Robert Preston

[Mr. Dolly Levi]

Posted: 5/9/12 at 10:33am

Having just watched "The Music Man" with my children, as well as "Victor/Victoria" with my wife (it was a slow and rainy weekend), I am interested in learning more about Robert Preston. There doesn't appear to have been a biography written about Preston, does anyone have any suggested sources of information? Anyone have any good stories?

[madbrian]

Posted: 5/9/12 at 10:38am

I heard that when The Music Man was going to be made into a film, Jask Warner wanted Frank Sinatra to play Harold Hill, but Meredith Willson, who wrote the book, music, and lyrics, insisted that Preston play the part.

[AC126748]

Posted: 5/9/12 at 10:40am

Barbara Cook has talked about him in several of her cabarets that I've seen, and always in glowing terms. In fact, I've never heard a negative word said about him. I remember reading an old Playbill column about a longtime bartender at Sardi's who said that Preston was the only one of his customers who would frequently acknowledge him outside of the restaurant.

[Wynbish]

Posted: 5/9/12 at 10:47am

One of my favorite things he has been in is The Last Starfighter

[goldenboy]

Posted: 5/9/12 at 10:57am

Actually.. it was Cary Grant they wanted. He told them to give it to Robert Preston.

[madbrian]

Posted: 5/9/12 at 11:12am

The way I heard the story, Cary Grant was the first choice but he declined. The studio (Jack Warner) then moved on to Sinatra, but Willson insisted on Preston.

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 5/9/12 at 11:46am

I'm beginning to think that this Cary Grant story is just that: a "story". The same exact thing is said to have happened when Warners was casting My Fair Lady when Jack Warner allegedly offered the role of Higgins to Grant and he told him no and threatened that if he didn't hire Rex Harrison that he wouldn't go see it.

I've also heard this "story" involving Warner wanting Cagney for Alfred Dolittle and Cagney declining and advising him to hire Stanley Holloway.

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 5/9/12 at 11:46am

I'm beginning to think that this Cary Grant story is just that: a "story". The same exact thing is said to have happened when Warners was casting My Fair Lady when Jack Warner allegedly offered the role of Higgins to Grant and he told him no and threatened that if he didn't hire Rex Harrison that he wouldn't go see it.

I've also heard this "story" involving Warner wanting Cagney for Alfred Dolittle and Cagney declining and advising him to hire Stanley Holloway.

[newintown]

Posted: 5/9/12 at 11:54am

Although a terrific actor, I doubt that a bio of Preston would be particularly interesting reading - he worked steadily and highly visibly as an actor from the age of 19 (even while serving in WW II), achieved super-stardom at the age of 39, and was happily married to the same woman his entire life.

If there were unknown, detailed stories about the development of Harold Hill, or about the several major flops he did (We Take The Town, Prince of Grand Street, Mack and Mabel, Ben Franklin in Paris), they might offer a bit of entertainment, but his life story had little drama. His work was the entertainment.

[Ed_Mottershead]

Posted: 5/9/12 at 11:56am

I heard the same thing from a bartender at Sardi's. He said that Preston always spoke when he saw him on the street, remembered his name, asked about his family, etc., etc. I also remember how gracious he was to children after a performance of I Do! I Do! -- talked to them like they were his peers, looked interested in everything they had to say and picked several of the youngsters up and gave them a hug. The difference between the way Preston reacted to his fans and the way Mary Martin did was very perceptable.

[karen24]

Posted: 5/9/12 at 11:57am

I've always loved Robert Preston. You're right, there's not that much out there on him (perhaps because he was just a good guy who didn't do anything "scandalous"?)

Biography.com has a fairly lengthy bio.
Biography.com: Robert Preston

[jv92]

Posted: 5/9/12 at 12:14pm

I, too, love Robert Preston and his work.

Ed, how did Mary Martin treat her fans?

[temms]

Posted: 5/9/12 at 12:33pm

A longtime Broadway pianist was telling old war stories, and related a conversation he'd had with Preston once. He asked Preston why he never did any more productions of "Music Man", despite constantly being offered. His response was reportedly, "First off, I can't compete with myself twenty years ago. And second, I get better reviews when I don't do the show."

