Broadway Puzzler #217

[Unknown User]

Posted: 1/24/06 at 10:21pm

Who are the 4 Broadway musical actresses who have each won at least two TONYS -- Supporting and Best Actress?


Which of the 4 won her Best Actress TONY for a non-musical work?

Which one tied a TONY with her co-star?

[rock00]

Posted: 1/24/06 at 10:41pm

The tie is Emily Skinner and Alice Ripley from Side Show. No idea on the other three...

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 1/24/06 at 10:54pm

Gwen Verdon (tied with co-star Thelma Ritter for New Girl In Town)
Tammy Grimes (won for featured actress (musical) for The Unsinkable Molly Brown and Best Actress (Play) for Private Lives)
Bebe Neuwirth
Helen Gallagher

Updated On: 1/24/06 at 10:54 PM

[Unknown User]

Posted: 1/24/06 at 11:13pm

You're shinning bright tonight, Margo!

Folks, Margo knows this, so for those of you who may not...Gwen Verdon is the only one of the 4 to have won more than 2 TONYS. She has the most TONYS of any musical performer.

Besides the 1958 win for NEW GIRL IN TOWN, her others were for:

1954 CAN CAN, Best Supporting Actress
1956 DAMN YANKEES, Best Actress
1959 REDHEAD

[lovesclassics]

Posted: 1/24/06 at 11:31pm

Didn't Audra McDonald win for RAGTIME (musical) and A RAISIN IN THE SUN (non-musical)?

Also, hasn't she won four Tony Awards, including MASTER CLASS (play) and CAROUSEL (musical)?

Granted, they are all in the Featured Category, but...

LC

[Zimmy]

Posted: 1/24/06 at 11:49pm

I don't think Audra won for Carousel. She did however win for the other 3 but only one of them is a musical. Eliminating her as an answer to the question.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 1/25/06 at 12:02am

Audra won for Carousel, Ragtime, Master Class and Raisin in the Sun. None of Audra's wins were for LEAD, only for FEATURED, which is why she was not an answer to this question.

Updated On: 1/25/06 at 12:02 AM

[lovesclassics]

Posted: 1/25/06 at 12:12am

Well, Jose' did include Supporting in his initial question...

Mr. Quizmaster???

LC

[Smaxie]

Posted: 1/25/06 at 12:17am

Actually, Angela Lansbury also has four leading actress Tony Awards (Mame, Dear World, Gypsy, Sweeney Todd), tied with Gwen Verdon for the most of any musical actress.

[jimmirae]

Posted: 1/25/06 at 5:35am

I STILL do not understand to this day how they give Tammy Grimes a "Featured" Tony for a Starring Role? My God, The show is "The Unsinkable MOLLY BROWN" and she was MOLLY BROWN. Can someone explain that one?

[Unknown User]

Posted: 1/25/06 at 8:37am

Smax and Margo, thank you.

Margo understood the intent of the original question. The musical performers who had first won a "supporting/featured" TONY and then went on to win best "lead" actress in a musical. Audrea has never won anything beyond the "supporting" TONY.

Smax correctly added that Angela indeed has 4 TONY wins for her starring portrays in MAME, DEAR WORLD, GYPSY & SWEENEY TODD. She never won in the "supporting" category.

Gwen certainly ties with Angela for top number of TONYS in the musical category, however Angela "leads."

Ah, trivia...

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 1/25/06 at 10:41am

I believe that Grimes was Supporting because she wasn't a "name" yet and, as such, was billed below the title. In those days, generally only those billed above the title were eligible for the Lead categories (today producers have the power to petition the Tony committee for category changes that don't reflect the billing). The same thing happened to William Daniels in 1776. The entire cast was billed below the title and was automatically considered Featured, including Daniels who's role was clearly a Lead one. Daniels had his name removed from consideration (he, in effect, rejected his nomination) and the award went to Ron Holgate who played Richard Henry Lee from the same show instead.

[tcoppola]

Posted: 1/25/06 at 10:48am

I think Ripley and Skinner were both nominated together, but did not win, so therefore they did not tie.

Anyone?

[lildogs]

Posted: 1/25/06 at 11:26am

I believe Yul Brenner was also in the Featured category with The King And I...

[Smaxie]

Posted: 1/25/06 at 11:34am

Ripley and Skinner were nominated together, but did not win. That's correct.