Broadway Mommies!

 Mary McCarty, doncha know!

Mary began her musical career at the age of 5,

with the likes of Shirley Temple and Jane Withers

(yup, she was in Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm...her first screen credit).

She was one of those child stars who was able

to continue working in the industry her entire life:

Movies (All That Jazz, The French Line, etc),

Television (Trapper John, M.D., etc.)

and Broadway (Chicago, Miss Liberty, Follies, another etc.!)

 Mary was also quite the dancer,

with "show girl" experience

at L.A. nightclubs like the Mocambo

and The Flamingo in Las Vegas.

 In the original production of Chicago 

(above with Chita Rivera),

she played Matron Mama Morton.

"When You're Good To Mama!"

Grind had the music of Larry Grossman

(Minnie's Boys, Snoopy!!!, and yes, there really are 3 !!!s in that title),

and lyrics by Ellen Fitzhugh.

It lasted only 2 months on Broadway back in 1985,

so don't feel bad if you've never heard of it.

It starred Ben Vereen and Leilani Jones,

the latter winning a Tony for her featured role.

We'll hear "Why, Mama, Why?"

That's kind of what I want to know. 

!!!

 Gotta have a little (or in this case A LOT)

of Gypsy,

the Mother Ship of (s)mothering musicals,

and for that we'll use the 2008 revival,

with Patti LuPone,

Emma Rowley, Sami Gayle...

 ...and (below) as the older versions of 

Louise and June,

Leigh Ann Larkin and Laura Benanti.

"Tomorrow's Mother's Day",

"If Momma Was Married"

and "Rose's Turn"

Charles Nelson Reilly (of the Bronx!)

survived a disasterous circus fire, in Hartford, Connecticut,

back in 1944 (he was 13 at the time)... 167 people were killed.

(As a result, Charles avoided sitting in the audience and 

large crowds in general!)

 His first ambition was to be

an opera singer (on the STAGE, not in the audience!),

but when that didn't happen he turned to acting.

(Interesting side note:
Opera was always a passion, and Charles would guest on

opera-themed radio shows and later direct opera productions.)

 (That's Charles with Julie Harris, below!)

 Off-Broadway started him off,

specifically Nightcap and Parade, two Jerry Herman revues

done in 1957 and 1960, respectively.

Parade starred Charles, Dody Goodman, Fia Karin, 

 and Richard Tone.

We'll hear "Confession To A Park Avenue Mother"

which I didn't understand AT ALL until I moved to Manhattan

and finally "got" the Upper East versus 

Upper West Side feud.

Broadway roles for Charles followed,

including Bye Bye Birdie, How To Succeed, and Hello, Dolly!.

Come the 1960s and 70s, Charles became the king of TV game shows

like What's My Line, The Match Game, and Hollywood Squares,

lots of guesting on variety shows

(the Dean Martin Show, for one),

as well as roles on The Ghost & Mrs. Muir,

The Love Boat, Here's Lucy, and Love, American Style.

I Can Get It For You Wholesale

hit Broadway in 1962,

with music and lyrics by Harold Rome

(Pins And Needles, Destry Rides Again, Fanny).

It starred Elliot Gould, Lillian Roth

(above with that "saggy, baggy" fur coat),

Jack Kruschen and a 19 year old Barbra Streisand

(below, who got a Tony nod out of it!).

When they got a load of Babs talent,

the show's director Arthur Laurents and Rome

beefed up her role...

and Elliot married her!

(Well, for a while.)

 And I have to include a 

short but sweet version of 

"Together Wherever We Go" (yup, from Gypsy, AGAIN!)

sung by Judy Garland and daughter, Liza Minnelli.

They performed that song in 1963,

on Judy's variety show.

Liza was only 17 years old,

and Mom was 41.