Marilyn Monroe in Damn Yankees! (A What If)

[gherbert]

Posted: 12/22/04 at 6:33pm

WHAT IF . . .

Marilyn Monroe or Zizi Jeanmaire or Mitzi Gaynor had taken the role of Lola in the original Damn Yankees when it was offered to them???

With a role that is so closely related to Gwen Verdon, you never stop to think that it was offered to THREE women before her. Luckily, Miss Verdon would never be fourth pick again in her career!

But think. This means that the pairing of Miss Verdon and her onstage and offstage partner Bob Fosse might never have happened. Would we have "Marilyn Monroe is . . . Sweet Charity??

Something to think about!

[jonartdesigns]

Posted: 12/22/04 at 6:36pm

not to mention chicago wouldn't exist.... it was written at the request of verdon so she could play roxie hart

[gherbert]

Posted: 12/22/04 at 6:39pm

"Zizi Jeanmaire and Chita Rivera in Chicago!"

Not only would Chicago not exist, but neither would Sweet Charity or Redhead or likely New Girl in Town, although that might have made it through cause it WAS George Abbott's idea.

Funny to think about this stuff!

[Unknown User]

Posted: 12/22/04 at 6:43pm

If I remember correctly, MM was supposed to do Damn Yankees at some point. I just don't remember if it was the movie or the play. I have a book and will check. MM would have been amazing as Lola but I think probably too old by the time Charity rolled around. What year was Charity on Bway? She died in 62 0r 63 at age 36!

[gherbert]

Posted: 12/22/04 at 7:11pm

I was joking about the Charity comment! But the show opened at the Palace Theatre in 1966, long after Monroe's death. But who knows if she would hae died early had she turned to the theatre???? We'll never know!

But I actually beg to differ that she would have been amazing as Lola. Not that she wouldn't have been a knockout! I'm sure the famous logo of Gwen Verdon in her "Lola" bustier would have been even MORE famous had it been Monroe!

But Verdon brought charm and humor to the role. Monroe lacked that sense of humor in her acting. Carol Channing delivered "Diamond's are a Girl's Best Friend" and the theatre caved in with all the laughter. But when Monroe did it, the number wasn't funny anymore. It had every man's tongue wagging on the floor, but none of the good humor that made the audience fall in love with Channing's Lorelei. And you might say that the film and show are very different, but in fact, Miss Monroe was sent by her director to watch Channing's performance many times (same with Kim Stanley in Bus Stop).

Lola is a seductress. With Verdon, though, you always like her. Even when she is trying to seduce our hero we chuckle because the Verdon had that X-factor that you just fell in love with her at first sight. She had an angelic innocence about her that was not even lost when she played devil's advocate (literally) Lola.

Monroe would have been a complete sexpot/kewpie doll. While very appealing, and probably more overtly sexual than Verdon's Lola. But that quality of humor in Lola would have been lost. Numbers like "Who's Got the Pain" and "Two Lost Souls" wouldn't have registered as well.

Coincidentally enough, Gwen Verdon is the person who TAUGHT Miss Monroe to dance for the film Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.

Also, looking to the offstage scenario. Miss Monroe often had bouts of depression and in Hollywood was often tardy to work. So doing eight shows a week would have been really difficult. In addition to all this the time that the show opened preceded her divorce from Joe DiMaggio by just a couple of months. Absences by a glamorous draw like Monroe would have led to WAVES of box office returns. Damn Yankees, the show we know today as a monster hit, might actually have been a flop.

That said, her rendition of Lola would have been very very interesting to see. As would Zizi Jeanmaire's take on the role. (Would Lola then be FRENCH in the scene in the lockerroom? Would she be called Lola at all or something like Antoinette )

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 12/22/04 at 7:31pm

FYI -- Gwen Verdon was 40 when Sweet Charity opened in January of 1966. Had Monroe lived, she'd have been 39 at the time of Charity's opening.

[gherbert]

Posted: 12/22/04 at 7:34pm

Thanks Margo. I thought that was right.

Remember, Gwen was a ripe 28 when she burst onto Broadway in Can-Can. But like Mary Martin, she remained ageless through her years. Marilyn had the same effect until her death, however who knows what she would have looked like in her 50s or 60s? Updated On: 12/22/04 at 07:34 PM

[gherbert]

Posted: 12/23/04 at 11:54am

I can't believe no one else has an opinion on this. I thought it to be really interesting.