Looking Back: TV Musicals #1 - broadway.com

[TEACHEROFTHEATER]

Looking Back: TV Musicals #1 - broadway.com#0

Posted: 11/11/03 at 12:38pm

http://www.broadway.com/template_1.asp?CI=32152&CT=8

how exciting. I hope so much of this stuff is released. I have shadowy memories of television versions of:

Damn Yankees and
It's a bird it's a plane it's Superman
Applause
Of Thee I Sing
and of course I saw Peter Pan many times.

I also have a shadowy memory of the Ethel Merman Annie Get Your Gun telecast. I do vividly recall my mother remarking that it was a shame there was not a more age appropriate person playing Frank Butler to Merman's Annie.

The musical Peter Pan with Mary Martin also figured prominently in an episode of Danny Thomas' Make Room for Daddy. That episode was nominated for an emmy as best special of the year, which was highly unusual for an episode of a sitcom, even then.

"MAY YOUR LIFE BE AS BRIGHT AS BROADWAY AT NIGHT"

Updated On: 11/11/03 at 12:38 PM

[magruder]

re: Looking Back: TV Musicals #1 - broadway.com#1

Posted: 11/11/03 at 12:52pm

I'd vote for a DVD release of the kinescope of Roz Russell in Wonderful Town. I have a tape of it, and it's the living end. Just sublime viewing.

"Gif me the cobra jool!"

[CapnHook]

re: re: Looking Back: TV Musicals #1 - broadway.com#2

Posted: 11/11/03 at 3:10pm

If PETER PAN with Mary Martin comes back to DVD, my head would explode! I spent $80 for one on eBay, they are SO hard to get now.

It would be heavenly though, what a present for the 100th Anniversary of PP!

"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle

[onceadancer2]

re: re: re: Looking Back: TV Musicals #1 - broadway.com#3

Posted: 11/11/03 at 4:08pm

Actually, some plays and musicals go further back than that. In 1939 SUSAN AND GOD with Gertrude Lawrence was telecast. Of course, only 5 people saw it! And the BBC was broadcasting Frederick Ashton ballets with the teenage Margot Fonteyn in 1937!

Miriam

Every movement has a meaning--but what the hell does it mean!

[kec]

re: re: re: Looking Back: TV Musicals #1 - broadway.com#4

Posted: 11/11/03 at 4:37pm

I would love to see the performances of Peter Pan mentioned in the article. I hope that despite the fact that the tv version has been available they will offer one of those live performances on dvd.

[BrdwyThtr]

re: re: re: re: Looking Back: TV Musicals #1 - broadway.com#5

Posted: 11/11/03 at 4:48pm

I would like to see the version of Kiss Me, Kate. Sounds wonderful.

[TxTwoStep]

re: re: re: re: re: Looking Back: TV Musicals #1 - broadway.com#6

Posted: 11/11/03 at 5:08pm

i've been lusting after that version of KATE for years! do you recall it, Miriam?

Will: They don't give out awards for helping people be gay... unless you count the Tonys. "I guarantee that we'll have tough times. I guarantee that at some point one or both of us will want to get out. But I also guarantee that if I don't ask you to be mine, I'll regret it for the rest of my life..."

[Unknown User]

re: re: re: re: re: re: Looking Back: TV Musicals #1 - broadway.com#7

Posted: 11/11/03 at 10:57pm

Didn't Mary Martin Also do Annie Get Your Gun for Television!

and didn't Mary Martin Record TWO different Peter Pans for Television in the 60's, or am I mistaken?

What about the Fantasticks that was recorded and aired for television??

[Seany]

re: re: re: re: re: re: re: Looking Back: TV Musicals #1 - broadway.com#8

Posted: 11/12/03 at 12:27am

How about the 'You're A Good Man Charlie Brown' telecast from the 70s?

There's a light in the darkness of everybody's life.

[MusicMan]

re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: Looking Back: TV Musicals #1 - broadway.com#9

Posted: 11/12/03 at 1:44am

Or the LIVE television production of A Death in the Family, starring Sally Field and William Hurt in the 80's? Apparently, television still had a modicum of humanity then. How sad that we continue to march backwards.

