DownGoesFrazier Posted October 18, 2010 Share Posted October 18, 2010 Correct, Miles. By Cole Porter. All yours. Link to post Share on other sites
MilesArcher Posted October 18, 2010 Share Posted October 18, 2010 Thanks. Here's a multi-part question. In 1919, Harry Frazee, the owner of the Boston Red Sox, sold Babe Ruth to the Yankees for cash so he could finance a Broadway show. Most people think that the show was "No, No, Nanette", but that show didn't open until 1925. The show that he backed in 1919 became the basis for 'No, No, Nanette". There were several movie versions of "No, No, Nanette". One in 1930 featured Zasu Pitts in a supporting role playing a character named Pauline. In another version around 1940, Zasu Pitts played Pauline again. In the same 1940 film, another actress played a character named Kitty. Around 1950, a different version with a different title was made, and the actress who played Kitty in 1940 was now cast as Pauline. What was the name of the 1919 Broadway show that started it all, what was the name of the early fifties version, and who was the now well known actress who was in both the 1940 and 1950 versions? By the way, in the 1930 version, none of the original songs from the Broadway show were used. In the 1940 version, only the title song and two others were used. Those three songs were all that made it through to the 1950 version. Can you name those other two songs? Link to post Share on other sites
mudskipper Posted October 19, 2010 Share Posted October 19, 2010 First, the original 1919 Broadway play financed by the Babe Ruth sale was "My Lady Friends"....the 1950 version was "Tea For Two", which starred Doris Day and Gordon MacRae....The actress who was in the 1940 and 1950 versions was Eve Arden....and the three songs that made it from the 1940 to the 1950 movie are: "No, No Nanette", "Tea For Two", and "I Want To Be Happy"... Link to post Share on other sites
MilesArcher Posted October 19, 2010 Share Posted October 19, 2010 Correct on all counts, Mudskipper. Of course, it was revived on Broadway in the early seventies. Ruby Keeler came out of retirement to appear in the show and Busby Berkeley was hired as choreographer. Your thread, skip. Link to post Share on other sites
mudskipper Posted October 19, 2010 Share Posted October 19, 2010 In this famous Broadway musical, one of the songs was given to the leading lady just minutes before the New York preview, provoking her famous quote: "Of course darling, but do try to get it to me the night before.." The show was later made into a huge movie production with different lead actors and a different lead actress...What was the title of the musical ? Who was the original lead actress on Broadway ? What was the title of the song that was belatedly given to her.?.. Link to post Share on other sites
DownGoesFrazier Posted October 19, 2010 Share Posted October 19, 2010 "Camelot"? Julie Andrews"? "Before I Gaze at You Again"? Vannessa Redgrave played Guinevere in the film. Link to post Share on other sites
mudskipper Posted October 19, 2010 Share Posted October 19, 2010 What's so strange is that Joshua Logan didn't cast or couldn't cast the three Broadway leads in the movie. Richard Burton was replaced by Richard Harris; Julie Andrews by Vanessa Redgrave; and Robert Goulet by Franco Nero...If you listen to the soundtrack CDs, the Broadway version is much better than the movie version...I think Logan had the same problem with "Paint Your Wagon"....I think those movies could have been as good as "Fiddler On The Roof" or "My Fair Lady".... Your thread, Fi.. Link to post Share on other sites
DownGoesFrazier Posted October 19, 2010 Share Posted October 19, 2010 This actor starred in several important Broadway musicals in the period 1920-1940. On screen, however, he was almost always a supporting player, except for one major dramatic film of the '30s. Link to post Share on other sites
cujas Posted October 19, 2010 Author Share Posted October 19, 2010 Victor Moore starred in Gershwin shows--"Oh, Kay!", "Of Thee I Sing" and "Let Them Eat Cake!" starred in *Make Way For Tommorrow* Link to post Share on other sites
DownGoesFrazier Posted October 20, 2010 Share Posted October 20, 2010 Good work, cujas. Yours. Link to post Share on other sites
cujas Posted October 20, 2010 Author Share Posted October 20, 2010 And Fi, that was a terrific question! *Girl Crazy* was the Broadway show that made Ethel Merman a star. Opening night in the pit, Gershwin himself conducted the 6 musicians. 5 went on to made names for themselves in the Big Band era. A 6th musician became one of the most important artistic contributors to the Hollywood Movie Musical. Please name the musician that went from Broadway musicals to Hollywood Movie Musicals. (For fun, you can also name the Big Band Biggies!) Link to post Share on other sites
