When Ann Miller and Mickey Rooney were in St. Louis doing "Sugar Babies" at the 11,000-plus seat Muny in St. Louis I flew in from Chicago to see the show. What I was how the pros do it. They were sensational. After the show I went backstage and talked with the great Miss Miller and said I was fascinated how she hung on every word Rooney was saying in the show. And she smiled and laughed at said, "I've got to pay total attention because he ad libs at lot and he is very clever and I don't dare fall behind." She was wonderful, a real star had to toe, very bright and very warm and very magnetic.
Oh yes they will. I'm planning to put together a Retro Decade Revival Project. Our goal is to bring real entertainment, true talent, pure originality and diversity, old school and more back into the public mainstream, starting with the 1980s. Soon there will be more and more real stars with real class.
True, so true. The days of the bigger-than-life, magnetic, powerhouse Broadway performers are merely memories, but they can still raise chill bumps for all who are fortunate enough to remember.
Brilliant~ so lovely to see so many of my favourites like Bea Arthur, Dorothy Louden, Lauren Bacall, Robert Preston, Ethel Merman etc etc... greats that we will NEVER see the likes of again!! thanks for posting.
Keep watching this more and more! This was my Broadway and I saw most of them ! The ending with the great Merman, of course, she was the perfect ending and stole the show with the perfect song..her song..There is No Business Like Showbusiness!
I met Anne Miller when she toured a chain of dance schools she owned, called Dance Career Academy. I attended the one in Bettendorf, Iowa for three years.
I can't believe these excerpts became available thirty years later. I was at that performance and it took forever to get the stars on stage in an order. The television interruptions for setting up made the performance go on for at least 5 hours. I would love to see it all over again and even stay all evening.
mary martin!!!!!!!!! i still have the vhs of her in peter pan. I always grew up watching her instead of the cartoon. She will always be peter pan to me.
I'm going into a broadway cardiac event! I love this! I never watched tv in the 80's. Except the Tonys but we'd have to watch it on our pbs station. Thank you for posting, and killing me with talent. Ok. Go fainting now ........
Great memory stirrer. I was fortunate enough to attend this show, the 2nd one in 1985 and the 3rd in 1990. These are/were true stars and the magic that we all felt at Radio City that evening could never be duplicated with today's so-called stars. Thank you for posting.
Thrilling! What magic each and every one of those performers had...when singers actually sang rather than try to out-scream the next person on stage. Doubtful we'll ever see or hear anything like it again. Thank you for posting this gem.
Wonderful clip....I used to have this whole thing on tape! Can you even Imagine all that talent on one stage?! It will never happen again....no one Has real talent anymore! All those artists....represent Hundreds of Years of WOW! ^^X^^
What a fabulous clip. Wish I could find the entire show on tape or DVD. I was especially proud to see two iconic actresses who only had a walk on appearance, Colleen Dewhurst and Julie Harris. Harris held the record of the most Tony's won by an actress until Audra McDonald hit the scene.
Wow. Takes me back to the greats. I understand what you are saying-what they did was hard walking across the stage-Alfred Drake did good though-he took his time. There were also a few others also who didn't rush.That was tough! All directing. Miller and Rooney were perfect.
I don't know why but I still like Richard Kiley,Preston Foster,Bea Arthur and Robert Klien, maybe because they come off as really nice people. My mother's favorite Ethel Merman, They were alo so skinny back then wow. Gets ya all choked up to remember all those greats. How many are left......
I would love to see something like this done today with todays stars. give me the cast of true blood singing something from chicago or two and a half men tap dancing :)
@goolagong68 Ellen Burstyn was never the lead in a musical on the Street and Bacall was the lead in two. She won at least one Tony for the first musical-Applause and she was singing a song from the second "Woman of the Year". sorry it took so long to respond.
Now look at the crap on television . Sadly, we really. Do not have entertainers of this caliber anymore. This was the first video I ever recorded on my 1982 RCA selecta vision VCR
Hint,Hint: That's NOT 'Preston Foster". 'Preston Foster' NEVER- in his wildest dreams ever won TWO Tony Awards nor was he a Legend of the Broadway Theater. Do some research.
When Will This 1982 TV Special Be On DVD With Its Complete 5 Hour Showing? I Understand When ABC TV Broadcast This In March Of 1982 It Was Edited Down By 2 Hours To 3 Hours True?Is It True Some 200 Not 100 Stars Where In This Special?
Thanks gringo....the 1985 show was better than this...if we can say one is better or worse when we´re talking about history. Youtubr is the most fantastic social net....we have everything....PRESERVE AND ENJOY!!!
