Broadway Bootlegs

Here is some rare footage of musicals from the past. The best way for them to be preserved through the ages is to share them amongst people wo appreciate musical theatre, so here they are. Most are silent home movies shot by people in the cast or by audience members. If you go on my youtube channell, there are many more, but here are some of the most interesting ones:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2-bYIoHu4U - Follies Movie, 1971 (Over an hour of all the footage put together!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2N287H0rU9E - Breakfast At Tiffany's, 1966

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0FGdLYIUG0 - Angela Lansbury in Mame (synchronised!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6jCcJyB0i8 - Ethel Merman in Gypsy, 1959

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ccIJx1MPGc - Barbra Streisand in Funny Girl, 1965

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMfZNFqMfc4 - A Little Night Music, 1973

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKQgypjFjBg - Ethel Merman in Hello Dolly, 1970 (only known footage of her in this role!)

Updated On: 7/22/15 at 12:55 PM

Imagine trying to hide the camera back then. Another problem is how would you try and sell it?

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In response to Mr. Roxy, I believe that they didn't actually sell them, but just kept them to watch at home (possibly shared them with others if they were collectors). However, most of these home movies were shot by a journalist, Ray Knight, who would come once or twice a year to Broadway and filmed every major (and not so major) musical. He filmed over 175 Broadway musicals, starting in 1931. He caught on tape shows such as Anything Goes (with Merman), Damn Yankees (Gwen Verdon) and Camelot. After he passed away in 1973, his collection was bought by collector Miles Kreuger. Sadly, he won't share this precious footage, and it is slowly decaying in a cupboard in his home.

Updated On: 2/22/15 at 02:47 PM

Remember when you'd get a whole thread deleted by even saying the B word? Things sure have changed!

My God, those very short glimpses of Ethel Merman doing Rose's Turn are absolutely thrilling. Positively tantalizing.

Why no one ever captured that number in it's entirety on film is beyond me. It was the crowning moment of her career.

What is the oldest full-show audio and video bootleg extant?

Yeah, I hd meant together since most of the oldest ones are either just audio, or video without audio or synced to other recordings.

I have stuff older than Roza.

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The MERRILY video posted on this thread alone is a good 5 years older than ROZA.

I'd be curious to hear what the oldest was as well.

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Updated On: 2/22/15 at 06:10 PM

Lol. These have all been "available" for a long time.

Which one?? There are several.

There are more than one video bootleg of the Merrily previews? Or do you mean which production? Because if so, the original.

Charley, yes there were 2, I believe.