An actor or actress repeating their same movie performance on the stage

#1

An actor or actress repeating their same movie performance on the stage

Posted: 12/31/13 at 5:41pm

Today a friend and I were watching the film MY FAVORITE YEAR and realized Lainie Kazan got to play her same character in the later musicalized stage version we saw of the movie. It got us to thinking of other examples where someone got to repeat their movie role later in a stage adaptation of the same property. All I could come up with was Julie Andrews in VICTOR, VICTORIA. There must be other examples (especially of a straight play adaptation of a film using the same original actor). We tried but couldn't come up with any others. I figured if anyone could answer the question it would be people on this board.

#2

An actor or actress repeating their same movie performance on the stage

Posted: 12/31/13 at 5:48pm

In a current example, Jonathan Freeman played (the voice of) Jafar in the Aladdin animated movie and is now playing Jafar in the stage musical.

#3

An actor or actress repeating their same movie performance on the stage

Posted: 12/31/13 at 5:49pm

Yul Brynner- The King and I
Joel Gray- Cabaret
Ellen Greene- Little Shop
Samantha Barks- Les Miz (cheating little with that one, she played it on the West End, but clearly didn't originate the role)

#4

An actor or actress repeating their same movie performance on the stage

Posted: 12/31/13 at 5:50pm

Barbra Streisand as Fanny Brice in Funny Girl
Rosalind Harris, who was Tzeitel in the Fiddler on the Roof film, had also understudied the role on Broadway (Trivial tidbit: she was understudying Bette Midler, who auditioned for the film and was turned down).
Jonathan Freeman, voice of Jafar in Aladdin, will also play the character on Broadway this spring.


ETA: Sorry for the repeat, Adam; I was typing while you posted!

Updated On: 12/31/13 at 05:50 PM

#5

An actor or actress repeating their same movie performance on the stage

Posted: 12/31/13 at 5:58pm

If you're talking about working backwards from film to stage, Lila Kedrova won an Oscar for her role in Zorba, which she later repeated in the REVIVAL of the musical version of Zorba ... and won a Tony for it.

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"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."

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blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22

#6

An actor or actress repeating their same movie performance on the stage

Posted: 12/31/13 at 7:14pm

Anthony Quinn played Zorba in the original non musical film "Zorba The Greek" In the original Broadway production Herschel Bernardi took over the role but when the musical was revived Anthony Quinn starred in it.

Jack Kruschen played Dr. Dreyfus in the 1961 film, "The Apartment". He played the same role in the 1969 London cast of the musical version of "The Apartment" - "Promises, Promises". He went on to also play it on Broadway later in it's run.

#7

An actor or actress repeating their same movie performance on the stage

Posted: 12/31/13 at 7:15pm

Melina Mercouri starred in "Never on Sunday" and it's Broadway musical version, "Ilya, Darling!"

#8

An actor or actress repeating their same movie performance on the stage

Posted: 12/31/13 at 7:17pm

John Payne played "Fred Gailey" in the holiday classic, "Miracle on 34th Street", he went on to play the same role (as a replacement) in the musical version - "Here's Love!" on Broadway and on tour.

Updated On: 12/31/13 at 07:17 PM

#9

An actor or actress repeating their same movie performance on the stage

Posted: 12/31/13 at 7:19pm

Richard Harris played "King Arthur" in the movie version of "Camelot" and eventually wound up starring in many stage revivals of the show.

Shirley Jones made her screen debut in "Oklahoma!" and after filming was completed went on a European tour of the show co-starring Jack Cassidy, where they met, fell in love and eventually married.

#10

An actor or actress repeating their same movie performance on the stage

Posted: 12/31/13 at 7:21pm

Debbie Reynolds starred in the movie version of "The Unsinkable Molly Brown" and starred in many revivals of the stage version later on.

#11

An actor or actress repeating their same movie performance on the stage

Posted: 12/31/13 at 8:02pm

Jeffrey Wright played Belize in the Broadway production of Angels in America and the HBO adaptation.

#12

An actor or actress repeating their same movie performance on the stage

Posted: 12/31/13 at 8:29pm

^ That's actually backward to what the original poster was asking. Now if Jeffrey Wright had originated the role on film and then went on to do the stage version then your answer would have been correct.