Liv Ullmann and, for that matter, Julie Harris, COULD sing but did not because they were being credited for their roles in non-musical dramas "Anna Christie" and "The Belle of Amherst", respectively.
When Ann Miller and Mickey Rooney were in St. Louis doing "Sugar Babies" at the 11,000-plus seat Muny in St. Louis I flew in from Chicago to see the show. What I was how the pros do it. They were sensational. After the show I went backstage and talked with the great Miss Miller and said I was fascinated how she hung on every word Rooney was saying in the show. And she smiled and laughed at said, "I've got to pay total attention because he ad libs at lot and he is very clever and I don't dare fall behind." She was wonderful, a real star had to toe, very bright and very warm and very magnetic.
I cried all the way through. It was wonderful to reminisce. I saw some of these folks live actually doing these roles. How lucky I am.
So many of these great stars are no longer with us. What an era!
They don't make 'em like this any more...real stars, with real class!
Oh yes they will. I'm planning to put together a Retro Decade Revival Project. Our goal is to bring real entertainment, true talent, pure originality and diversity, old school and more back into the public mainstream, starting with the 1980s. Soon there will be more and more real stars with real class.
Only Ethel Merman can close a show like this! 😍
True, so true. The days of the bigger-than-life, magnetic, powerhouse Broadway performers are merely memories, but they can still raise chill bumps for all who are fortunate enough to remember.
So many amazing people not with us anymore ! Beautiful Arthur , Pearl Bailey , Anne Miller , Ethel Merman , Richard Kiley !
Brilliant~ so lovely to see so many of my favourites like Bea Arthur, Dorothy Louden, Lauren Bacall, Robert Preston, Ethel Merman etc etc... greats that we will NEVER see the likes of again!! thanks for posting.
Keep watching this more and more! This was my Broadway and I saw most of them ! The ending with the great Merman, of course, she was the perfect ending and stole the show with the perfect song..her song..There is No Business Like Showbusiness!
I met Anne Miller when she toured a chain of dance schools she owned, called Dance Career Academy. I attended the one in Bettendorf, Iowa for three years.
And I remember all those wonderful entertainers, unique in their own ways. Thanks.
I can't believe these excerpts became available thirty years later. I was at that performance and it took forever to get the stars on stage in an order. The television interruptions for setting up made the performance go on for at least 5 hours. I would love to see it all over again and even stay all evening.
damn, Ethel Merman still had it at seventy- two years old!!!!
Ethel was actually 74 here. She was born in 1908. She died in 1984 at 76
mary martin!!!!!!!!! i still have the vhs of her in peter pan. I always grew up watching her instead of the cartoon. She will always be peter pan to me.
I'm going into a broadway cardiac event! I love this! I never watched tv in the 80's. Except the Tonys but we'd have to watch it on our pbs station. Thank you for posting, and killing me with talent. Ok. Go fainting now ........
This Gay Boy keeps jumping up outta his seat with excitement!!! THANKS soo much for posting this!!!
Great memory stirrer. I was fortunate enough to attend this show, the 2nd one in 1985 and the 3rd in 1990. These are/were true stars and the magic that we all felt at Radio City that evening could never be duplicated with today's so-called stars. Thank you for posting.
what talent-nothing close to it today.
Thrilling! What magic each and every one of those performers had...when singers actually sang rather than try to out-scream the next person on stage. Doubtful we'll ever see or hear anything like it again. Thank you for posting this gem.
the pillars of broadway. RIP Carol Channing!
The best part of seeing this FABULOUS retrospect was seng and hearing JERR ORBACH doin his thing WWOOOOOWWWW so cooool
Merman, Channing, Miller, and Preston - favorites (among many)
Love it! Can't help being depressed seeing B'way today. Yeah, I know, I know- still, it gone. It's over! Ain't never comin' back.
Brought back memories of Broadway, loved it.
Wonderful clip....I used to have this whole thing on tape! Can you even Imagine all that talent on one stage?! It will never happen again....no one Has real talent anymore! All those artists....represent Hundreds of Years of WOW!
^^X^^
great to see everyone but it makes me so sad because most of them are gone.
Shari Hill Carrol Channing is still alive at 96!! Lucie Arnaz 66yo. And many of the other ones lived very long lives
Shari Hill ,".
Gone physically from this dimension, but through the magic of film/video/digital media, never very far away...
For now, they'll be back someday. They're gonna be passed back, that means resurrected, freshly young and alive and well again.
I found this clip very entertaining. Thank you.
