Originally, Bea Arthur wanted to play Mame, and of course she lost the role to Lansbury. Against Lucy, Bea would have been the better Mame but alas, she was Vera. Bea made the film for me ("And a small chisel."), and I rather liked her costumes... a sophisticated skunk.
In that Mame book some have mentioned, it says that Michele Lee became the frontrunner for a newer tv movie version of Mame. Never came about, but Michele did do a one night only Mame concert at the Hollywood Bowl... she played Ito too (I wonder how *that* went over).
I saw that Hollywood Bowl concert of Mame with Michelle Lee. I don't remember her playing Ito. I don't remember who played Ito, but I think I would have noticed if they cut the character.
"Originally, Bea Arthur wanted to play Mame, and of course she lost the role to Lansbury."
I think later Bea and Elaine Stritch toured with Mame and each night they switched roles.
If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
When Michelle Lee did "Mame" a few years back at The Hollywood Bowl, there was a very funny moment with Ito and the telephone prop. The scene where Mr. Babcock comes to Beekman Place to take Patrick away from Mame, the phone rang.
Ito went to answer it, he picked it up, said, "Hello." And, the phone still rang. He looked full front and the entire audience of 13,000+ people laughed hysterically! Then when Lindsay says to Mame, "I'll speak to your stockbroker. Give me the phone" He added...on this phone that seems to have a mind of it's own......something like that. It was very, very funny.
If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
Stritch played Vera on the national tour, opposite Janet Blair as Mame.
Later, Stritch did a stock tour as Mame.
As far as I know, Bea Arthur never toured as either Mame or Vera. Lansbury did play Mame in San Francisco and Los Angeles with much of the original Broadway cast, but Anne Francine was her Vera there.
I'm sorry, but I love the Lucille Ball version of "Mame." I do agree that Lucy lacked the vocal skills to carry the songs, but her comic timing was perfect as usual. Bea Arthur was great as Vera Charles, and Robert Preston was adorable. I don't care how many filters were used or the bad costumes they put on Bea Arthur...the movie wasn't as bad as everyone makes it out to be. Rosalind Russell's version wasn't a masterpiece either as far as I'm concerned, so leave Lucy alone.
Acting should be bigger than life. Scripts should be bigger than life. It should all be bigger than life.- Bette Davis
Wow, I would have loved to see Stritch's take on both Vera and Mame. She should have been recorded playing the great starring roles she did like Ruth Sherwood and Mame. Oh well.
"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"
