HELLO DOLLY soon on DVD- Page 2

[Albin]

Posted: 6/17/03 at 6:07pm

T-The
W-World's
H-Happiest
M-Musical

also known as "Hello Dolly"

[TheaterBaby]

Posted: 6/17/03 at 6:20pm

WOW! I can't believe I forgot about that. Please forgive me.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 6/17/03 at 6:31pm

I'll attack That Streisand Woman all I want. She's insidious trash and doesn't deserve the adulation that some people give her.

[bestofbroadway]

Posted: 6/17/03 at 6:34pm

Wow DollyPop....you feel very strongly about this. It was really just meant to be a question. Sorry if you took offense to it. I too agree that Barbra is not really fit for the part (by making Dolly so much younger the character almost seems to be a golddigger), but nothing can change the fact that the woman has one of the most beautiful voices ever.
As far as Barbra not being easy to work with, this is true. I don't really even like her as a person, I just think she's talented (I can seperate these two things, for some reason many others can't.) But I don't think Walter was exactly heaven. It says in Gene Kelly's book "A Celebration" that Streisand "incurred the cordial loathing of her co-star, Walter Matthau...[and told her] to remember that he was the actor on the set while she was merely a pipsqueak singer. As she departed for her dressing room in tears, he scored the final shot: 'You have the talent of a butterfly's fart and although you may think you're indispensable, just remember that's what Betty Hutton thought." If you also read his biography it says that Gene came into the project after Barbara had already been picked although he says the clear choice was Carol Channing. But, I don't really think Carol Channing is a bundel of fun either.
Where did you read this about Barbara having to pull tricks to get the part? After her success with Funny Girl, I think the studio wanted her off the bat. But I could have read that wrong. I can understand why you didn't like Barbra as Dolly, but I find much of her work incomparable.
Oh and Carol Channing- a sexual creature- HAHAHAHA!!! I'm dying. The question isn't "Why would Dolly get excited over them?" the question is why would anyone get excited over Carol?

[bestofbroadway]

Posted: 6/17/03 at 6:34pm

Wow DollyPop....you feel very strongly about this. It was really just meant to be a question. Sorry if you took offense to it. I too agree that Barbra is not really fit for the part (by making Dolly so much younger the character almost seems to be a golddigger), but nothing can change the fact that the woman has one of the most beautiful voices ever.
As far as Barbra not being easy to work with, this is true. I don't really even like her as a person, I just think she's talented (I can seperate these two things, for some reason many others can't.) But I don't think Walter was exactly heaven. It says in Gene Kelly's book "A Celebration" that Streisand "incurred the cordial loathing of her co-star, Walter Matthau...[and told her] to remember that he was the actor on the set while she was merely a pipsqueak singer. As she departed for her dressing room in tears, he scored the final shot: 'You have the talent of a butterfly's fart and although you may think you're indispensable, just remember that's what Betty Hutton thought." If you also read his biography it says that Gene came into the project after Barbara had already been picked although he says the clear choice was Carol Channing. But, I don't really think Carol Channing is a bundel of fun either.
Where did you read this about Barbara having to pull tricks to get the part? After her success with Funny Girl, I think the studio wanted her off the bat. But I could have read that wrong. I can understand why you didn't like Barbra as Dolly, but I find much of her work incomparable.
Oh and Carol Channing- a sexual creature- HAHAHAHA!!! I'm dying. The question isn't "Why would Dolly get excited over them?" the question is why would anyone get excited over Carol?

[TheaterBaby]

Posted: 6/17/03 at 6:44pm

Actully, The film version of Hello, Dolly! was not originaly supposed to have Barbra Streisand in it. The movie was planned out before she even came to Hollywood. The problem was, the movie was not allowed to be made when they wanted it to be because the show was still going strong on Broadway. Broadway producers were afraid that if people had the option of seeing the movie, then they would not want to see the Broadway Production.

When they finally got the green light to film it, Barbra had proven her screen acting skills in Funny Girl. Movie producers decided to cast her, hoping to cash in on the success of her first film. That's how she got the part over Carol. Unfortunately, it was also during the filming of this movie that she began to develope that reputation of being difficult. After Dolly, Barbra collaborated with Sidney Portier and others on a Production company. It was there where she was able to learn Producing and Directing. Sorry, to ramble.

Posted: 6/17/03 at 7:40pm

Dollypop,

I have to ask..

Can you post a pic of yourself?

Anytime I read a post of yours, I just have this vision in my head of you looking like Maria Callas in Chicago when they served her the subpoena...

Please prove me wrong:

[RagtimeRay]

Posted: 6/17/03 at 7:41pm

I had the pleasure of seeing Carol Channing's most recent revival of Hello, Dolly! four times (twice on Broadway and twice on tour). Hello, Dolly was the first Broadway show I ever saw - with Channing - and I saw all of the Broadway Dollys except for Phyllis Diller.

