| Revisiting the 1960 Tony Awards: Wow, what a difference! ... (And did Helen Hayes blow it?) | |
| Last Edit: WaymanWong 04:03 am EDT 08/25/18 | |
| Posted by: WaymanWong 03:55 am EDT 08/25/18 | |
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| I'd never seen the 1960 Tony Awards, but found the black-and-white telecast, shown on WCBS, on YouTube, and what nostalgia! Hosted by Eddie Albert, the ceremony included Lauren Bacall, Ray Bolger, Celeste Holm, Vivien Leigh, Robert Morse and Jason Robards. In little more than an hour, they gave out 18 Tonys and two special honors. So how did they do that? Most everyone's speeches were short, and there were no songs sung from the Best Musical nominees: ''Fiorello!,'' ''Gypsy,'' ''Once Upon a Mattress,'' ''The Sound of Music'' & ''Take Me Along.'' The only musical number was the national anthem, which kicked off the festivities, and it was sung by Vivian Della Chiesa. And the Best Musical prize, a tie between ''Fiorello!'' and ''The Sound of Music,'' was given out BEFORE the leading acting awards. Which brings me to Helen Hayes, who presented Leading Actress in a Play, which Anne Bancroft won (for ''The Miracle Worker''). However, Hayes announced only 5 nominees (Anne Bancroft, Margaret Leighton, Claudia McNeil, Maureen Stapleton, Irene Worth) and seems to have left out Geraldine Page (''Sweet Bird of Youth''). Watch the tape (below) and this happens around 56:49. I checked IBDB and Tonys.org, and both seem to confirm that Page WAS nominated that year. Did Hayes accidentally read over Page's name, or was it left off the envelope? Does any Tony expert on this board, like AlanScott, know anything more? And has this ever happened at the Tonys? In 1973, Hayes starred on TV's ''The Snoop Sisters,'' and one guest star was Page. I wonder if they had a good laugh about the 1960 Tonys. |
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| Link | The 1960 Tony Awards |
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