Today in Theatre History: NOVEMBER 4
By Robert Viagas
and Sam Maher and Steve Luber
04 Nov 2009
1787 Birthday of British actor Edmund Kean (1787-1833), considered one of the finest actors of the early 18th century, and subject of a 1961 musical, Kean. Among his greatest roles was Shakespeare's Richard III.
1879 Birthday of William Penn Adair Rogers (1879-1935), better known as rope-twirling comic philosopher Will Rogers, star of the Ziegfeld Follies and other Broadway shows, and, later, movies. He will be the subject of the 1991 musical, The Will Rogers Follies.
1905 Eddie Foy stars as dog trainer Jim Cheese in the Broadway premiere of the British musical The Earl and the Girl, which opens tonight and runs 148 performances at the Casino Theatre. Jerome Kern gets one of his earliest Broadway assignments writing the interpolated song, "How'd You Like To Spoon With Me?," which was staged with chorus girls issuing the invitation while swinging over the front of the audience in flower-bedecked swings.
1914 After the exposed flesh in The Passing Show of 1914 disturbs Boston mayor Curley, the city's "Purity Squad" threatens producers who allow bare legs in their shows. They agree to have their chorines wear tights and "knee panties."
1937 Luther Adler stars as a conflicted boxer in Clifford Odets' drama Golden Boy, which opens at the Belasco Theatre today under the auspices of the Group Theatre, and goes on to run 250 performances. It will be made into a musical with Sammy Davis Jr. in the 1960s.
1954 Future legend David Merrick makes his debut as a Broadway producer today with the Harold Rome musical Fanny at the Majestic Theatre, starring Walter Slezak (Tony Award), Ezio Pinza and Florence Henderson. Based on Marcel Pagnol's stories of romance on the waterfront in old Marseilles, it will run 888 performances.
1959 Although reports had come in recently stating that the new Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe musical was going to be called Jenny Kiss'd Me, the new title is announced today in Variety. It is Camelot, which will open on December 3, 1960. 1981 The original cast of the Manhattan Theatre Club workshop production of Crimes of the Heart are the stars in the Broadway production, which opens tonight at the John Golden Theatre. This Beth Henley play has already won the 1980 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and would run on Broadway for 535 performances. 1990 Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story opens at the Shubert Theatre tonight. The cast, led by Paul Hipp playing the title role, was under the direction of Rob Bettinson. The show concerns the life of the late rock 'n' roll legend and features Holly's music in the score. Though A Chorus Line was hurried to its closing the previous spring to make way for this London hit, Buddy will run on Broadway for only 225 performances. 1990 The woman whose grandchildren introduced her as "Peter Pan," Mary Martin, died today. Martin, who was known for her exuberant voice and high-spirited demeanor, will always be remembered for Peter Pan, South Pacific and her portrayal of Maria in the original stage version of The Sound of Music.
More of Today's Birthdays: Gaby Deslys 1881. Arthur Schwartz 1900. Virginia Field 1917. Art Carney 1918. Martin Balsam 1919. Doris Roberts 1930. Loretta Swit 1937. John Vickery 1950. Daisy Eagan 1979.
Contact Us | Advertise | Privacy Policy
Send questions and comments to the Webmaster
Copyright © 2009 Playbill, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
|