Someone commented that Carol Channing was old when she originated the role. She was not. Ms. Channing was 42 years old when Dolly opened, and turned 43 later that month. She was, in fact, the youngest of the women to play the role during the original production. Others were (ages approximate when they did the role): Ginger Rogers (54); Martha Raye (50); Betty Grable (50); Pearl Bailey (49); Phyllis Diller (51); and Ethel Merman (61).

Ms. Streisand was in her early twenties when she filmed the movie, and totally miscast as the matchmaking widow seeking Horace Vandergelder for herself.

As much as I enjoy Hello, Dolly!, the movie (which I saw in theaters when it first came out) has been available on VHS for quite a number of years and I don't find myself drawn to watch it.

[AndrewClay]

Posted: 6/17/03 at 7:49pm

I too agree that while I enjoyed the movie, especially Barbra's "Before the Parade Passes By" and Michael Crawford's "It Only Takes a Moment" that she was miscast.

In terms of Hollywood miscasting they didn't do too badly though.

Andrew

[bestofbroadway]

Posted: 6/17/03 at 8:15pm

Now if this doesn't give you nightmares I don't know what will. I'm scared to go to sleep tonight. Updated On: 6/17/03 at 08:15 PM

[bestofbroadway]

Posted: 6/17/03 at 8:21pm

Scary Spice- this is what she looked like to me when I saw the Dolly revival- with some makeup to "hide" the wrinkles Updated On: 6/17/03 at 08:21 PM

[Dollypop]

Posted: 6/17/03 at 8:44pm

OKAY BESTOFBROADWAY....you asked for this!!!!

Stand up and take your CyberSmack like a man!!!

How dare you say anything negative about the Goddess of Musical Comedy? How dare you!!!!! You're a loathesome toad who only has taste in his mouth! Have you ever seen TGC perform? Not on TV or in the (oh God I hate the word!) movies, but live--in front of an audience????? Huh? Huh??? Huh??????

She holds the audience in her hand and they adore her. TGC got FIVE standing ovations at every performance of TWHM when she last revived it. FIVE!!!!!!! The audience jumped to their feet when she stepped off the trolley in the first scene, and then did the same when she led the parade at the end of the act. In Act Two you would have thought Mets had just won the World Series when she appeared at the top of the staircase in that Freddy Wittop red gown--people were leaping out of their seats with joy!!! When she finished the DOLLY! number there was yet another standing ovation and at the Grand Finale, the crowd was so adoring that they had to cut Dolly's line: "Wow. wow wow fellas, look at the old girl now fellas!" because it couldn't be heard as she strutted across the runway in her wedding gown. This was a Broadway Legend creating magic on stage. Sutton is talented, but she doesn't have quite that affect on an audience--yet. The same is true for a whole host of performers on the Broadway scene today.

Yes, TGC has aged. So have I. I was a college kid when I first saw TWHM. I'm now getting ready to retire after 32 years of teaching. Still, this is a woman who has enthralled audiences and creates MAGIC. That's what theater is about MAGIC--not special effects or chintzy pop music--MAGIC. There isn't a morning that goes by without me listening to one of the cast albums of TWHM in my car. It sets me in a proper mood and gives me perspective when my ghetto rat students treat me like garbage (or as just happened--threaten to kill me). TGC and TWHM became an integral part of my life on January 16, 1964--you didn't think I chose my screen name as a caprice, did you?

I will venerate TGC to the day I day and will castigate those who post disparaging remarks about her.

Remember folks: Hell Hath No Fury Like Dollypop Scorned!!!!!!!!

Anyone who posts negative remarks about Carol Channing is challenged to meet me in Bryant Park where I will beat them to a pulp to protect the honor of my beautiful goddess!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[bestofbroadway]

Posted: 6/17/03 at 9:17pm

I'm glad you find such joy in Carol Channing (I really do-I'm not being sarcastic.) If you read my posts you will see that I did see her play the role LIVE. I don't judge performances that I haven't seen (unlike some people I know on this board.) I'm not sure how old you think I am, but I have experienced many of the greats. Unfortunately I did not experience Carol Channing until her most recent revival. She was received very well when I went to see her and there was a long standing ovation, but no one flew out of there seats during any part of the performance. I'm sure that she was brilliant when she was younger. As I said before she is a great talent and a legend, and I have a lot of respect for her but her performance in 1994 didn't do anything for me. She is extremely funny, but as I have said before she is no spring chicken. It is true that performers now a days don't have the same affect they used to, but such is the state of theater and it's audiences. I too have my problems with TV and the movies. TV and movies have made audiences so disrespectful. I'm surprised people even clap anymore at the theater. Sorry you took so much offense to my remarks about Ms. Channing. I stand by what I say but I will try to refrain from posting my comments here.

