Actors with a Rough Start.

So for my college class I have to write a paper on a male and female in the great world of Musical Theatre that hasn't always had the smoothest life but went on to be successful. For my female I've got Marissa Jaret but I need a guy. Any thoughts?

She was in Grease on Broadway before Hairspray.

And on Curb Your Enthusiasm before Hairspray.

And a lot of other things, too.

She did have cancer, but that was after she became successful.

I'd say Michael Arden, but his success seems to be, at best, futuristic. He has not had the best luck when chosing projects, but you can't deny the talent there. Maybe you could extend the paper to say that even those who should be successful, aren't. You could talk about how difficult a career it is, even if you have every possible talent. Just a thought.

She had cervical cancer -- she's made a full recovery, though.

Even with a successful run in Oklahoma!, Christine Ebersole didn't get fully appreciated until a series of mid 90s Encores! conerts culminating with a Tony for 42nd Street in 2001. She became a fullfledged Broadway star with Grey Gardens last season. Before that she'd had a unsuccessful stint on SNL, and appeared in numerous bad family comedies. Ghost Dad anyone? Thank goodness she's gotten the recogntion she deserves as a marvelous Broadway star.
I can't think of a male actor who took a long time to get fully recognized. I would like to say Len Cariou, but he good good reviews for Applause and Night Music even if they weren't the sort of raves he got for Sweeney. He was still a well established leading man by then. Maybe Robert Preston? He appeared as numerous villians in medicore films until The Music Man, where he became a big Broadway star (and with the movie) a fairly well known film star.

I think some of it depends on how you define success.

You might want to see what you can find out about Nathan Lane. His early career included "Merlin" which many consider a stinker, then "Wind in the Willows" bombed and he wasn't on Broadway again for several years.

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What about Shirley MacLaine? She was an understudy in the Pajama Game when the star who "never missed a performance" broke her ankle.