Kjklo: I stand corrected. For whatever reason, I thought Flora was off-Broadway. I apologize for the error (but I still think my point about Liza is valid).
Now, onto Angela Lansbury. I did think long and hard about her career before I posted my comments. Yes, she won a Tony for 'Dear World' but the show was a short-lived flop. And while I happen to love the score, nobody thinks of 'Dear World' when they think of Angela Lansbury or great Broadway shows. 'Anyone Can Whistle?' Despite a great score, only those who are die-hard Sondheim-o-philes are familiar with this show. It lasted 9 performances, I believe. 'Gypsy'? Yes, she did it in London and then LA and NY and forever showed the world that this show was capable of being done on the stage without Ethel Merman. She was superb, but it was a revial, not an original show. 'Prettybelle'? 'Nuff said.
While I think that Lansbury (and Minnelli, and Midler) can legitimately called ENTERTAINMENT legends, their careers largely revolve around media other than Broadway. I go back to my original point: to me a Broadway legend is someone whose career was spent mostly on the stage, season after season, acting in new shows, and creating new parts (for this reason, I question Bernadette Peters, but we'll see where the rest of her career takes her). Angela Lansbury made her name in films, did Broadway in the 60's, 70's, and early 80's and then went on to television where she (presumably, since she is now 80) finished her career. Of course, what makes all this so much fun is that a topic like this is open for discussion, interpretation, and argument, but I thought I'd give you my reasons for excluding Miss Lansbury from my 'legendary' list.
'Our whole family shouts. It comes from us livin' so close to the railroad tracks'
