As it was at the overture and shall be at the exit music, bliss without end. Amen.

Theatre Aficionado at Large

Tag: Dolores Gray

"I’m Still Here"

Which one is the best? You decide…

Yvonne De Carlo:

Carol Burnett:

Dolores Gray:

Eartha Kitt:

Karen Morrow:

Ann Miller:

Polly Bergen:

"Thanks a Lot, But No Thanks"

It’s Always Fair Weather is one of the fascinating MGM musicals that gets lost in the shuffle of On the Town or Singin’ in the Rain, et al. Made in 1955, toward the end of the peak of the Freed unit, the film was originally rumored to be a sequel to On the Town, when that proved impossible, it became more of a loose follow-up where three WWII buddies reunite ten years after the end of the war, only to discover that they have very little in common anymore. The film, surprisingly cynical and dark-edged for a musical, stars Gene Kelly, Cyd Charisse (who has a fantastic dance number set in a boxing ring), Dan Dailey, Michael Kidd and Dolores Gray.

Gray was a musical comedy star, winnings raves for the original London production of Annie Get Your Gun and on Broadway in Two on the Aisle and the flop Carnival in Flanders, which netted her the Tony award and the record for shortest Tony-winning run (the show closed after six performances in 1954). The following year, she would find herself under contract to MGM, where she made this and also the film adaptation of Kismet as the seductress Lalume. Her tenure as a major supporting player would end a couple years later after two more films: The Opposite Sex, a semi-musical remake of The Women and in the highly-underrated Designing Woman, a comedy starring Lauren Bacall and Gregory Peck (and featuring choreographer Jack Cole in a supporting role). Gray would soon return to Broadway in Destry Rides Again with Andy Griffith, and focus the remainder of her career on stage and concert work (including the flop Sherry! and the original London cast of Follies).

Playing a shameless television star, who is also an incredible self-promoter, this is her big number from the film, done as part of her live TV event. I first became aware of the song when I heard Audra McDonald sing it in her New Year’s Eve Live from Lincoln Center concert. The music’s by Andre Previn with lyrics by Comden and Green. Enjoy.

Posted on May 16, 2008 at 2:04 pm.
A place where I can rant and rave about theatre,
theatre history, plus books, film and anything
else that strikes me as entertaining, interesting
or important. Feel free to chime in. If you'd like
me to have a look at your show or have any
interest in advertising, feel free to contact me. Membership
director of the Independent Theater Bloggers Association.

Photo by Kari Geltemeyer

Walking Among My Yesterdays - 2011

1/19 - Avenue Q

1/25 - Knickerbocker Holiday (Collegiate Chorale)

1/30 - Chicago (Fan Day)

2/13 - La Cage Aux Folles

3/8 - Kate Baldwin & Sheldon Harnick: She Loves Him (Feinstein's)

3/12 - Kate Baldwin & Sheldon Harnick: She Loves Him (Feinstein's)

3/30 - How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

4/6 - High

4/20 - Born Yesterday

4/27  - The People in the Picture

5/4 - Sister Act

5/4 - The Normal Heart

5/11 - Lombardi

5/19 - Something Wonderful: An Evening of Broadway (Carnegie Hall)

6/3 - Marilyn Maye: It's Maye in May (Feinstein's)

7/14 - Kate Baldwin & Sheldon Harnick: She Loves Him CD release (Feinstein's)

7/27 - Around the World in 80 Days (HVSF)

8/2 - Hamlet (HVSF)

8/7 - Follies (first preview)

8/20 - Jerusalem

8/27 - Sammy Gets Mugged (Fringe)

9/4 - Master Class (closing)

9/11 - Mary Poppins

9/12 - Follies (opening night)

9/16 - The Life and Death of King John (NY Shakespeare Exchange)

10/10 - Give Our Regards to Broadway (Manhattan School of Music)

10/16 - Broadway Originals (Town Hall)

10/17 - Carole Demas: Summer Nights (Laurie Beechman Theatre)

10/26 - Hugh Jackman: Back on Broadway

10/27 - Follies

10/30 - Chinglish

11/12 - Follies

11/18 - Annie Get Your Gun (Walter Panas Players)

Walking Among My Yesterdays - 2010

  • 1/3 - Ragtime
  • 1/20 - Tyne Daly: The Second Time Around (Feinstein's)
  • 2/6 - Betty Buckley: For the Love of Broadway! (Feinstein's)
  • 2/7 - Fanny (Encores!)
  • 2/27 - Yank!
  • 3/2 - God of Carnage
  • 3/8 - Kate Baldwin at Birdland
  • 4/3 - Lend Me a Tenor
  • 4/11 - Anyone Can Whistle (Encores!)
  • 4/23 - Collected Stories
  • 5/19 - Mitzi Gaynor: The Razzle Dazzle Years (Feinstein's)
  • 5/26 - Next Fall
  • 6/20 - A Little Night Music
  • 6/25 - The Bomb-itty of Errors (HVSF)
  • 7/31 - A Little Night Music
  • 8/21 - I Do! I Do! (Westport Country Playhouse)
  • 8/27 - Our Town (Barrow Street)
  • 9/25 - Brief Encounter
  • 10/7 - The Scottsboro Boys (first preview)
  • 11/6 - Lucky to Be Me: The Music of Leonard Bernstein (City Opera)
  • 11/19 - NY Pops' Stephen Sondheim Birthday Bash (Carnegie Hall)
  • 12/12 - The Scottsboro Boys (closing)

Member

Miscellaneous Links

Newsodrome - Theatre News

Blog Directory & Search engine Blogged.com Add to Technorati Favorites

Profile Visitor Map - Click to view visits
Make your own visitor map

Archives

Kevin’s Favorite Things

Kevin on Twitter