They, of course, had to end with Merman, as they should, with Mary Martin one behind... love the Ann Miller Mickey moment!
That was really beautiful. Everyone did an exceptional job! I only recognize Diahann Carroll, Frank Langella and Mickey Rooney though.
Alfred Drake and the great MERMAN who was actually 76 WOW!!!
Merman was 74 at the time. She died two years later at age 76.
What a fabulous clip. Wish I could find the entire show on tape or DVD. I was especially proud to see two iconic actresses who only had a walk on appearance, Colleen Dewhurst and Julie Harris. Harris held the record of the most Tony's won by an actress until Audra McDonald hit the scene.
OMG Ethel Merman!!!
So many great performances, but Ann Miller was tops for me.
this is soo cool! i love all of the songs! I have sung most of them in voice lessoNS!!!
Wow. Takes me back to the greats. I understand what you are saying-what they did was hard walking across the stage-Alfred Drake did good though-he took his time. There were also a few others also who didn't rush.That was tough! All directing. Miller and Rooney were perfect.
I don't know why but I still like Richard Kiley,Preston Foster,Bea Arthur and Robert Klien, maybe because they come off as really nice people. My mother's favorite Ethel Merman,
They were alo so skinny back then wow.
Gets ya all choked up to remember all those greats. How many are left......
I think you mean Robert Preston. Although there was a Preston Foster.
So much fun.
a couple of years later, Jerry Orbach would play bea arthur's love interest in a Golden Girls episode
fontenayperi and then, if my calculations are correct, he would be in "Dirty Dancing" thereafter.
Stunning !!!
@BellaKiersten Yes, and she looks still beautiful on White Collar!
I would love to see something like this done today with todays stars. give me the cast of true blood singing something from chicago or two and a half men tap dancing :)
@goolagong68 Ellen Burstyn was never the lead in a musical on the Street and Bacall was the lead in two. She won at least one Tony for the first musical-Applause and she was singing a song from the second "Woman of the Year". sorry it took so long to respond.
Now look at the crap on television . Sadly, we really. Do not have entertainers of this caliber anymore. This was the first video I ever recorded on my 1982 RCA selecta vision VCR
Wonderful!
7:06. Frank Langella! Love this! Thank you for posting.
Classic songs!
Awesome!!!
This is awesome!!
WOW! Love it
Fabulous! Thanks for posting....
R.I.P. Celeste Holm 1:05
0:01 Dagnabbit, every time I scroll down or look away, all I see in my mind's eye is a smug-faced Ryan Stiles. 🤣
Loved it! Thank you so so much for uploading this!
What can I say it begins with Broadway
:) love it!
No one could follow Ethel!
Hint,Hint: That's NOT 'Preston Foster". 'Preston Foster' NEVER- in his wildest dreams ever won TWO Tony Awards nor was he a Legend of the Broadway Theater. Do some research.
@davidesk Hardly...they were ALL wonderful
In 1982, Ethel Merman was 74 years old!
Where is the rest of this! I LOVED it!
This brings up lots of memories....not all good. The staging of this is just so awful.
You are right.
1:51 Alfred Drake Trading Places.
Bette Davis was only 74 here. She died at 81.
74.
When Will This 1982 TV Special Be On DVD With Its Complete 5 Hour Showing? I Understand When ABC TV Broadcast This In March Of 1982 It Was Edited Down By 2 Hours To 3 Hours True?Is It True Some 200 Not 100 Stars Where In This Special?
Where can i find the song "Evelina", sang by Celeste? (Free, of course)
what happened between Bea Arthur and the next couple..................was it supposed to go longer or shorter?
Treasure meet a lot of them Ethel Merman was best
Thanks gringo....the 1985 show was better than this...if we can say one is better or worse when we´re talking about history.
Youtubr is the most fantastic social net....we have everything....PRESERVE AND ENJOY!!!
So funny all the non-singing folk just walking in and then out.
Fabulous/ridiculous. But how could they misspell Ann Miller's name?!
Fans of the majority of these stars, but this sure didn't hold up well...unfortunately.
WTF knew Frank Langella could sing?
i thought liv ullman would gonna sing hehe
Liv Ullmann and, for that matter, Julie Harris, COULD sing but did not because they were being credited for their roles in non-musical dramas "Anna Christie" and "The Belle of Amherst", respectively.
@davidesk grump
Ann Miller not Anne Miller, carelessness.
I can never get into these things since someone pointed out many years ago... 'It's all about... look at me... I need attention.'
Then don't watch!!!!!!
Let me point out to you that the attention-seekers would not receive that desired attention if they couldn't put their money where their mouth is..