Cinder. Ella. Times 17.

 The date was March 31, 1957,

a Sunday night on CBS.

Ed Sullivan had to move aside for the night,

(and he even promoted the show,

having Rodgers and Hammerstein "on" the previous Sunday).

Cinderella took R&H seven months to write,

done specifically for live television.

Above Julie Andrews celebrates with a glass slipper full of 

champagne? gin? Kool-aid?

With Edie Adams (who played the Fairy Godmother on left)

and Kaye Ballard (a Stepsister on right). 

 Over 50 performers,

100 costumes, 80 stagehands, half a dozen set pieces,

and 4 TV cameras were crammed into a CBS studio.

(The orchestra had to go in another room entirely).

Above Kaye, Ilka Chase as the Stepmother,

and Alice Ghostly (the other Stepsister, see below!)

singing to a broom.

 

 Richard, Julie, and Oscar.

Julie was still performing in My Fair Lady at the time.

 

 The 1965 version starred

Leslie Ann Warren, above...

and Ginger Rodgers, Walter Pigeon,

Celeste Holme, Jo Van Fleet, Pat Carroll,

Stuart Damon (as the Prince!)

and Barbara Ruick (below).

 Pat, Jo, and Barbara (above).

I totally remember this scene and I think

Jo and her tribe had just gotten "told off" by the prince.

 Another televised version with Brandy Norwood

(above in blue) followed in 1997,

and of course Broadway had to stage one,

with Laura Osnes and Santino Fontana

(far right).

 And then the 2015 movie

with Cate Blanchett (above center)

as the Stepmother,

and Sophie McShera (on the left...Daisy from Downton Abbey!!)

and Holliday Grainger.

 Below is our most recent Cinderella reincarnation:

Lily James (also from Downton!)

in what must be Cinderella's favorite color.