Moose Murders

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 4/21/08 at 1:16pm

Who won't think of WAT when reading this!



A Broadway Flop Again Raises its Antlers

Updated On: 4/21/08 at 01:16 PM

[Gothampc]

Posted: 4/21/08 at 1:20pm

Eve Arden was in the OBC, but left (fired?) during previews. Does anyone know if it was ever billed as "Eve Arden in Moose Murders"?

Updated On: 4/21/08 at 01:20 PM

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 4/21/08 at 1:37pm

Eve Arden only lasted two previews (though the article claims just one preview) of the show and was fired. She was never billed above the title, but I believe the only window card of the show does have Eve Arden's name on it. They never reprinted one for Holland Taylor.

GREAT article!
Updated On: 4/21/08 at 01:37 PM

[Ed_Mottershead]

Posted: 4/21/08 at 1:41pm

I saw the first preview of Moose Murders with Eve Arden. She left of her own volition after the next performance and talks about it in her autobiography, Three Phases of Eve. She had been presented with two choices for her Broadway return: Moose Murders and Peggy Porterfield in the 1982 revival of On Your Toes and opted for the former, much to her regret. She would have been great as Peggy -- Elaine Stritch played the role in the 1954 revival and was one of the few redeemable features of that unfortunate production.

The real joy of seeing Moose Murders was the expressions on the audience's faces during intermission. It was as stunned as the audience shot in the film The Producers. I wouldn't trade that memory for anything in the world!

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 7/8/09 at 11:14pm

I got my MOOSE MURDERS window card signed by Holland Taylor tonight!! She was so sweet about it too. I love Holland Taylor and I love MOOSE MURDERS!!

[morosco]

Posted: 7/8/09 at 11:17pm

I like Holland Taylor too. She's hilarious.

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 7/8/09 at 11:21pm

and so classy too. I adore the woman.

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 7/8/09 at 11:22pm

WAT = RFS

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 7/8/09 at 11:32pm

just for clarification...RFS is resident flop specialist!

[After Eight]

Posted: 7/8/09 at 11:50pm

Eve Arden was billed above the title.

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 7/8/09 at 11:53pm

Yes she was. The original poster was Eve Arden in MOOSE MURDERS.

After she left the show, the new poster was MOOSE MURDERS, with Holland Taylor.

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 7/9/09 at 12:02am

That's "Resident Flop Specialist." The first letter of each word is capitalized because it's an official title.

[SNAFU]

Posted: 7/9/09 at 12:05am

I was told that to be remembered you have to either be the very BEST or the very WORST, why strive for just OK?

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 7/9/09 at 12:09am

awww, thanks, MissP!

and Snafu, no wonder MOOSE MURDERS and ME JACK, YOU JILL are two of the most memorable plays in the past 40 years!

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 7/9/09 at 12:11am

I agree with SNAFU. Besides, when something is truly bad, it's good. Know what I mean? For example, I will never forget Yul Brynner when I saw him in a revival of THE KING AND I. But the memory of him in HOME SWEET HOMER is even more vivid!!!

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 7/9/09 at 12:13am

HOME SWEET HOMER!!!!! I have that window card as well. A brilliant show. Yul Brunner and Joan Diener at their finest.

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 7/9/09 at 12:15am

Don't forget the musicians tossing the boulder around in the orchestra pit as though it were a volleyball!

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 7/9/09 at 12:18am

Haha...amazing!!!! Thanks for the visual.

[scott68]

Posted: 7/9/09 at 12:18am

It's so great that every show eventually gets its Glory Day!

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 7/9/09 at 12:22am

Some incredible dates in Broadway history:

February 6, 1965 - KELLY
December 14, 1969 - LA STRADA
January 4, 1976 - HOME SWEET HOMER
February 22, 1983 - MOOSE MURDERS
May 6, 2008 - GLORY DAYS

[After Eight]

Posted: 7/9/09 at 12:23am

Yes, shows like "Copperfield," "A Tale of Two Cities," or "Dance a Little Closer" were just bad. But uniquely bad, over-the-top bad, like "Got Tu Go Disco," "Carrie," or "Senator Joe" were special events.