Don't forget IDINA and CHENO. Why do people feel the need to refer to her by the first 5 letter of her last name? Nothing irritates me more.
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/4/04
That's not what this thread is about, folks. Leave the bitterness about the young 'uns (hey, I'm pretty young) for another time.
A true Broadway Legend
He will be missed
I'm sad now. I loved him in the 7 Brides movie and showboat, and well anything he did. RIP Howard Keel.
KISS ME KATE will always be one of my favorite movies partly due to his perfect performance as Fred. God, that man had a great voice.
"I'm very afraid for the future of musical theater if our younger generation does not even know who he was.
God forbid they know who Alfred Drake, Nannett Fabray or John Raitt are."
Mr. Tuttle, this is 1 of the reasons why I post "Today's Birthdays." So younger readers might read about the performers, the plays/musicals they were in, & who their co-stars were, & get curious &/or share their thoughts & questions.
Milla
Nannett Fabray does not ring a bell but I know who everyone else is.
And thank you Milla for that wonderful feature. I have read it and enjoyed it very much.
But the fact that we have so many younger people here who claim that musical theater is their lives..and they haven't bothered to learn how musical theater has come this far. It is sad.
Was Rent really the start of American musical theater?
While I think it is a valid argument to say shows like Wicked, Craplynd and Footloose can get young people interested in MT, I find it sad that people think that Showboat was a Hal Prince show..if even that! Even college students here have shown they don't know basic things like Rogers & Hart and Gwen Verdon.
We seem to be in a sad world where if it wasn't featured on MTV, then it doesn't exist.
I would love for a member here to compose the Broadwayworld.com entrace exam. A comprehensive exam that would show our younger (and older) members how much rich history American musical theater has.
I don't know how well I would do, but I like that idea Mr. Tuttle.
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/4/04
At least if they think Show Boat is a Harold Prince show they can use it as an entranceway to the rest of his oeuvre. Not a bad place to start if you're studying musical theater history.
If it means anything, Tuttle, I'm in HS and I'm greatly admire Keel.
"Nanette Fabray does not ring a bell" . . .
Does Shelley Fabares jog the memory?
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/25/03
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/30/04
I just read this on "Le Monde" (I was doing a French assignment) and I was kind of hoping I was translating incorrectly. How sad, he'll be greatly missed.
(And I'm in college. Some of us do know things. And I'm sure we'll be saying the same things of the next generation about stars of our generation. It's the way it goes.)
Sorry, Marquise......it doesn't. (Don't be mad at me)
Reading the TV demographic-friendly obit, "Howard Keel, star of 'Dallas', is dead..." is ludicrous and minimizing.
It would be like reading "Lucille Ball, famous star of the film musical MAME..."
had he been ill, or was it sudden?
This is terrible! He was a great talent & legend... he will be missed. =(
By the way, I'm 15 and know who he is, if that makes any of you feel any better... :/
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/4/04
Auggie- I'm terrified that one day we'll be reading that "Angela Lansbury, of 'Murder, She Wrote,' has passed away."
I know this isn't the point you were making, but I am dreading the day Julie Andrews is in the headlines...
Oh God, me too Plum and Munk. Those two days will be the saddest days. I love them both.
Today for some reason I was thinking what an awful day it will be when Sondheim passes... agh, don't know what I'll do.
Angela and Julie too, of course.
thirdrowcenter -
Know what the most terrible part of all this is? Howard Keel didn't sing 'Old Man River' in the movie SHOWBOAT. The one who sang it, and the voice you hear in the background of those announcements of his death, is William Warfield.
This man was a great musical comedy star. He deserves better than this. Much, much better.
Featured Actor Joined: 10/24/03
The item stated that Howard Keel died of colon cancer. Terribly sad news.
I grew up on Seven Brides film. It's one of my mother's favorite musical films. He, Jane Powell and Russ Tamblyn were on my TV screen for a long time. All things must pass - even the greats. The best we can do is make sure they are always appreciated.
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