Well, dear readers, the long, long holiday weekend is over, and it’s time to get crackin’, it’s time to snap the whip and also whip the snap. It’s time to sally forth or even sarah fifth, as we meet the new week. I, myself, have an incredibly busy week. But, before we get to that, may I just say that yesterday was one of the loveliest 4th of Julys I’ve ever had? I slept in, then got up and answered e-mails, then went outside to bask in the sunshine and finish proofing the galley of my new tome. I was out there for about two hours, and it was just beautiful. I finished proofing, then came in and did some things around the home environment. I then shaved and showered and headed off to the lovely home of neighbors Bob Gitt and Tony Slide, who were kind enough to invite me to their 4th of July do. These boys know how to throw a bash. There were quite a few people in attendance, and interesting folks they were. We had the marvelous film director, Curtis Harrington, we had Mr. Jack Larson (the original Jimmy Olson from television’s Superman series with George Reeves), we had Miss Marsha Hunt, we had Mr. Norman Lloyd, and we had many others. I’m sure there were other interesting folks, but I sort of sat down and then hung out at my table the whole time. Mr. Tony Slide did the barbecuing, but there wasn’t a wienie in sight. No, we had chicken, and we had big ol’ sausages, and a whole variety and also a Hollywood reporter of other dishes. The food was quite yummilicious, and the conversations were lively and sparkling. I lucked out to be at a table where much dirt was being dished, all of it dirty and dishy, not necessarily in that order. Mr. Larson was at the table, and some English lady agent, I believe, as well as Mr. Andre de Toth’s lovely widow, Ann, if I’m remembering her name correctly. We heard wonderful tales of Mr. Tom Cruise and Miss Katie Holmes, we heard wonderful tales of Mr. John Travolta and Miss Debra Winger (whom I knew quite well before she ever achieved stardom), we heard tales of Mr. Larson’s recent appearance in the new Superman film, and he also told us about the biopic that is currently filming, about the death of George Reeves. If you haven’t gotten a copy of Mr. Slide’s latest tome, American Racist, the life and films of Thomas Dixon, it’s quite excellent, so pick it up and give it a read. After the partay, I mosied on home and watched the fireworks that were being held at CBS Radford, which were happily viewable from outside my home environment.
Last night I watched a motion picture on DVD entitled The Rainmaker, starring Mr. Burt Lancaster, Miss Katherine Hepburn, my neighbor, Mr. Earl Holliman, Mr. Lloyd Bridges, Mr. Cameron Prud’homme, and Mr. Wendell Corey. As you know, The Rainmaker is the film version of the hit Broadway play. But, wait just a minute. Therein lies an interesting thing. If you ask most people about The Rainmaker, I think you’ll find most people think of it as a classic play that was a hit as a play, film, and then musical. But, do you know what? The Rainmaker was not a hit on Broadway. It ran just under four months and closed at 125 performances. That came as a bit of a shock to me, given the play’s reputation. In fact, I can’t think of another play that has that sort of reputation that had so short a run. I’m sure there are others, but they are sure not coming to mind. In any case, the film of The Rainmaker is okay – Burt is very good, but Hepburn just grates on me as Lizzie. She’s way too old for the part (Lizzie is supposed to be twenty-seven, and Miss Hepburn was closing in on fifty when she did the part), and it’s sort of fatal for the film. All the supporting cast are terrific, and Mr. N. Richard Nash’s adaptation of his play is fine, too, even with several changes (the entire opening, and a couple of scenes that follow are completely new). The transfer is fine, as is the sound, and the film features a really first-rate score by Alex North. It’s fun to listen to the dialogue and see how many of the musical’s song titles and lyrics were directly lifted from the dialogue verbatim.
What am I, Ebert and Roeper all of a sudden? Don’t I have things to do? Isn’t this an incredibly busy week? Mustn’t I sally forth and sarah fifth? I do, it is, and I must. Why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below, because we’ve still got a lot to chat about.
After my incredibly busy day today, I shall be attending the opening night of Purlie at the Pasadena Playhouse. I’m looking forward to seeing the show on stage. Prior to that, I shall be having an important meeting in Hollywood, California, USA, and then I shall be rehearsing with Mr. Kevin Spirtas. Of course, I shall have a full report for you.
If you missed any of the fun and frolic over the long, long weekend, then I recommend you catch up on the notes and the posts – there were quite a few amusing and interesting things going on here.
Now it is time to reveal the answers to this week’s Unseemly Trivia Contest. I really didn’t think anyone would figure this out, but you people are just too smart, and we had several correct answers. First, the question:
This play was reasonably successful and ran almost a year. But it didn’t compare to the success of one of its author’s other plays, an enduring classic. But, back to this reasonably successful play. This reasonably successful play had a very interesting cast of players. Its leading player was one of the theater’s most luminous lights, a player who would, in fact, go on to win an Academy Award some years later. Also in the cast was an actor who had made his Broadway debut in this play’s author’s enduring classic, and who would go on to have an incredible career as a motion picture co-star and star, and who also the recipient of an Academy Award. Also in the cast was an actor who would go on to iconic fame as the star of a truly beloved television series. Also in the cast was an actor who would become more well-known as a comedian in later years. Also in the cast was a child actor who would go on to great fame, and whose father had a connection to the play. Also in the cast were two supporting performers who would go on to be featured in two classic Broadway musicals in the same decade as this play – one of them would repeat their role in the film version of the musical, and one would not. So –
Name the reasonably successful play and its author, as well as its author’s enduring classic play.
Name the play’s leading player, and name the film and role for which the leading player would eventually win an Academy Award.
Name the actor who’d made his debut in the author’s enduring classic and who would go on to a great career in films, and name the film and role for which the actor won his Academy Award.
Name the actor who would go on to star in an iconic and beloved television series, and name the series.
Name the actor who would go on to be more well-known as a comedian.
Name the child actor who would go on to great fame, and name the child actor’s father’s connection to the play.
Name the two supporting actors who would go on to play supporting roles in two classic musicals in the same decade as the play, and name the one who would repeat his role in the film version of the musical in which he appeared. Finally, name the actor who replaced the other supporting actor in the film version of the musical in which HE appeared.
And the answers are:
Mrs. McThing, Mary Chase, Harvey
Helen Hayes, Airport, Ada Quonsett
Ernest Borgnine – Marty
Fred Gwynne – The Munsters
Irwin Corey (Professor Irwin Corey)
Brandon de Wilde, whose father Frederick was the stage manager of Mrs. McThing.
William Lanteau, Li’l Abner (who would repeat his role in the film), and Iggie Wolfington in The Music Man (who would not repeat his role as Marcellus Washburn – Buddy Hackett played it in the film).
Congratulations to all our winners – you have done yourselves proud. And, our winners are: Dan-the-Man, Robert Armin, Ron Pulliam, Jrand, MatHough, and FJL. We put all the names into our Electronic Hat, which has chosen our High Winner completely at random. And, our High Winner is: Robert Armin. If Mr. Armin will send his address we will send him a sparkling prize.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must get back to work on my new short story, I must have a meeting, I must rehearse, and then I must attend the opening night of Purlie, which I understand will be a gala affair. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your all-time favorite film adaptations of Broadway plays (not musicals)? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst we sally forth or sarah fifth on this busy, busy week.