I would not doubt that someone has a complete recording of this somewhere. Perhaps we can see this vibrant performance someday. What performances here.
Wow! What a rare gem. This original cast also included Pat Hingle as Gooper. Most know him later in life as Commissioner Gordon in the 1989-1997 Batman movies. Great character actor.
Never had the pleasure of being part of a Broadway show, but that tradition, going out to dinner and waiting for the newspaper review to come in, I do remember from Off-Broadway shows. Wow, to see Gazzara and Bel Geddes on stage together in something Kazan directed. What I wouldn't have given. Thanks for the clip.
chills down my spine. and I had the pleasure of discussion with Ben some years ago about this role and so many of the great actor's film roles, too. as Ben used to keep a place at Palm Aire, FL. gracious man, formidable artist.
Yes a rare find indeed! Ben was very proud of this role. I'm just back from Locarno film festival and the premier of Ben's last film/documentary about his life of which I was proud to be part of, and very privileged to have worked on with Ben for a few weks i NYC. R.I.P
I wish this could have been fully recorded. The stupid censorship has really robbed us of some awesome works. People are able to decided what is suitable, or unsuitable for themselves. It's ridiculous.
just watched this. oh how i wish the entire play had been recorded with the original cast. i'll tell you another major regret i have: i've always wished that the director of the movie version of Streetcar Named Desire had filmed Vivian Leigh as Blanche delivering her monologue regarding the suicide of her husband as Tennessee Williams had originally written it in addition to the bowdlerized version that he did film. Even if the scene as originally written was too controversial for the 1950s movie going audience, would it have not been great if Elia Kazan would have been prescient enough to have realized that future audiences would not be so provincial and in fact would be quite disappointed that they did not have the opportunity to see the definitive Blanche i.e. Vivian Leigh (at least that's my opinion) deliver the lines as they were meant to be said (he could have also filmed the ending as it was originally written too, but it's Blanche's aforementioned monologue that i wish i could hear vivian leigh deliver as it was meant to be delivered),
+Harvey Banks Agreed. I've heard they came close to including it--the original deal was that the studio agreed they would, if need be, release the film without the approval of the Production Code. For a myriad of reasons they sorta gave in in the end (partly because the Code did pass so much they thought it wouldn't,) but that would have been great. Kazan should have made a Cat movie, but he didn't like to direct his plays on stage (Streetcar was an exception because he wanted to see how hard he could push the film restrictions,) and of course it would have always had to be censored heavily. Still, Brooks (like he did with Sweet Bird,) added his own morality to the play with his film which doesn't work for me.
Would have loved to see the whole play with these two. There is so much going on that's just under the skin. They are both great. Wish there were a video of the whole thing.
I'm pretty sure this is from a TV special. While they're the original actors in the original costumes, the bed isn't the one used on Broadway. Still-- it's a one-minute master class in stage acting. Very, very rare.
Ben Gazarra cast as a Mississippi football hero. I like Gazarra but c'mon- he oozes Yankee energy. If you recall the pre- 1980s Deep South you know what I mean.
I have seen this film several times in the past going back a number of years, always with including Gazzara's self-promoting comments. It may be unkind to say so, but I have always found Gazzar's performance to be stiff and empty,... harsh but true.
Damn, I'd give anything to have seen this one. Except Barbara Bel Geddes was miscast. She's a good actress but here she can't give us Maggie's innate sensuality.
Supposedly, Barbara Bel Geddes said later that she'd been cast simply because she WASN'T a smoldering seductress. There was some concern the play would be censored (because of the homosexual references) if the show also featured a smoldering Maggie.
@@unclealand That's correct. But there were some pretty frank discussions of Brick's sexuality here, some off-color humor from Big Daddy, some profanity, and the crux of the play depending upon whether Brick could "perform" with Maggie. According to Elizabeth Ashley (who played Maggie in the 1974 revival), there was a lot of uneasiness from the 1954 producer (Cheryl Crawford) and director (Elia Kazan) about whether they might be pushing too many limits and might sabotage their own production.
@@bramlintrent1145 I just don't think they'd shoot themselves in the foot by deliberately miscasting Maggie. The family or theater connections of Bel Geddes might have put money into the show.
I would not doubt that someone has a complete recording of this somewhere. Perhaps we can see this vibrant performance someday. What performances here.
Fantastic and wonderful that this splendid actor has air time on RUclips. Cat on a Hot Tin Roof is spectacular and all the actors in it.
Wow! What a rare gem. This original cast also included Pat Hingle as Gooper. Most know him later in life as Commissioner Gordon in the 1989-1997 Batman movies. Great character actor.
Never had the pleasure of being part of a Broadway show, but that tradition, going out to dinner and waiting for the newspaper review to come in, I do remember from Off-Broadway shows. Wow, to see Gazzara and Bel Geddes on stage together in something Kazan directed. What I wouldn't have given. Thanks for the clip.
chills down my spine. and I had the pleasure of discussion with Ben some years ago about this role and so many of the great actor's film roles, too. as Ben used to keep a place at Palm Aire, FL. gracious man, formidable artist.
