All the Billy Flynns

#1

All the Billy Flynns

Posted: 8/18/06 at 4:01pm

There's an article in today's NYTimes on Usher taking on the role of Billy Flynn"

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/18/theater/18ushe.html?th&emc=th
(good luck pulling up the story)

Be sure to open the graphic on the left side that shows all the Flynns since James Naughton in '96. Who was your favorite? Who do you think looks the best?


billy flynns over time

Updated On: 8/18/06 at 04:01 PM

#2

re: All the Billy Flynns

Posted: 8/18/06 at 5:16pm

they left out some- off the top of my head;
brent barrett
chris sieber
norm lewis


and my favorites are brent barrett and obba babatunde

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#3

re: All the Billy Flynns

Posted: 8/18/06 at 5:21pm

Wow! That was interesting!!

#4

re: All the Billy Flynns

Posted: 8/18/06 at 5:23pm

They left out Gregory Jbara too. (Billy Flynn - June, July, August, first week of September, 1997.)

#5

re: All the Billy Flynns

Posted: 8/18/06 at 5:36pm

Barb - Wasn't Greg the first replacement after Naughton? I believe he was in there before Battle.

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#6

re: All the Billy Flynns

Posted: 8/18/06 at 5:51pm

Mamie, heck I dunno .. I think so .. didn't see it, but then I didn't know him until *after* he played Billy on Broadway. Those were just the '97 dates Greg gave me for the web site's theatre roles section. That sounds right though (first after Naughton).

#7

re: All the Billy Flynns

Posted: 8/18/06 at 6:42pm

If all the Billy Flynns were laid end to end.....

How long would it be ?

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Poster Emeritus

Updated On: 8/18/06 at 06:42 PM

#8

re: All the Billy Flynns

Posted: 8/18/06 at 6:53pm

The time line is only showing the famous faces who have played Billy Flynn.

#9

re: All the Billy Flynns

Posted: 8/18/06 at 7:07pm

I'm surprised they included Louis Gossett Jr. He didn't even last one performance. But you are right Western Sky, they are not showing any Broadway performers just the hollywood ones. But didn't they leave out that NSYNC guy? I think it was Kevin Richardson. (not sure which group he was in)

Updated On: 8/18/06 at 07:07 PM

#10

re: All the Billy Flynns

Posted: 8/18/06 at 7:56pm

This is really neat

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"TO LOVE ANOTHER PERSON IS TO SEE THE FACE OF GOD"- LES MISERABLES--- "THERE'S A SPECIAL KIND OF PEOPLE KNOWN AS SHOW PEOPLE... WE'RE BORN EVERY NIGHT AT HALF HOUR CALL!"--- CURTAINS

#11

re: All the Billy Flynns

Posted: 8/18/06 at 8:09pm

Well it just shows to go ya ... there are four guys on that time line thingamajimmer that I never heard of before (not going to embarrass myself more by saying which ones) ... but I know who Greg Jbara is! tee hee Famous, schmamous. :)

Mr Roxy, when you say "end to end" ...

#12

re: All the Billy Flynns

Posted: 8/18/06 at 10:40pm

Yeah, they missed a bunch of actors who've played Billy on Broadway....

Add to the list, Eric Jordan Young and Kevin Richardson (I dont think I saw him there)

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"You're every gay man's wet dream!" ~ MA

If in Heaven you don't excel, you can always party down in hell...

#13

re: All the Billy Flynns

Posted: 8/18/06 at 10:48pm

Brent Barrett is the favorite for me that I have seen. But I've only seen a handful.

#14

re: All the Billy Flynns

Posted: 8/18/06 at 11:11pm

I was waiting for CJR to set this thread straight

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"Picture "The View," with the wisecracking, sympathetic sweethearts of that ABC television show replaced by a panel of embittered, suffering or enraged Arab women" -the Times review of Black Eyed

#15

re: All the Billy Flynns

Posted: 8/18/06 at 11:52pm

Yeah, there were a bunch of actors they forgot. Id have to really take the time to go through it.

Also, Obba Babatunde is in the wrong place; he played Billy for the first time YEARS ago

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"You're every gay man's wet dream!" ~ MA

If in Heaven you don't excel, you can always party down in hell...

#16

re: All the Billy Flynns

Posted: 8/18/06 at 11:55pm

God. Some people are just... IDIOTS

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"Picture "The View," with the wisecracking, sympathetic sweethearts of that ABC television show replaced by a panel of embittered, suffering or enraged Arab women" -the Times review of Black Eyed

#17

re: All the Billy Flynns

Posted: 8/19/06 at 12:03am

Alright, Ive compiled a small list of forgotten Billys.... including Billys who only played one performance..... since you know, they saw fit to include Lou Gossett Jr.

Greg Jbara
Eric Jordan Young
Bernard Dotson
Michael Kubala
Shawn Emamjomeh
Chuck Cooper
Norm Lewis
Kevin Richardson
Greg Evigan
Destan Owans
Ron Raines
Chris Seiber
Marti Pellow
Brent Barrett


Im sure there are more Ive missed..... I just cant think

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"You're every gay man's wet dream!" ~ MA

If in Heaven you don't excel, you can always party down in hell...

#18

re: All the Billy Flynns

Posted: 8/19/06 at 12:29am

George Hamilton?

#19

re: All the Billy Flynns

Posted: 8/19/06 at 1:04am

George's picture was on the timeline

They remembered the man with the eternal tan!

---

"You're every gay man's wet dream!" ~ MA

If in Heaven you don't excel, you can always party down in hell...

#20

re: All the Billy Flynns

Posted: 8/19/06 at 1:39am

"Barb - Wasn't Greg the first replacement after Naughton?"

Almost certain that Barrett was Naughton's first replacement. Loved him, loved Naughton, but Flynn will always be Orbach for me.

#21

re: All the Billy Flynns

Posted: 8/19/06 at 11:57am

Jbara was Naughton's first replacement.. think he only stayed about 3 mos then, i think, Hinton Battle came in. My favorite Billy, believe it or not, was Billy Zane. I had read that his first few performances were nightmares but by the time I saw him he had settled in nicely and was having a ball. And, I know this is OT but has there been a better velma than MS. Ute Lemper? I still get chills when I think of her coming up through the floor at the start of all that jazz.

#22

re: All the Billy Flynns

Posted: 8/19/06 at 12:30pm

I'm kind of pissed they changed all the choreography for Usher. Oh well.