DownGoesFrazier Posted October 21, 2010 Share Posted October 21, 2010 Roger Edens? Also in the orchestra were Glenn MIller, Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman, Gene Krupa, and Jack Teagarden? Link to post Share on other sites
cujas Posted October 21, 2010 Author Share Posted October 21, 2010 Yes, indeed, Roger Edens, Judy's musical godfather, and the kingpin of the MGM Freed musicals, along with the big band guys. Fi, you're batting 1,000, whatever that means. Link to post Share on other sites
DownGoesFrazier Posted October 22, 2010 Share Posted October 22, 2010 This film star, unlike many of his peers, often returned to Broadway. He did, though, turn down a plum Broadway role. He regretted his decision, and later played that role on film. Actor? Role? Link to post Share on other sites
LeslieCrosbie Posted October 22, 2010 Share Posted October 22, 2010 Is it Henry Fonda in Mr. Roberts? Link to post Share on other sites
DownGoesFrazier Posted October 22, 2010 Share Posted October 22, 2010 deleted Edited by: finance on Oct 22, 2010 2:48 PM Link to post Share on other sites
DownGoesFrazier Posted October 22, 2010 Share Posted October 22, 2010 Not Henry Fonda. The play/film that I'm talking about was much more serious than "Mr. Roberts", which had comic aspects.l Link to post Share on other sites
cujas Posted October 22, 2010 Author Share Posted October 22, 2010 Frederic March was offered "Death of A Salesman" on Broadway and turned it down. March later played the role of Willy Loman for the movies. Link to post Share on other sites
LeslieCrosbie Posted October 22, 2010 Share Posted October 22, 2010 Wow, I had no idea Frederic March played Willy. I looked it up and saw that Mildred Dunnock was his wife, and I believe she was also the wife on stage in the Lee J. Cobb original production. O.K. Here is one back. This actor was the original "Golden Boy" in the Clifford Odets play on stage, although William Holden played the role (his big break) in the film. The stage actor who played the "Golden Boy" later became a very big anti-hero-style star, and died relatively young. Link to post Share on other sites
cujas Posted October 22, 2010 Author Share Posted October 22, 2010 If I guessed correctly, Finance will tell me and I shall give the next question. That's how it's done. Finance will be the next member on this thread. Edited by: cujas on Oct 22, 2010 5:53 PM Link to post Share on other sites
DownGoesFrazier Posted October 23, 2010 Share Posted October 23, 2010 Right, cujas Your thread. Henry Fonda is wrong because he also played the lead in "Mr. Roberts" on Broadway. Link to post Share on other sites
mudskipper Posted October 23, 2010 Share Posted October 23, 2010 Just a reply to Leslie: Clifford Odets' drama, "Golden Boy", was actually initially written for John Garfield who had a lot of anti-hero roles on film, but the movie's William Holden role of Joe Bonaparte was originally played by Luther Adler on Broadway...although John Garfield did have a supporting role... Link to post Share on other sites
cujas Posted October 23, 2010 Author Share Posted October 23, 2010 Just a reply to Mr.MS-- You know, we been talking about "Humoresque"--always saw it as a great consolation prize for Garfield. And it's a better movie anyway. Next question: Back to Cole Porter and Broadway-- If Gene Kelly was discovered in a Broadway Chorus, so were other MGM Musical Comedy Peformers. On the distaff side, Let's go to the dancing girls in Porter's "Panama Hattie" in 1940. This show turned out to be a gold mine for the future of the MGM musical. 3 Chorus Girls from this show went on to stardom at MGM. 1 Chorus Girl went on to marry the biggest star at MGM. Please Name all 4 dancers in the chorus who had bright futures ahead of them. Take it away! Edited by: cujas on Oct 23, 2010 4:26 PM Link to post Share on other sites
DownGoesFrazier Posted October 24, 2010 Share Posted October 24, 2010 June Allyson, Lucile Bremer, and Vera-Ellen? Betsy Blair? Link to post Share on other sites
cujas Posted October 25, 2010 Author Share Posted October 25, 2010 Yes, June, Vera-Ellen and Lucille all became Metro stars, while Betsy married Metro's biggest star, Gene Kelly. Fi's Turn: Link to post Share on other sites
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