Today's Birthdays 10/3 - Eleanora Duse, Gore Vidal, Jack Wagner

[do_re_milla]

Posted: 10/3/03 at 10:43pm

Eleonora Duse 10/03/1859 - Apr 23, 1924 performer, One of the leading actresses of her day, "The Great Duse" championed the realistic playwrights of the early 20th century, and had some of her greatest successes in the works of Henrik Ibsen, notably 1923 LADY FR THE SEA; GHOSTS

Herbert Ross 10/03/1865 - Jul 18, 1934 performer - 1946 BEGGAR'S HOLIDAY (Alfred Drake, Zero Mostel)

Warner Oland 10/03/1879 - Aug 6, 1938 aka Johan Verner Ölund [Birthname], played "Charlie Chan" from 1931 - 1938 - 1907 A DOLL'S HOUSE (Alla Nazimova)

Viola Roache 10/03/1885 - May 18, 1961 performer - origs SWEET CHARITY; MY FAIR LADY

Morgan Farley 10/03/1898 - Oct 11, 1988 performer, producer - AN AMERICAN TRAGEDY (Miriam Hopkins)

Gertrude Berg 10/03/1899 Source Material, Writer, Performer - MOLLY (Kaye Ballard, Daniel Fortus)

Thomas Wolfe 10/3/1900 - 9/15/1938 author, source material - Look Homeward Angel, You Can’t Go Home Again

Johnny Burke 10/03/1908 - Feb 25, 1964 Producer, Lyricist, Composer - CARNIVAL IN FLANDERS; DONNYBROOK!; SWINGING ON A STAR (Terry Berrell, Lewis Cleale, Michael McGrath)

James Herriot (James Alfred Wight) 10/3/1916 - 2/23/1995 - veterinarian, author, source material - All Creatures Great and Small

Gore Vidal - 10/3/1925 - BEST MAN - film's Myra Breckenridge, Burr; actor: Bob Roberts; screenplays - Ben Hur, Visit to a Small Planet, Suddenly Last Summer

Jack Wagner 10/03/1959 performer - JEKYLL & HYDE [replacement); tv's General Hospital, Melrose Place

SHOWS THAT OPENED ON THIS DATE:

1938 In one of her most acclaimed performances, Helen Hayes plays Britain's Queen Victoria in Victoria Regina at the Martin Beck Theatre.

1962 Anthony Newley's new musical in which he stars, Stop the World -- I Want to Get Off, opens tonight at the Shubert Theatre. This allegorical show about an everyman was collaborated on by Newley and Leslie Bricusse, with Anna Quayle co-starring. The song "What Kind of Fool Am I?" would become a hit, and producer David Merrick proved himself no fool in his tactics. When faced with a mediocre New York Times review of World, he translated the critique into Greek and ran it in the show's print ads. A film version of Stop was released in 1966.

1967 The Birthday Party by Harold Pinter opens tonight at the Booth Theatre. This absurdist play featured Henderson Forsythe, Ed Flanders, Alexandra Berlin and Ruth White in a cast directed by Alan Schneider. Variety reports the basic story line as being about "a psychoneurotic rooming with a moronic couple." It is actually about a couple, Meg and Petey, who lodge an insecure and untidy man, Stanley. The chaos occurs when two menacing "friends" show up to help Stanley celebrate his birthday. Birthday will party on for almost four months.

The Great White Hope 10/03/1968 - James Earl Jones, Jane Alexander, Hector Elizondo, Gil Rogers

1967 The Birthday Party by Harold Pinter opens tonight at the Booth Theatre. This absurdist play featured Henderson Forsythe, Ed Flanders, Alexandra Berlin and Ruth White in a cast directed by Alan Schneider. Variety reports the basic story line as being about "a psychoneurotic rooming with a moronic couple." It is actually about a couple, Meg and Petey, who lodge an insecure and untidy man, Stanley. The chaos occurs when two menacing "friends" show up to help Stanley celebrate his birthday. Birthday will party on for almost four months.

ON THIS DAY IN:

1901 - The Victor Talking Machine Company was incorporated on this day. After a merger with Radio Corporation of America, RCA-Victor became the leader in phonographs and many of the records played on them. The famous Victrola phonograph logo, with Nipper the dog, and the words “His Master’s Voice”, appeared on all RCA-Victor phonographs and record labels.

1954 - One of the favorite TV shows of our time was first seen on this day. Father Knows Best began its long run on CBS, then made the move to NBC in 1956. For Jim Anderson (Robert Young) and family, it was a made-for-TV marriage of over eight wonderful years.

1955 - “Good Morning, Captain!” It was Bob Keeshan’s first day at work in what became a TV institution via CBS: Captain Kangaroo. The children’s television milestone featured Mr. Green Jeans, Bunny Rabbit, Grandfather Clock, Mr. Moose and other characters.

1955 Walt Disney's "The Mickey Mouse Club" premiered on ABC.

1961 - Rob (Dick Van Dyke), Laura (Mary Tyler Moore), Sally (Rose Marie) and Buddy (Morey Amsterdam) debuted in The Dick Van Dyke Show on CBS-TV. Created by Carl Reiner, the show ran for five years (if you don’t include cable reruns).

1978 Henry Fonda makes his last Broadway appearance playing a Supreme Court Justice in Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee's drama, First Monday in October. The play is about the first female Supreme Court Justice, played by Jane Alexander.

1987 Playwright Jean Anouilh dies today . His 1942 adaptation of the Greek tragedy of Antigone is the most celebrated of his plays, though The Rehearsal and Ring Round the Moon would also receive revivals.

1995 Tommy Tune has broken his foot for the second time in two years and is left with no choice but to only sing and act his part in Busker Alley, which is beginning its tryout at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center tonight. Two other people dance for him in this show, but that doesn't work. Instead, the Broadway opening for November 16 is called off. The production was plagued with bad reviews from the start, and the $6 million debt left over from the broken foot and opening cancellation is not covered by Tune's insurance, which is only $3.5 million.

(sources: IBDB, NYT's ON THIS DAY, 440.com’s Those Were The Days, Playbill.com)

Milla Updated On: 10/3/03 at 10:43 PM