Yes a rare find indeed! Ben was very proud of this role. I'm just back from Locarno film festival and the premier of Ben's last film/documentary about his life of which I was proud to be part of, and very privileged to have worked on with Ben for a few weks i NYC. R.I.P
I love how he was surprised and how he says “ we was good weren’t we”
Wonderful interview, well deserved VB acclaim.
if you like this, you should all get the DVD. It's full of stories like this. Highly recommended.
Absolutely one of my favorites in my collection so glad he got all these stories down as so many of the stars have passed
Love all this, but need to love to love this.
My goodness! Masterpiece ✨Anyone has images of the whole play? How come the same actors were not chosen for the film version? 😳
Business.
RIP Barbara and Ben - wish i was around to see it live in the 1950s
Amazing❤
I wish this could have been fully recorded. The stupid censorship has really robbed us of some awesome works. People are able to decided what is suitable, or unsuitable for themselves. It's ridiculous.
just watched this. oh how i wish the entire play had been recorded with the original cast. i'll tell you another major regret i have: i've always wished that the director of the movie version of Streetcar Named Desire had filmed Vivian Leigh as Blanche delivering her monologue regarding the suicide of her husband as Tennessee Williams had originally written it in addition to the bowdlerized version that he did film. Even if the scene as originally written was too controversial for the 1950s movie going audience, would it have not been great if Elia Kazan would have been prescient enough to have realized that future audiences would not be so provincial and in fact would be quite disappointed that they did not have the opportunity to see the definitive Blanche i.e. Vivian Leigh (at least that's my opinion) deliver the lines as they were meant to be said (he could have also filmed the ending as it was originally written too, but it's Blanche's aforementioned monologue that i wish i could hear vivian leigh deliver as it was meant to be delivered),
+Harvey Banks Agreed. I've heard they came close to including it--the original deal was that the studio agreed they would, if need be, release the film without the approval of the Production Code. For a myriad of reasons they sorta gave in in the end (partly because the Code did pass so much they thought it wouldn't,) but that would have been great.
Kazan should have made a Cat movie, but he didn't like to direct his plays on stage (Streetcar was an exception because he wanted to see how hard he could push the film restrictions,) and of course it would have always had to be censored heavily. Still, Brooks (like he did with Sweet Bird,) added his own morality to the play with his film which doesn't work for me.
This movie is nоw availaaaable to watсh here => twitter.com/193803eed31d94d45/status/795843616396623872 Cat on a Hot Tin Roof Original Cast Clip avi
@@vainglorychanelquanmanhhon7780 Your tweet has been deleted.
Would have loved to see the whole play with these two. There is so much going on that's just under the skin. They are both great. Wish there were a video of the whole thing.
Me too ! And how wonderful it would have been to see Burl Ives portraying Big Daddy on the stage !
I‘m a big fan 🧜🏼♀️🦋
I'm pretty sure this is from a TV special. While they're the original actors in the original costumes, the bed isn't the one used on Broadway. Still-- it's a one-minute master class in stage acting. Very, very rare.
from Rick McKay's great documentary
Didn’t know there was one ! Thanks!
Beautiful
Miss Ellie.
@MrFirelotus My pleasure
Where did that little clip come from? My gosh, maybe all the COAHTR productions I've seen over the decades pale by comparison to that little gem.
Fortunately, Maggie was to marry into the Ewing clan, who had even more land and money than the Pollitts.
the history of "cat on the hot tin roof"
It's always so tough for me to see Barbara Bel Geddes as anything but Miss Ellie.
She looked a lot like Alley Mills in these years.
Ben Gazarra cast as a Mississippi football hero. I like Gazarra but c'mon- he oozes Yankee energy. If you recall the pre- 1980s Deep South you know what I mean.
Marilyn Monroe was there that night...
I have seen this film several times in the past going back a number of years, always with including Gazzara's self-promoting comments. It may be unkind to say so, but I have always found Gazzar's performance to be stiff and empty,... harsh but true.
Both Gazzara and Bel Geddy's (sp?) lack the inner life that subsequent actors brought to this rich material.
Damn, I'd give anything to have seen this one. Except Barbara Bel Geddes was miscast. She's a good actress but here she can't give us Maggie's innate sensuality.
unclealand 100% agree
Supposedly, Barbara Bel Geddes said later that she'd been cast simply because she WASN'T a smoldering seductress. There was some concern the play would be censored (because of the homosexual references) if the show also featured a smoldering Maggie.
@@bramlintrent1145 Unless there was nudity Broadway was not known for censoring.
@@unclealand That's correct. But there were some pretty frank discussions of Brick's sexuality here, some off-color humor from Big Daddy, some profanity, and the crux of the play depending upon whether Brick could "perform" with Maggie. According to Elizabeth Ashley (who played Maggie in the 1974 revival), there was a lot of uneasiness from the 1954 producer (Cheryl Crawford) and director (Elia Kazan) about whether they might be pushing too many limits and might sabotage their own production.
@@bramlintrent1145 I just don't think they'd shoot themselves in the foot by deliberately miscasting Maggie. The family or theater connections of Bel Geddes might have put money into the show.
Will for my money, it pales in comparison to the Paul Newman movie! This scene lacked the oompf to me!!
🙋🏼♀️🙋🏼♀️🙋🏼♀️🙋🏼♀️🙋🏼♀️