And he still does - is there any review of any production of "Music Man" that doesn't mention how brilliant Robert Preston originally was?

I agree that he's one of the few actors I've read about who seem to have no scandal in their lives and are respected and beloved by everyone they ever came in contact with. And consummate professionals often make for very dull bio-subjects.

[WOSQ]

Posted: 5/9/12 at 1:45pm

Well, there was a small scandal during Ben Franklin in Paris when he had a public fling with his leading lady, a Swedish actress never heard of before or since.

Preston had a sign in his dressing room along the lines of "Happiness is knowing your lyrics". He would go over all his lyrics before every performance. He would also give people holy hell for not giving 100%.

Preston was known for musicals but often did plays too: The Lion in Winter, Nobody Loves an Albatross (a forgotten comedy that got good reviews and ran about 7 months), an all-star revival of Too True To be Good by Shaw and he took over from George C. Scott in the original Sly Fox which was his last Broadway appearance.

[Gypsy9]

Posted: 5/9/12 at 2:28pm

Unfortunately, I only saw Robert Preston in one show: BEN FRANKLIN IN PARIS. It was not a success but because of Preston's tremendous stage presence, the show appeared to be wonderful. His co-star was the Swedish actress Ullah Sallert, mentioned above. They appeared together in a clever number "The Balloon is Ascending" where because of the set, the hot air balloon really did appear to ascend and descend.

I wish I had seen him in the stage production of THE MUSIC MAN, but thoroughly enjoyed him in the film.

I met him in a bar once after a show and he chatted with me briefly. He was very personable.

Updated On: 5/9/12 at 02:28 PM

[best12bars]

Posted: 5/9/12 at 2:45pm

I believe Warners offered Cary Grant both Music Man in '62 and My Fair Lady in '64. He turned both film roles down, but the famous quote is usually attributed to My Fair Lady, not Music Man. That's where Grant said, "Not only will I not play it, but if you don't cast Rex Harrison, I won't even go see it."

Warners used this same strategy on several adaptations of Broadway musicals: one of the two leads had to be a bankable movie star.

They didn't even care which one. Janis Paige said in several interviews that she knew Warners (her own studio) was considering either Doris Day or Frank Sinatra for the film version of The Pajama Game. When Sinatra turned the part down, she knew she wouldn't get the movie. They cast Doris Day (a big film star), and let John Raitt play his stage role.

With Damn Yankees (also Warners), as long as they had Tab Hunter as Joe, they could use Gwen Verdon as Lola.

With the film versions of Music Man and My Fair Lady, one of the two leads had to be a movie star. Both Robert Preston and Rex Harrison had played leads in films before, but neither one was considered a bona fide bankable movie star. Shirley Jones was fresh from winning an Oscar for Elmer Gantry and had starred in several hit films. And Audrey Hepburn was ... Audrey Hepburn. By casting those leading ladies, it allowed the gents to recreate their legendary stage roles on film.

[beaemma]

Posted: 5/9/12 at 2:52pm

I saw him in I DO I DO, MACK AND MABEL, and SLY FOX. He was a superb actor/performer, and so magnetic that I still have a crush on him.

[Gaveston2]

Posted: 5/9/12 at 4:15pm

I'm not sure Preston's personal life was quite as dull as he made it appear. I have no reason to think his marriage was not a happy one, but am I the only one who heard that Preston was actively gay in his private life?

I was told the above in the mid-70s by the longtime theater critic for the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinal, Bob Freund. A mutual friend later told me that Freund and Preston had conducted a very discreet affair with each other for years.

To be clear, this is at least second-hand information. I'd probably keep it to myself, but Preston has been dead for 25 years and Freund for 15.

[buddy 11432]

Posted: 5/9/12 at 5:47pm

I was waiting at the stage door at the Shubert Theater when word come that Mary Martin was visiting backstage at "A Chorus Line."

When Martin walked out the stage door, she tried to sign as many autographs and talk to as many people as possible--something I shall always remember--so I would like further clarification as well.