Gene Kelly, Van Johnson, Stanley Donen & a few more chosen to have contracts in Hollywwod what an exciting time it was on Broadway Hollywood Scouts watching these plays for talent!
All my life I've had to rely on production pictures and my own imagination to bring the original production of PAL JOEY to life. It is thrilling to see these glimpses of Vivienne Segal, Gene Kelly and the rest of the dynamic cast. And when the views turn to color, it's as if I'm sitting in the fourth row center. I think there's even a glimpse of Van Johnson at the end, right? These clips are the best Christmas present a musical theatre fan could ask for. THANK YOU!
I am so very glad you enjoyed the little Christmas present, and given the big anniversary it was only fitting. I think 'dynamic' is perhaps the most appropriate word you could have found: Gene's windmill moves make today's dancing efforts writhe in shame (perhaps because music was danceable then... And no pyrotechnics or special effects!) And you're absolutely right, it is Van tangoing it with June Havoc at the end.
@@FolliesFan-yu8mf Unfortunately, this was before the era of the "original cast album." But it is incredibly frustrating not to have any "singles" from the show -- no doubt because it wasn't until the Broadway revival a decade later (1950), with Harold Lang as Joey (and Vivienne Segal once again as Vera) that the show became a hit and the score mined for its riches, notably "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered." SIDE NOTE: In the early 50s, Walt Kelly introduced a trio of vagabond bats into his popular comic strip "Pogo"; they were named B.Witched, B.Othered and B.Mildred. 🙂
You know, the only problem with the original production is Gene Kelly. No, hear me out! The original Joey, from O'Hara's stories in The New Yorker, simply doesn't come across as being impossibly handsome and talented. He's a bit like Archie in John Osborne's The Entertainer--somebody who is not bad at what he does, but not quite good enough. An Also-Ran. But he's young, he's got a certain brass that can impress a girl, get the audiences going, and he's skating by on shallow charm. I don't know how Kelly played it, though you can watch his later films and see bits and pieces of what he must have done on stage--like in Singin' In The Rain, before Don Lockwood wises up, stops taking the movie star crap so seriously, works harder at using his real talent as a song & dance man. A lot of the time, his characters have a bit of the grifter to them. In a certain limited sense, he was often playing a nicer version of the character who made him a star. I'd give anything to go back and see this, most of all for Vivienne Segal, who I consider the true star of the show--as she was of the 50's revival. I hate what they did to Vera in the movie with Sinatra, turning her into a jealous aging bitch--in the play she not only doesn't shut down the club because Joey likes a younger girl--she makes nice with Linda, and feeling bad about breaking things off with Joey, she makes a peace offering--he can keep the club. He only loses it because his pride is hurt, and he insults her. I will never go see any version of this show that diverges from the original O'Hara script. Joey isn't a truly bad guy (Vera is too smart to have anything to do with that kind), but he's a heel, not a hero--if you reform him, he's not Joey anymore. Maybe someday he'll catch wise, but not during this play.
Gene Kelly, Van Johnson, Stanley Donen & a few more chosen to have contracts in Hollywwod what an exciting time it was on Broadway Hollywood Scouts watching these plays for talent!
That's Broadway I'd pay to see. Thanks!
This is as far as I know the only Broadway footage of Gene Kelly that exists.
All my life I've had to rely on production pictures and my own imagination to bring the original production of PAL JOEY to life. It is thrilling to see these glimpses of Vivienne Segal, Gene Kelly and the rest of the dynamic cast. And when the views turn to color, it's as if I'm sitting in the fourth row center. I think there's even a glimpse of Van Johnson at the end, right? These clips are the best Christmas present a musical theatre fan could ask for. THANK YOU!
I am so very glad you enjoyed the little Christmas present, and given the big anniversary it was only fitting. I think 'dynamic' is perhaps the most appropriate word you could have found: Gene's windmill moves make today's dancing efforts writhe in shame (perhaps because music was danceable then... And no pyrotechnics or special effects!) And you're absolutely right, it is Van tangoing it with June Havoc at the end.
Simply amazing that there was no soundtrack album of the original Broadway cast. What a loss.
❤❤❤Ethel Barrymore Theatre❤❤❤1940 Christmas Day😊 GK😊Gene Kelly, Van Johnson, June Havoc, Vivienne Segal, Stanley Donan. Broadway Footage.
Wow, what a document. And to think it's shot by June Havoc, all the more fascinating! What a treasure - and thank you so much for posting it!
Thanks for this posting, it's great.
I'm going to go with just WOW! It's amazing! Thank you for sharing this!!
Thx for this rare gem!
What I wouldn't give to have seen that show with Gene Kelly's star turn. We don't even have a cast recording.
All these handsome people 😍...THIS broadway I would love to see live.
Fun fact: June Havoc was THE Baby June in Gypsy. As in, she is the actual sister of the real Gypsy Rose Lee.
This is great I've heard there are vocal of Gene Kelly singing from 'Pal Joey' is it true?
Can someone point out Jean Castro, who played Melba?
Now some post-production genius has to get sound onto this material...
If only a cast album had been recorded...
@@FolliesFan-yu8mf Unfortunately, this was before the era of the "original cast album." But it is incredibly frustrating not to have any "singles" from the show -- no doubt because it wasn't until the Broadway revival a decade later (1950), with Harold Lang as Joey (and Vivienne Segal once again as Vera) that the show became a hit and the score mined for its riches, notably "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered." SIDE NOTE: In the early 50s, Walt Kelly introduced a trio of vagabond bats into his popular comic strip "Pogo"; they were named B.Witched, B.Othered and B.Mildred. 🙂
You know, the only problem with the original production is Gene Kelly. No, hear me out! The original Joey, from O'Hara's stories in The New Yorker, simply doesn't come across as being impossibly handsome and talented. He's a bit like Archie in John Osborne's The Entertainer--somebody who is not bad at what he does, but not quite good enough. An Also-Ran. But he's young, he's got a certain brass that can impress a girl, get the audiences going, and he's skating by on shallow charm. I don't know how Kelly played it, though you can watch his later films and see bits and pieces of what he must have done on stage--like in Singin' In The Rain, before Don Lockwood wises up, stops taking the movie star crap so seriously, works harder at using his real talent as a song & dance man. A lot of the time, his characters have a bit of the grifter to them. In a certain limited sense, he was often playing a nicer version of the character who made him a star.
I'd give anything to go back and see this, most of all for Vivienne Segal, who I consider the true star of the show--as she was of the 50's revival. I hate what they did to Vera in the movie with Sinatra, turning her into a jealous aging bitch--in the play she not only doesn't shut down the club because Joey likes a younger girl--she makes nice with Linda, and feeling bad about breaking things off with Joey, she makes a peace offering--he can keep the club. He only loses it because his pride is hurt, and he insults her.
I will never go see any version of this show that diverges from the original O'Hara script. Joey isn't a truly bad guy (Vera is too smart to have anything to do with that kind), but he's a heel, not a hero--if you reform him, he's not Joey anymore. Maybe someday he'll catch wise, but not during this play.