And in this video you can see why and hear what the term means. Dorothy Loudon had a hit on Broadway in “Annie” just before her turn in “Ballroom,” from which this song comes. Sentimental odes to marital infidelity don’t come around that often, much less sympathetic ones, but Loudon pulls it off.
I don’t always dig Bernadette Peters’ “I’m just a Bwoadway Baaaby” act, but she brings real power to Stephen Sondheim’s “Not A Day Goes By” (from “Merrily We Roll Along”). Quite touching and quietly devastating.
Two American cultural giants — Mary Martin (l) and Ethel Merman (r), of course — perform during the legendary production put on to commemorate Ford’s 50th anniversary in 1953. It is safe to say that we shall never see the like again.
In this mess of a film (1967, dir Mark Robson), Susan Hayward tells off Patty Duke — yes, that Patty Duke — in no uncertain terms. From a very messy novel. And everyone is a mess. Helen Lawson is based on Judy Garland, of course (note the sequined pantsuit so reminiscent of JG’s 60s ensembles). Hayward was the second choice for the role; they actually wanted the real Garland to play her on-screen self. Good Lord, what a mess it all was.
The great Carol Haney (see elsewhere on this site) does the remarkable “Steam Heat” number from the fair-to-middlin’ adaptation of Broadway’s “The Pajama Game” (1957, dirs George Abbot & Stanley Donen). While Gwen Verdon usually gets the attention, the coulda/woulda/shoulda story of Haney trumps all else in this poignant screen farewell. (She died soon thereafter, a victim of bum lungs.)
From “A Chorus Line.” Kay, Christine, and Maggie let — in the parlance of the 70s — it all hang out. I know Sheila Bishop plays Kay; I’ll get back to you on the others.
I love this number, but I have no idea who these performers are, or why there are subtitles. Furthermore, I don’t know even know what language those subtitles are in (Swedish? Danish?). Just one of those oddly watchable Internet discoveries I guess.
