Larry Kert's COMPANY Tony Nomination

Can someone explain to me how Kert was nominated for COMPANY in 1970 rather than Dean Jones when Kert was the replacement of Jones? I know Jones left the show quite early, but he originated the role. Why didn't the nomination go to him?

Discuss.

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Dean Jones worked out a deal (with Hal Prince while out-of-town?) where he would do the Cast Reocrding and the opening night show, and then he would step aside. (Supposedly, Jones was unhappy and was having marital problems.)

As Jones only performed one official performance, and Larry Kert stepped in right after the show opened, the Tony Committee considered him to be the actor eligible for the Tony Award.

The only time in history where a Replacement was eligible for the Tony, but, of course, it was far from an ordinary situation.

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They had Jones do the recording because he was the originator and Harold Prince really wanted his Bobby to be preserved. I must say that even though he does not have the best voice his Being Alive is the most real and most human version I have heard (though not quite as riveting as raul esparza's).

Updated On: 2/24/07 at 09:41 PM

quote:As Jones only performed one official performance, and Larry Kert stepped in right after the show opened, the Tony Committee considered him to be the actor eligible for the Tony Award.


I thought Jones stayed in about 3-4 weeks before leaving


edit: I just checked with IBDB and they say Kert started on 5/29. Opening night was on 4/26

Updated On: 2/24/07 at 10:12 PM

watching the DVD of the recording of Company. I could not get passed Dean Jones "beinging alive" I must have watched it more then a dozen times in a row. I loved Raul Larry, & Boyd Gaines but Dean Jones had something they didn't. I hear more of lyrics coming to life in his version then any other. Dean Jones recording made see the Excellent new Broadway 2006 show and put my heart back into making Company one of my favorites.

Updated On: 2/24/07 at 10:29 PM

That seems so odd that if he was in the show for two weeks, he wouldn't get a nomination. I mean, some shows only last for 2 weeks and their leads still are eligible.

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in some ways, it does make sense. Why nominate a guy everyone knows wants out? Nobody who votes is going to go see the show to catch is performance if he's not there, so it would have been unfair to have a category where only a select few voters had seen his performance (not that it hasn't happened before, I suppose. People have been nominated from flops....)

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