Movie Musicals with Original Broadway Casts — Page 2

The Cocoanuts and Animal Crackers not only had the 4 Marx Brothers recreating their Broadway roles (like who was going to replace them) but also had the wonderful Margaret Dumont from the stage productions.

Just thought of some others...

"New Faces of 1952" (released in '54) had pretty much its ENTIRE Broadway cast.

"Godspell" was Off-Broadway, but had the late-great David Haskell from the original production as John/Judas.

"Born Yesterday" (not a musical) had the Oscar-winning Judy Holliday, as well as Frank Otto as Eddie, and Larry Oliver as the senator.

"Bells Are Ringing" had Ms. Holliday in her final film performance. Also from the OBC was Dort Clark as the inspector, Hal Linden (who was the original standby for Jeff Moss, but in the film sings "The Midas Touch"), Jean Stapelton as Sue and Bernie West as the dentist.

---

Re: TOO MANY GIRLS...it was Directed by its Broadway director, George Abbott. In Hollywood, Abbot would direct only two more films (that he also helmed on Broadway) THE PAJAMA GAME (1957) and DAMN YANKEES (195.

Good call on TOP BANANA, Michael Completely forgotten musical.

JUMBO (1934) was not made into a film for 28 years. In 1962, only Jimmy Durante was around to re-create his role as Pop Wonder.

---

Eddie Cantor is the epitome of a top Broadway star who is completely forgotten today.

From the late 'teens till the late '40s, Cantor was one of the most popular entertainers in the country. He headlined Ziegfeld shows, his Goldwyn fims were blockbusters and he had a top radio show. He is the only living person ever made in the image of a huge balloon for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Yet by the mid-1950s he was an anachronism, and like Sophie Tucker and George Jessel he was consigned to the dustbin of entertainment history of "the Good Old Days of old Broadway". Cantor died in 1964.

For more on Eddie Cantor click here: http://www.eddiecantor.com/bio.html
And at the other link!
Eddie Cantor

---