Trivial Pursuit #130

[Mary_Ethel]

Posted: 5/10/05 at 2:05am

Apart from PLEASURES AND PALACES (which closed out of town), what is the only Frank Loesser musical that wasn't a hit?


GOOD LUCK, Everybody!!!

[TheBoyfromChi]

Posted: 5/10/05 at 2:11am

Was it Greenwillow?

Updated On: 5/10/05 at 02:11 AM

[Mary_Ethel]

Posted: 5/10/05 at 2:15am

It most certainly WAS GREENWILLOW, Boy From Chi!


YES, Loesser's "folksy" musical [it included the baptizing of a COW, for GOSH's sake] received a tepid response when it opened on Broadway in 1960 and folded rather quickly and quietly.

WAY TO GO, Chi!!!


CONGRATULATIONS!


Now for your bonus points:


What QUITE WELL KNOWN Broadway and Hollywood Actor made his ONLY musical appearance in GREENWILLOW singing "Never Will I Marry"?

[Mary_Ethel]

Posted: 5/10/05 at 2:20am

...I guess Chi had to leave us...


So ANYONE on the Board may answer the bonus points question:


What QUITE WELL KNOWN Broadway and Hollywood Actor made his ONLY musical appearance in GREENWILLOW singing "Never Will I Marry"?

[TheBoyfromChi]

Posted: 5/10/05 at 2:21am

Sorry for the delay, that would be Mr. Cecil Kellaway, wouldn't it?

[Mary_Ethel]

Posted: 5/10/05 at 2:22am

Well, Cecil Kellaway WAS in GREENWILLOW, but he was NOT the performer who sang "Never Will I Marry".


...care to try again?

[TheBoyfromChi]

Posted: 5/10/05 at 2:23am

I will try again, it was Anthony Perkins who sang Never Will I Marry

[Mary_Ethel]

Posted: 5/10/05 at 2:27am

YES!

OF COURSE, Chi!!!


It was Anthony Perkins--our 'Norman Bates'--who made his only appearance in GREENWILLOW and sang "Never Will I Marry".


And folks, if you think Perkins is scary in PSYCHO, you'll really be a tremblin' if you catch his vocals on the GREENWILLOW OBC CD!!!


And Chi, your prize?


Well, you've just learned that you suffer from an Ancient Family Curse--the will to wander! But you love your sweetheart and want to stay at home! BUT--you have this will to wander! BUT!!!--you love this girl! AH--what the heck, it'll all work out by the Final Curtain!


Have a Trivial Tuesday, Folks!

[Mary_Ethel]

Posted: 5/10/05 at 2:30am

"Never Will I Marry":

Never, never will I marry
Never, never will I wed

Born to wander solitary
Wide my world, narrow my bed

Never never never will I marry
Born to wander 'til I'm dead

No burden to bear
No conscience, no care

No memories to mourn
No turning, for I was

Born to wander solitary
Wide my world, narrow my bed
Never never never will I marry
Born to wander 'til I'm dead

No burden to end
No conscience, no care

No memories to mourn
No turning, for I was

Born to wander solitary
Wide my world, narrow my bed

Never never never will I marry
Born to wander 'til I'm dead


Music and Lyrics: Frank Loesser


Copyright © ASCAP. All rights reserved.

[TxTwoStep]

Posted: 5/10/05 at 4:24pm

was it Perkins that was in consideration for quite a few Sondheim musicals, given their friendship? some have said that Bobby in COMPANY was based on him, perhaps...

and this thread is a good way to introduce SENOR DISCRETION, the "unfinished" Loesser musical, which was finally produced in DC this past season...would have loved to have seen it...i'm a big GREENWILLOW fan.

[Mary_Ethel]

Posted: 5/10/05 at 4:31pm

Tx--re: Perkins and COMPANY.


George Furth originaly wrote eleven one-act plays about marriage which later became the basis of COMPANY. I believe the straight plays were to star Kim Stanley and Perkins.

Of course, Sondheim and Perkins were good friends (they wrote the screenplay THE LAST OF SHEILA together) so MAYBE Perkins was on tap to play Robert in COMPANY...


Can any Sondheim fans shed some light on this?

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 5/10/05 at 4:38pm

I've heard that Perkins was being considered for Bobby. Whether it is true or not, I cannot say.

[Mary_Ethel]

Posted: 5/10/05 at 4:41pm

Tx--you like GREENWILLOW--but do NOT like MY ONE AND ONLY.


Well, even though I STRONGLY disagree, I will HIGHLY defend your right to post your informed opinions!

[TxTwoStep]

Posted: 5/10/05 at 9:34pm

i think i like GREENWILLOW due to a "undiscovered" (and to my ear at least) lovely score. While ONE & ONLY has a terrific Gershwin score, the numbers were standards first. Neither book is exactly art, with GREENWILLOW's being a bit too Brigadoonish for my taste. i've always wanted to see GREENWILLOW re-set in the American Appalachians...while there are plenty of nostalgic musicals out there using some composer's songbook as a springboard (no matter how lovely the individual songs). And as i said before, any Tune production is worth seeing...maybe just not listening to over and over again (not that i listen to GREENWILLOW regularly either).

[Mary_Ethel]

Posted: 5/10/05 at 10:31pm

TX, I own the OBC CD of GREENWILLOW--but I can't listen to it!

Perkins' rendention of "Never Will I Marry" gives me DA CREEPS...