem to agree with you. I've seen them seek him out when he was appearing on stage and I've even seen them together outside of the performance arena. Why would they keep on doing this if he was such a horror?

Outside of all that, I still think the way they handled this was rotten. I don't think that any one producer was extremely angry at him as much as I believe they took advantage of a bad situation to get rid of him and to hire the 'star' they'd always wanted to play that part. It's just too convenient that the day after letting him go they announced that Goulet was replacing him. I don't doubt for a minute that there were problems behind stage and that the 'diva-esque' persona was the cause. But you don't commit professional suicide after all these years unless there's something serious going on. I hope he gets the help he needs to get better and that I do get to see him on stage again. And SOON.

Posted: 4/8/05 at 7:25pm

I'm pulling for him too, and hope he has another project in the works - he's too good to be off stage for long. I've read all the news and gossip and comments like everyone else, and my question is - just exactly what sort of help should he be seeking to "get better"? For the life of me, I haven't read anything that indicates that he has some sort of health problem that requires medical care or intervention. Maybe I missed something somewhere. I guess I'll have to stay tuned to find out. :)

[Broadwaylady]

Posted: 4/8/05 at 7:46pm

I, myself was very disappointed that Davies left the show. He was the reason I was seeing it. I won't be seeing the show until May so that is it but I think he should guest on Fran's new show. IT would be cute.

[ConvinceMe2]

Posted: 4/8/05 at 7:51pm

He was my favorite person in the show. Although, I will go back to see Goulet.

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 4/8/05 at 10:34pm

"I, myself was very disappointed that Davies left the show."

He didn't leave the show. He was fired.

[WISHIHADATONY]

Posted: 4/9/05 at 10:31am

I am still stunned that the La Cage team made the termination announcement in the fashion they chose. Nothing about "artistic differences, or "health reasons." Mr. Davis had some folk or folks very, very angry indeed.

I too adore Fran Drescher and was very,very pleased with the first two episodes of her new sitcom last night. If her new show finds its audience and is a hit (I hope it will be) perhaps someone should inform her that
"her former butler may be looking for work?"

[popcultureboy]

Posted: 4/9/05 at 10:43am

Exactly, WISH. If they really wanted to hire Robert Goulet, they could have just spun Davis's firing in a positive way, kind of like they did for Michael Crawford in London just now. But they didn't. They announced that he'd been fired because everyone hated him and he was difficult to work with. My question is, just how evil do you have to be to garner such a huge amount of ill will that the whole mess is made public?

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 4/9/05 at 10:46am

I just watched a bit of The Nanny reunion special, and he was the 1 cast member who didn't show up. Curious... If he was doing La Cage or The Frogs at the time, he could have at least did a video message or something. I'm sure Beach and cast aren't the first people to have a spat with him.

[WISHIHADATONY]

Posted: 4/9/05 at 11:10am

popcultureboy, someone was terribly angry with Mr. Davis. He has been totally low key since his termination and I suspect he is investigating a lawsuit. The way his firing was announced is certainly damaging to a performer's future career. Buying out his contract or not, he has quite a lawsuit, I would think.

Bobbybubby, that was the singular most bizaare thing about THE NANNY reunion special. It was weird and it was sloppy. Something should have been said about Davis' absense from the special as opposed to that moronic thing they did with Danny Bonaduce. It seems like "no one was in charge" of that reunion special. DID Fran Drescher watch the special after it was done with post production? She did not realize that not mentioning the "lack of Davis" came off as very odd? Perhaps Ms. Drescher should watch THE NANNY reunion again. I don't think she would be pleased with the final result.

[popcultureboy]

Posted: 4/9/05 at 11:31am

Can you sue for defamation of character or slander though if everything that's been said is true?