Threaded Order Chronological Order
| Alice Faye, John Payne in GOOD NEWS (73-74): | |
| Posted by: clothedboysinging 11:07 am EST 12/13/17 | |
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| Any recollections of this show, and just why weren't the stars an apparent draw on Broadway? I'll never forget how the New Yorker deemed it in their alphabetical listing: Good News: Bad News. They don't quite write 'em like that anymore. |
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| John Payne in GOOD NEWS (73-74): | |
| Posted by: FinalPerformance 01:41 pm EST 12/15/17 | |
| In reply to: Alice Faye, John Payne in GOOD NEWS (73-74): - clothedboysinging 11:07 am EST 12/13/17 | |
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| Saw John Payne in one of the first previews on Broadway before be left. Had playbill, then maybe after one week Gene Nelson took over. | |
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| re: Alice Faye, John Payne in GOOD NEWS (73-74): | |
| Posted by: makemlaff 02:23 pm EST 12/14/17 | |
| In reply to: Alice Faye, John Payne in GOOD NEWS (73-74): - clothedboysinging 11:07 am EST 12/13/17 | |
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| I've always been curious about this production too. It seems that after all the drama surrounding NO,NO NANETTE and IRENE that Harry Rigby tried to take yet a third bite from the "nostalgia" apple. I found the clip below on YouTube, not sure how I never saw it before, though it doesn't make an especially strong case for the show. | |
| Link | Alice Faye, John Payne--You're the Cream in My Coffee, Good News, 1974 TV |
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| re: Alice Faye, John Payne in GOOD NEWS (73-74): | |
| Last Edit: PlayWiz 06:50 pm EST 12/14/17 | |
| Posted by: PlayWiz 06:44 pm EST 12/14/17 | |
| In reply to: re: Alice Faye, John Payne in GOOD NEWS (73-74): - makemlaff 02:23 pm EST 12/14/17 | |
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| Payne especially still sounded in good voice back then. One problem I kind of think about Alice Faye on stage would be is that her film persona was really soft and the opposite of aggressive, which worked brilliantly in close-ups and torch songs and sweet ballads like "You'll Never Know". But especially with the song in the clip, it doesn't really play as very exciting in the theater, though she certainly could still sing. John Payne, of course, the original Fred Gailey in "Miracle on 34th Street" could play hunky boxers and other more aggressive roles in his career. He also had a fine voice and was a prime example of his studio rather exploiting some beefcake. Check out this clip of Payne and Betty Grable -- how did a musical number with him shirtless and in just his shorts and slippers make it past the censor? |
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| Link | John Payne and Betty Grable singing |
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| re: Alice Faye, John Payne in GOOD NEWS (73-74): | |
| Posted by: dbg 07:54 pm EST 12/13/17 | |
| In reply to: Alice Faye, John Payne in GOOD NEWS (73-74): - clothedboysinging 11:07 am EST 12/13/17 | |
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| Thanks to a very nice box office man at the Morosco Theatre, I was able to change my ticket for In Praise of Love to another date when I told him that I'd just heard that Good News was closing that night, and I so wanted to see it. Went over to the St. James and bought a ticket for the closing, which was two weeks after the official opening. It wasn't a bad show at all, thanks especially to a terrific chorus of singers and dancers. I remember that Alice Faye looked uncomfortable at times and seemed to be pushed around the stage by some of the chorus. Gene Nelson had some line troubles, though I don't think he had been in the role for too long, having replaced John Payne. Stubby Kaye, as always, was quite good. | |
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| re: Alice Faye, John Payne in GOOD NEWS (73-74): | |
| Posted by: MarjorieMae 03:46 pm EST 12/13/17 | |
| In reply to: Alice Faye, John Payne in GOOD NEWS (73-74): - clothedboysinging 11:07 am EST 12/13/17 | |
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| I saw it in Christmas Day. John Payne was replaced by Gene Nelson who did another athletic dance to Keep Your Sunnyside Up. I think by the time it was done the entire No, No, Nanette nostalgia craze was dying down and I don't think Faye was that big of a draw. The thing with Ruby Keeler was that she could still tap dance, just like Ann Miller in Sugar Babies. The most memorable performer was Barbara Lail who led the Varsity Drag. Stubby Kaye was the other old timer in the cast. | |
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| re: Alice Faye, John Payne in GOOD NEWS (73-74): | |
| Posted by: rvs 02:34 pm EST 12/13/17 | |
| In reply to: Alice Faye, John Payne in GOOD NEWS (73-74): - clothedboysinging 11:07 am EST 12/13/17 | |