[alterego]

re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: Looking Back: TV Musicals #1 - broadway#10

Posted: 11/12/03 at 7:09am

I think there was a television version of Dames At Sea with Ann Miller and Ann Margaret too.

[TEACHEROFTHEATER]

re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: Looking Back: TV Musicals #1 - broadway#11

Posted: 11/12/03 at 10:24am

alterego, I think I have shadowy memories of a DAMES AT SEA on tv also............

was Bernadette Peters perhaps in that also?

"MAY YOUR LIFE BE AS BRIGHT AS BROADWAY AT NIGHT"

[MasterLcZ]

re: Looking Back: TV Musicals #1 - broadway#12

Posted: 11/12/03 at 11:44am

John Kenrick has an exaustive list of TV musicals on his site. Some sound very tantalizing, but a good number of them sound pretty awful, too.

I saw a tape of the Ann Southern LADY IN THE DARK recently, and it was ...interesting.
Musicals on TV

"Christ, Bette Davis?!?!"

Updated On: 11/12/03 at 11:44 AM

[TxTwoStep]

re: re: Looking Back: TV Musicals #1 - broadway#13

Posted: 11/12/03 at 6:06pm

i've heard of that DAMES on TV casting too, quite interesting. But it seems AnnMargret would be in the Bernadette role. And was the Fields project DEATH IN THE FAMILY or ALL THE WAY HOME?

Will: They don't give out awards for helping people be gay... unless you count the Tonys. "I guarantee that we'll have tough times. I guarantee that at some point one or both of us will want to get out. But I also guarantee that if I don't ask you to be mine, I'll regret it for the rest of my life..."

[Mr Roxy]

re: re: re: Looking Back: TV Musicals #1 - broadway#14

Posted: 11/12/03 at 8:54pm

I am tempted to get Superman but wonder what parts they cut for the TV version

Why they just did not tape the show Broadway version ) & air it, I will never know. Anyone have any info on how bad ( or good) it is, who is in it & what musical numbers they cut ? Is it a hatchet job as I have heard ?

Poster Emeritus

[CapnHook]

re: re: re: re: Looking Back: TV Musicals #1 - broadway#15

Posted: 11/12/03 at 9:00pm

There were three recordings of PETER PAN. One black and white, one made specifically for video, and another in color for TV.

"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle

[TxTwoStep]

re: re: re: re: re: Looking Back: TV Musicals #1 - broadway#16

Posted: 11/13/03 at 4:32pm

yeah, there is a B&W ONCE UPON A MATTRESS as well as a later color one, both with Carol.

Will: They don't give out awards for helping people be gay... unless you count the Tonys. "I guarantee that we'll have tough times. I guarantee that at some point one or both of us will want to get out. But I also guarantee that if I don't ask you to be mine, I'll regret it for the rest of my life..."

[tpdc]

re: re: re: re: re: re: Looking Back: TV Musicals #1 - broadway#17

Posted: 11/13/03 at 4:34pm

I'm pretty sure the Field/Hurt play was ALL THE WAY HOME. THE OLDEST CONFEDERATE GENERAL was done live as well with Henry Fonda.

[TxTwoStep]

re: re: re: re: re: re: re: Looking Back: TV Musicals #1 - broadway#18

Posted: 11/13/03 at 4:54pm

my recollection is that the novel, which one a Pulitzer, was called A DEATH IN THE FAMILY, while the play adaptation, which may have also won a Pulitzer, was called ALL THE WAY HOME. Tad Mosel, i believe, adapted it from Agee's novel. Interestingly enough, there is also a symphony by Samuel Barber, KNOXVILLE: SUMMER OF 1915, which uses the Agee text as lyric for a soprano soloist with orchestra. Having not seen the television version, i wasn't sure if it was a new adaptation that might have reverted to the novel's title.

Will: They don't give out awards for helping people be gay... unless you count the Tonys. "I guarantee that we'll have tough times. I guarantee that at some point one or both of us will want to get out. But I also guarantee that if I don't ask you to be mine, I'll regret it for the rest of my life..."