#13

An actor or actress repeating their same movie performance on the stage

Posted: 12/31/13 at 9:13pm

Ellen Greene did LSOH before the movie...

#14

An actor or actress repeating their same movie performance on the stage

Posted: 12/31/13 at 9:17pm

Thanks folks but I am in fact asking the opposite. People who did a movie FIRST and then repeated the role on the stage. Thanks though for mentioning Melina Mercouri, Anthony Quinn, Debbie Reynolds, Lila Kedrova, Richard Harris and others. And to think I saw all of those you mentioned repeat their performances on stage. Ouch! Much appreciation for your entries!

Updated On: 12/31/13 at 09:17 PM

#15

An actor or actress repeating their same movie performance on the stage

Posted: 12/31/13 at 10:02pm

OK, I know this is old, obscure to some and a slight stretch from what Demitri requested, but --

Jeannette MacDonald plays an opera star in the 1936 film version of Rose-Marie. In an extended sequence, her character is shown performing as Juliette in Gounod's opera Roméo et Juliette. In the early 1940's, she declined to renew her contract with MGM, undertook more vocal and stage training and then began singing in various opera productions around the country. Among her signature roles was Gounod's Juliette.

Updated On: 1/1/14 at 10:02 PM

#16

An actor or actress repeating their same movie performance on the stage

Posted: 12/31/13 at 10:54pm

Now that's what I call thinking outside the box NoName3....:) VERY interesting answer.

And HOT DAMN CarlosAlberto! You're on a New Year's Eve roll! I should have just come to you directly. Wonderful answers. Thanks!

Updated On: 12/31/13 at 10:54 PM

#17

An actor or actress repeating their same movie performance on the stage

Posted: 12/31/13 at 11:15pm

Howard Keel and Jane Powell recreated their film roles in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers in the stage version but I don't remember whether the production was regional or a tour.

#18

An actor or actress repeating their same movie performance on the stage

Posted: 1/1/14 at 8:05am

Does Giorgio Tozzi count? He sang the role of Emile De Becque in the film version of SOUTH PACIFIC and later played the role at the NY State Theatre in 1969.

#19

An actor or actress repeating their same movie performance on the stage

Posted: 1/1/14 at 10:28am

Topol after (as well as before) Tevye on screen

#20

An actor or actress repeating their same movie performance on the stage

Posted: 1/1/14 at 12:07pm

Ted Neeley from Jesus Christ Superstar, movie then tour.

#21

An actor or actress repeating their same movie performance on the stage

Posted: 1/1/14 at 12:58pm

Evanna Lynch played Luna Lovegood in both the Harry Potter film series and A Very Potter Senior Year.

#22

An actor or actress repeating their same movie performance on the stage

Posted: 1/1/14 at 1:15pm

Jimmy Stewart starred in "Harvey" on film and then in the 1970 Broadway revival.

#23

An actor or actress repeating their same movie performance on the stage

Posted: 1/1/14 at 1:30pm

OtherOne I think Tozzi onstage in South Pacific is interesting and related. Likewise, Marni Nixon played Eliza in a revival of My Fair Lady at City Center after she dubbed Hepburn in the film.

MCfan, Jimmy Stewart had been a replacement Elwood in the original Broadway production of Harvey before he did the film. From what I've read, the film rights were sold, and Stewart signed to play Elwood, while the show was still running. He then personally approached the show's producers about taking over the part for a limited time, which gave the show a box office boost and him a chance to get a handle on the role before filming began.

Updated On: 3/4/14 at 01:30 PM

#24

An actor or actress repeating their same movie performance on the stage

Posted: 1/1/14 at 2:08pm

I didn't realize that. Or I'd forgotten it. Not sure which. Thanks for setting the record straight!

#25

An actor or actress repeating their same movie performance on the stage

Posted: 1/1/14 at 2:09pm

Tracie Thoms did RENT the movie and then was cast in the final Broadway cast.

Also, Ted Neeley as listed in a previous post doesn't fit the criteria. He was the Jesus understudy on Broadway and played the role in L.A. before the film - so he doesn't count.

Updated On: 1/1/14 at 02:09 PM