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| I saw it in Boston. John Payne not coming into NY because his contract ran out doesn't sound right. I wasn't surprised when they replaced him with Gene Nelson. I don't think I've ever witnessed a stiffer performance. I don't know what their friendship or non-friendship was like offstage, but this was during the No No Nanette/Irene nostalgia fad (it was coming to an end by the time Good News came on the scene) and Faye and Payne were cast for nostalgia purposes. Alice Faye looked unhappy to be carrying him in their scenes together. It couldn't have helped her mood that they were not playing lead characters (Good News was always about the young 'uns). Stubby Kaye looked happy to be employed, but they were making him work with live animals. All I can say is Stubby Kaye was a good sport. |
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| re: Alice Faye, John Payne in GOOD NEWS (73-74): | |
| Posted by: Michael_Portantiere 03:37 pm EST 12/13/17 | |
| In reply to: re: Alice Faye, John Payne in GOOD NEWS (73-74): - rvs 02:34 pm EST 12/13/17 | |
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| "John Payne not coming into NY because his contract ran out doesn't sound right." Could be completely untrue, that's just what I read somewhere. But I did remember that I saw Nelson, not Payne, in the show on Broadway. |
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| re: Alice Faye, John Payne in GOOD NEWS (73-74): | |
| Posted by: Michael_Portantiere 11:37 am EST 12/13/17 | |
| In reply to: Alice Faye, John Payne in GOOD NEWS (73-74): - clothedboysinging 11:07 am EST 12/13/17 | |
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| John Payne didn't make it to Broadway. Apparently, his contract ran out a few weeks before the show came into town, and he was replaced by Gene Nelson. That's who I saw in the show on Broadway, with Alice Faye, Stubby Kaye, et al. | |
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| re: Alice Faye, John Payne in GOOD NEWS (73-74): | |
| Last Edit: Delvino 11:28 am EST 12/13/17 | |
| Posted by: Delvino 11:26 am EST 12/13/17 | |
| In reply to: Alice Faye, John Payne in GOOD NEWS (73-74): - clothedboysinging 11:07 am EST 12/13/17 | |
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| I saw it at the Kennedy Center. I was 21, and what I remember most: Jana Robbins and I believe Marti Rolph (the famous first young Sally). Both wonderful. The two stars, not embarrassing. Oh, and Stubby Kaye, who made zero impression, at least on me. | |
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| re: Alice Faye, John Payne in GOOD NEWS (73-74): | |
| Posted by: bmc 01:28 pm EST 12/13/17 | |
| In reply to: re: Alice Faye, John Payne in GOOD NEWS (73-74): - Delvino 11:26 am EST 12/13/17 | |
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| I took my mother to see GOOD NEWS at the Fisher in Detroit; She enjoyed the show, but, Just as my Father said when I took him to see HOLLY GOLIGHTLY in Boston, "It won't last long in New York". There was what I thought was a staged forgotten- Lines thing, which the audience got a big kick out of. Marti Rolph has some nice ballads, But what I enjoyed most was the Varsity Drag dance, and especially Stubby Kaye, There was even, a la SHAKESPEARE IM LOVE, a bit with a dog(And Stubby Kaye).i | |
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| I remember Rolph singing "Just Imagine" | |
| Last Edit: Delvino 06:06 pm EST 12/13/17 | |
| Posted by: Delvino 06:05 pm EST 12/13/17 | |
| In reply to: re: Alice Faye, John Payne in GOOD NEWS (73-74): - bmc 01:28 pm EST 12/13/17 | |
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| I had seen Follies twice, so Rolph was the person in the show I was especially excited to see. In 1973, boomers (like me) in our early 20s didn't really know Alice Faye very well from TV. Though I did know the film, and "Varsity Drag." Stubby Kaye was sort of musical theater history, but the two stars were from our parents' generation. Makes sense that the post above would have been a night out for older folk. | |
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| re: I remember Rolph singing "Just Imagine" | |
| Last Edit: PlayWiz 07:01 pm EST 12/14/17 | |
| Posted by: PlayWiz 07:01 pm EST 12/14/17 | |
| In reply to: I remember Rolph singing "Just Imagine" - Delvino 06:05 pm EST 12/13/17 | |
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| Boomers knew John Payne every Christmas from "Miracle on 34th Street", even if his other films weren't shown that much pre-TCM channel. Most old movies on television ran very late at night and were chiefly from MGM. There were some Universal horror movies and some Abbott and Costello films and some Shirley Temple films from Fox and some other exceptions, but most old films shown were from MGM. | |
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| Saw it the Kennedy Center-pre-Broadway-it was a big "Meh" | |
| Posted by: NJGUY 01:53 pm EST 12/13/17 | |
| In reply to: re: Alice Faye, John Payne in GOOD NEWS (73-74): - bmc 01:28 pm EST 12/13/17 | |
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| Wanted to be a No No Nannette and fell flat. The Song you "You'll Never Know" -sung by Alice Faye was featured in the movie "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore" and that movie and GOOD NEWS came out about the same time. I always put the two together. | |
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