[TheaterBaby]

Posted: 6/18/03 at 12:24am

OK, those pictures are really scary! I will most likely have nightmares now. But, I adore Carol Channing...and hey! She must have done something right all those years since she was the first to be a part of the Broadway walk of fame (which I've yet to see!). It was such a nice idea; what happened to it!?

[IssaMe]

Posted: 6/18/03 at 6:17am

The cast CD of the latest Channing revival is brilliant. The tempos are so lively and spritely.

Did run that photo of Charles Pierce as TGC as a joke or did you really think it was TGC?

[IssaMe]

Posted: 6/18/03 at 6:19am

Don't know about all this casting stuff, but Jason is nice (a kid even Dollypop might like - well, he's not really a kid anymore but I first knew him when he was seven...and you tend to remember people as you first knew them?).

[Dollypop]

Posted: 6/18/03 at 4:44pm

To offend TGC is to offend ME. Something happened on the evening of January 16, 1964. I either bonded, or "morphed", or found my true self when the curtain went up on TWHM for the first time. My mother and I were there. My dad was an auto mechanic and had obtained Opening Night tickets through a customer who was involved with the TV show "That Was The Week That Was". I'd seen several wonderful Broadway Shows prior to that, but when that goofy horse pulled the trolley on stage and TGC made her entrance, I realized I was witnessing something marvelous. I experienced nirvana when she walked down that staircase in the second act. I truly "connected with that show--I still do.

There is no doubt that DOLLY (the show) and I are one. I can't explain it, but I know it's true. Good times and bad times, DOLLY helps me through it all. My bleakest moments are put into perspective when I play one of the recordings of its score.

I eagerly look forward to the new production that's been promised for 2006. However, I WILL pummel anyone who says disparaging things about TGC. I mean it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted: 6/18/03 at 7:40pm

However, I WILL pummel anyone who says disparaging things about TGC. I mean it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Voiceanth: The respect you want all of us to show Channing is a fine thing to want… however I don’t suggest getting it by disparaging the following:

A Woman who is multiple Oscar, Grammy and Emmy winner!

And my all time favorite:

EVERY FILM MADE OR/AND RELEASED IN AMERICA SINCE 1969…

It makes you look silly and quite frankly, limited.

If your only frame of reference to everything, is the WORLDS HAPPIEST MUSICAL...then ones’ opinion probably won’t be really appreciated, as it probably should.

Just a thought..

[mdshayne]

Posted: 6/18/03 at 8:00pm

here is a mini bio page for Carol Channing

http://www.brucekimmel.com/channingbio.html.htm

I was surprised to find out that there are no website dedicated to her! At least that I could find in a google search

[Albin]

Posted: 6/18/03 at 8:16pm

Once again, voiceanth is the voice of reason on the boards...

[Dollypop]

Posted: 6/18/03 at 9:16pm

Albin, keep your mouth shut and stop proving to the world that you have the IQ of a potato peeler!

Posted: 6/18/03 at 9:28pm

I heard Channing as Dolly before I saw her. I saw Streisand as Dolly before before I saw Channing. Two very different interpretations but each quite brilliant and remarkable. Both gaining even more grace and sparkle with age.

With all that's worth debating in the world today l=et's change the topic, please.

Yours for a better Broadway.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 6/18/03 at 9:51pm

Change the topic???? While there are still heathens who think that That Streisand Woman has an iota of talent? She sold out to the movies. Doesn't that tell you something? When was the last time that La Streisand played 8 perfs a week? She's a sham!

[TheaterBaby]

Posted: 6/18/03 at 10:04pm

"Talent for the deaf, dumb, and blinde maybe; but not an ounce of what I call talent."

LOL there I go quoting Gypsy again.

Dollypop, why do you get so mad when people knock Carol Channing, but then you go and attack Barbra Streisand? There are performers I don't enjoy, but I don't go around constantly dragging their name through the mud. You can say great things about Carol Channing without attacking other performers whom others might prefer.
I happen to think they are both talented in their own ways, but I definitely prefer BARBRA STREISAND (yeah, that's her name pal! Not "That Streisand Woman!")

[AReinkingfan]

Posted: 6/19/03 at 5:06pm

I know from reading Broadway message boards in the past, not to rile up Dollypop in regards to his beloved Carol. By my very user name, I am a huge fan of Ann Reinking's and I try to take the negative comments about her with a grain of salt. (A good practice for anyone in regards to their favorites. Adore who you want to adore, and to each their own.)

It's more than just a little nice that Dollypop has his wonderful experience from the 60's to remember and to cling to when times get bad, or sad for him. Everyone should have at least one memory like that. And I wish that for everyone.

Yet, with all due respect...


BestofBroadway... those pictures were a HOOT!!!! ( :