If Barbara Cook stayed with CARRIE for Broadway....

[ljay889]

Posted: 12/7/08 at 3:37am

If Barbara Cook stayed with Carrie The Musical for its infamous Broadway run; do you think being associated with that bomb would have hurt her career at all?

By then, Cook was a real legend, so I cannot imagine her being part of something like that on Broadway.

It didn't hurt Buckley's career, but she wasn't quite at Cook's "status" yet. It also didn't hurt a young Charlotte d'Amboise. It seems the show hurt Debbie Allen's career the most.

What do you think?



Updated On: 12/7/08 at 03:37 AM

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 12/7/08 at 3:38am

No. Barbara would have survived and her career would have still thrived.

[FlyingMonkey1223]

Posted: 12/7/08 at 3:51am

Linzi Hately has had a decent career in the UK.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 12/7/08 at 10:06am

In my opinion, I'm glad that Barbara Cook left the production because Betty was 10 times better than her in the role!

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 12/7/08 at 10:37am

I don't think being a part of one bomb can really hurt anybody's career.

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 12/7/08 at 11:19am

I was glad she left the show, she was horrid in it, she had zero aspects of Margaret, Buckley was far better

[cfmiller]

Posted: 12/7/08 at 11:36am

Dorothy Loudon survived numerous bombs and managed to thrive and be beloved.

[CurtisTaylorJr2]

Posted: 12/7/08 at 11:49am

I don't think so, performers can survive flops. Barbara Cook was already established then, so it wouldn't have hurt her.

Posted: 12/7/08 at 11:49am

Being in a bomb CAN hurt your career. nanette Fabray made a big splash in HIgh Button Shoes and Bloomer Girl. Love Life and Arms and the Girl were supposed to make her a star but both shows tanked. she went on to be a tv personality. Same thing with Susan Johnson. She made a splash in The Most Happy Fella and should have gone on to stardom in Oh Captain! but that also was a failure. Just goes to show you never know. it can look like a hit on paper and then everything can go wrong leaving us all wondering what could have been.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 12/7/08 at 2:28pm

Thank you, songanddanceman. She was totally wrong for the role. Listening to her on the bootleg, she was just too...nice to be Margaret. Do you understand what I'm saying?

And splendero, Barbara Cook had already been in a flop before Carrie and that was Candide.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 12/7/08 at 2:42pm

Cook had had several flops before Carrie.

And, the show did not do wonders for Buckley. Afterwards she kinda disappeared. She didn't return for almost 10 years.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 12/7/08 at 2:47pm

The original UK window card:


Barbara Cook and Linzi Hately in rehearsal:

[blaxx]

Posted: 12/7/08 at 3:07pm

That logo(and the art in general) is still better than most we have nowadays.

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 12/7/08 at 3:44pm

I really hated the Logo, it did not match the tone of the show at all, it took itself to seriously.

The UK program makes me laugh, i got it when i was about 9 when i want to watch Carrie, i found it in a box of junk at my mums when she was moving to Turkey.It looks like the pictures of the cast were taken for a production of Fame lol

[Mildred Plotka]

Posted: 12/7/08 at 7:03pm

Do you realize how many flops Barbara Cook has been in?

Flahooley
Candide
The Gay Life
Something More!
The Grass Harp

She managed to survive those bombs. She would have triumphed after Carrie as well.

[sondheimboy2]

Posted: 12/7/08 at 7:47pm

Barbara already was into the thriving "second half" of her career on the concert stage when "Carrie" happened. Her even doing "Carrie" seemed like a fluke.

[ljay889]

Posted: 12/7/08 at 8:40pm

Yeah, but those flops aren't as infamous as Carrie.

[jeniferrenepatricia]

Posted: 12/8/08 at 2:09am

Betty was much better in the role, but I disagree that she disappeared for 10 years......

1990 first solo engagement at rainbow & stars nightclub, atop rockefeller center in new york city


1991 first semi-annual engagement at The Bottom Line, legendary greenwich village club


1992 children will listen is released, betty lynn's first recording for sterling records

major concert appearance: sondheim: a celebration at carnegie hall

pirate jenny in the threepenny opera at the williamstown theatre festival

alone together, one-woman show at williamstown theatre festival

mama rose in gypsy at the southern arizona light opera company



1993 major concert appearance: george and ira gershwin: a musical celebration

a.r. gurney's the fourth wall, chicago


1994 betrayal of trust, tv movie

with one look is released, betty lynn's second recording for sterling records

norma desmond in the revised production of sunset boulevard in london

olivier award nomination for best actress in a musical

bbc radio broadcast of sondheim's a little night music



1995 the london concert, solo concert with bbc symphony orchestra and big band for bbc radio

assumes lead of norma desmond in broadway production of sunset boulevard


1996 sunset boulevard, broadway

music of the night, national tour of the songs of andrew lloyd webber

betty buckley: an evening at carnegie hall for broadway cares/equity fights aids

critical choices, tv movie for showtime

the london concert, sterling records release



1997 triumph of love, broadway (tony nomination)

betty buckley: an evening at carnegie hall, sterling records release

guest star on tony awards with rosie o'donnell



1998 gypsy, papermill playhouse

much more, sterling records release



1999 hosted pbs special the women of tin pan alley

bravo special betty buckley: in performance and in person

eros trilogy, vineyard theatre, off broadway

cafe carlyle

simply irresistible, feature film

camino real, hartford stage production

formed ko productions and records with kevin duncan

broadway cares/equity fights aids christmas concert


2000 cafe carlyle

heart to heart, first ko records release

cbs sunday morning profile

betty buckley: 15 year anniversary re-release

donmar warehouse - diva series in london

[A Director]

Posted: 12/8/08 at 2:17am

Do you realize how many flops, Liza has been in?

Flora, The Red Menace
The Act
The Rink

[jeniferrenepatricia]

Posted: 12/8/08 at 2:21am

good point...If the fans love them enough, they'll survive no matter what.

[Mildred Plotka]

Posted: 12/8/08 at 2:31am

Though some performers, Karen Morrow comes immediately to mind, leave Broadway by choice in fear of being associated with another flop.

Larry Grossman is one of my favorite composers and he's never had a hit on Broadway.