Friday, January 30, 2015

R&H Flops: Hey, they tried!

  
 The cast of Me & Juliet,
opening night at the Majestic Theatre, 1953,
from back left:
George Abbott, Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein, 
Bob Alton, Jo Mielziner; 
in front Joan McCracken, Ray Walston, Isabel Bigley, Bill Hayes, 
Irene Sharaff, Jackie Kelk,and Mark Dawson

 The Al Hirschfeld caricature...Joan McCracken's in the fishnets!

 Isabel Bigley (who later played Sister Sarah in Guys and Dolls) 
and Joan McCracken...Bob Fosse's then wife.
Joan was an incredible dancer/comedienne,
and starred on both Broadway and in movies.
Her work can be seen on film in "Good News" and "Hollywood Canteen."
She died at the age of 43, from complications of diabetes.

 Pipe Dream, 1955...Jo Mielziner did the sets...

 Rodgers and Hammerstein first wanted Henry Fonda
as the male lead...but when he turned out NOT to be a singer,
they settled on William Johnson.
For the female lead, they approached Julie Andrews and Janet Leigh.
When neither were available, Judy Tyler (late of The Howdy Doody Show)
was given the nod.  
Yes, Princess Summer Fall Winter Spring!

Yes, the pipe in question was literal,
not figurative.

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