Faye Dunaway - Sunset Blvd — Page 2

Jordan Catalano said: "nealb1 said: "Jordan Catalano said: "No, the rumor is there is VIDEO of that performance."

I had 2 friends in the LA production, and they both told me - decades ago, that her final put in was never filmed.

I tried to attach a costume test photo of Faye from "Sunset" in her gold dress for "The Perfect Year." But, it's not letting me do it for some reason. :("

From everything I’ve been told (even by folks with the show) is that it was secretly filmed from the audience and caused a huge problem when they realized it was done. Of course nothing has ever surfaced so either it’s true or it’s not but that’s the story I’ve always been told."

Exactly. We'll never know 100%. You would think by now - 31 years later, that if something was actually recorded it would have surfaced by now.

chernjam said: "I wonder if part of the agreement /settlement between RUG- ALW & Faye was that any recordings would be destroyed - or by now I'm sure they would've surfaced.

I kind of feel it would have only vindicated ALW. We kind of build up the "what could've been" scenarios in our minds but there's a reason they never happened. For example, when I found the recordings of Rita Moreno from London when she stepped in temporarily (I think for 3 or 4 weeks) when Betty Buckley had an appendicitis how disappointed I was and that helped explain why she never reprised again in London or NY. If Faye could've carried the score, I think they would've let her go for it"

We also have to remember that this was 1994 - 31 years ago. Recordings and video wasn't the norm like it is today. Now we constantly see videos of either rehearsals or performances - officially released, or on someone's social media. In regards to Betty Buckley, it was Elaine Paige who replaced her when she had appendicitis in London. Betty did reprise the role, as she took over for Glenn Close, when Glenn left the NYC company. Elaine Paige then replaced BB when she left the NYC company.

The final Norma in London was Rita, who replaced Petula Clark, after Elaine Paige left.

Updated On: 10/5/25 at 10:37 AM

I was in love with the Canadian production of Sunset, which I saw in Vancouver. I know we got the set from the LA production and I believe some of the casting (Walter Charles for example.) According to her memoir, Diahann Carroll had auditioned for ALW for the Broadway run but he didn't want a black actress in the role. For the Canadian production, Garth Drabinsky had final say and he cast her. (And I'm biased, but she's my favourite Norma.)

Yes, I know. I was trying to post a photo of Faye from a costume fitting of her in the gold "Perfect Year" dress. For some reason, I'm unable to post it.

Updated On: 10/6/25 at 10:27 AM

Patti LuPone FANatic said: "On the day Dunaway was let go, who went on as Norma? Also, knowing that Faye could be fearsome, what was her relationship with the creatives and with the rest of the cast during the rehearsal process and brief performance run?"

Faye never got to perform, she was let go during a final dress rehearsal, on a Thursday afternoon. Glenn Close was still in the show and was leaving on the coming Sunday - 3 days later. Glenn's standby Karen Mason would perform as Norma for 1 week, with Faye starting 1 week later.

If you didn't already see this video that I posted earlier on the thread, SB cast member Anastasia Barzee speaks very highly of Faye, starting at the 5:30 mark.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYvo5hpDq3A