Broadway Star Joined: 6/27/07
Are there stars from Broadway's 'Golden Era' that you were ever surprised to hear are still with us? I know it may seem like an odd question.. but it got me thinking after I heard of the passing last month of Celeste Holm, who originated the role of Ado Annie in OKLAHOMA! (who knew a lead from that landmark musical was still alive in 2012). She was 95!
I think many may also be surprised to hear Jack Klugman, the original Herbie in GYPSY, is still kicking.
I saw Mickey Rooney on stage two years ago. He played Baron Hardup in Cinderella at Milton Keynes Theatre in England - he was 89 at the time!
I am surprised to hear about Klugman. Good for him!
Though not a Broadway star....Abe Vigoda is still alive!
Thing about Klugman, Tony Randal alway told Jack smoking would kill him at an early age. Guess Jack showed him! Keep kicking Jack, you ROCK!
Jack Klugman is not only alive, but still active!
He starred as juror number nine in Twelve Angry Men at the George Street Playhouse in New Brunswick, NJ only a couple of months ago.
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
Loretta Swit is still touring the dinner theatre circuit.
Jay, that is freaking awesome to hear! Have always liked him! Used to see him all the time eating at the Rivera Cafe in the West Village in the mid eighties when I lived there.
Of course this thread has probably jinxed him, and he will croak it any day now. Hopefully not!
Chorus Member Joined: 8/17/12
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/8/12
Luise Rainer (The Lady from the Sea; A Cinderella Story) is 102.
Olivia De Havilland (Romeo & Juliet; Candida; A Gift of Time) is 96.
Her sister, Joan Fontaine (Forty Carats; Tea and Sympathy) is 94.
Stephen Douglass (Carousel; Damn Yankees; 110 in the Shade, etc) is 90.
George S. Irving and Gene Saks (numerous plays and musicals) are 89.
Great to hear that Jack was in another production of Twelve Angry Men. I loved his subtle performance in the film.
Patricia Morison, the original Kate from "Kiss Me, Kate" and the replacement Anna (with very little notice) when Gertrude Lawrence passed away during the original run of "The King and I" is 97.
She's not a stage star (IBDB only has a two month credit for her) but Ellen Albertini Dow is 99 this November.
Sono Osato, the original Ivy Smith from "On the Town" is 92.
Not that she's ancient, but Pat Suzuki ("I Enjoy Being a Girl"), the original Linda Low from "Flower Drum Song" is 81.
bobs3---Stephen Douglass passed away in 2011.
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Although not a Broadway star, she still has heavy ties to musical theatre (the Baroness in the film version of "The Sound of Music"), but Eleanor Parker is 90.
Speaking of Oklahoma!, Joan Roberts, who played Laurey in the original Broadway production, passed away a couple of weeks after Mrs. Holm. She was also 95 years old.
Broadway Star Joined: 12/31/69
As far as I can tell, the original Maria, Anita, Riff, and Bernardo from WSS are still with us (and Chita's still working it!)
Really? Is this insulting ageist thread necessary? Oh wait. It's broadwayworld.com. I guess it is.
If you think honoring someone's apparent great health and longevity in their careers (like Jack and Chita) is insulting, wait til you see us actually be insulting.
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