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| Is there footage (other than the film) of the original Broadway cast of MEMBER OF THE WEDDING? | |
| Posted by: Teacher64 02:47 pm EDT 04/18/20 | |
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| According to Brandon De WIlde's biographer (Patricia McLean) six days before his 8th birthday, Brandon (on a two performance matinee day) "spent a few hours at CBS Studios for a live broadcast of scenes from the play to coincide with the upcoming NY Drama Critics Circle Award." They (De WIlde, Harris, and Waters) also performed scenes from the play on THE ED SULLIVAN SHOW. The Sullivan Show footage is apparently available for viewing at the Paley Center, which I will definitely be looking up the next time I am in the city. I am wondering if these are one and the same? But I would think that the author would mention the Sullivan show if that is what it was for. Also, the author specifically refers to the day as a Saturday (thus the two shows) and I thought Sullivan's show was on Sunday nights. Still, being able to see those three performing scenes from the play on live TV would be something I would think any "Theater Person" would do just about anything to see. Anyone know anything about this? Is there anyone out there who remembers seeing the original production? It was 70 years ago, so I am thinking most of the people who saw the original production are no longer with us, but there is a chance.... |
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| Link | All Fall Down: The Brandon De Wilde Story |
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| 2018 Wlliamstown production | |
| Posted by: champagnesalesman 01:17 pm EDT 04/19/20 | |
| In reply to: Is there footage (other than the film) of the original Broadway cast of MEMBER OF THE WEDDING? - Teacher64 02:47 pm EDT 04/18/20 | |
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| I attended the festival that year in part to see this seldomly staged play the cast featured Tavi Gevinson, Roslyn Ruff and James Waterson it was good even if it showed its age...but then I love Inge and plays from that period that have alot of emotion missing from so many new plays Paul Zindel ia another one whose plays aren't done alot any more and are worth doing |
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| re: Is there footage (other than the film) of the original Broadway cast of MEMBER OF THE WEDDING? | |
| Posted by: larry13 11:01 am EDT 04/19/20 | |
| In reply to: Is there footage (other than the film) of the original Broadway cast of MEMBER OF THE WEDDING? - Teacher64 02:47 pm EDT 04/18/20 | |
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| IF the biographer is correct then there must be two broadcasts of scenes from the play with the original three stars. No question De Wilde was born in April, around the time of the Drama Critics Award. And no question that all three were on Ed Sullivan Sunday night October 8, 1950. I've only seen the movie once, many years ago and my only recollections are not being particularly keen on it but very much thinking that Harris was giving one of the greatest, most electric perfomances I ever saw, even separate from the fact that this woman in her mid-twenties was so successfully capturing a 12 year old girl--and on film yet. |
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| re: Is there footage (other than the film) of the original Broadway cast of MEMBER OF THE WEDDING? | |
| Posted by: BroadwayTonyJ 08:29 am EDT 04/19/20 | |
| In reply to: Is there footage (other than the film) of the original Broadway cast of MEMBER OF THE WEDDING? - Teacher64 02:47 pm EDT 04/18/20 | |
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| I've seen the footage you are talking about. It may have been at the Paley Center, but most likely I saw it in some old TV documentary about the Golden Age of Broadway, possibly in the 60's or 70's. | |
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| re: Is there footage (other than the film) of the original Broadway cast of MEMBER OF THE WEDDING? | |
| Posted by: Lapsedfan 10:51 pm EDT 04/18/20 | |
| In reply to: Is there footage (other than the film) of the original Broadway cast of MEMBER OF THE WEDDING? - Teacher64 02:47 pm EDT 04/18/20 | |
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| I remember seeing a TV production in the 1950s. It wouldn't have been the original cast that you speak of because we didn't even have television at my house until 1954. On IMDB, I see that there was a 1958 "Dupont Show of the Month" and that is probably what I saw. Totally different cast, although I would have sworn I saw Julie Harris. | |
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| re: Is there footage (other than the film) of the original Broadway cast of MEMBER OF THE WEDDING? | |
| Posted by: Teacher64 11:21 pm EDT 04/18/20 | |
| In reply to: re: Is there footage (other than the film) of the original Broadway cast of MEMBER OF THE WEDDING? - Lapsedfan 10:51 pm EDT 04/18/20 | |
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| Yes. I actually watched that production at the Paley Center about 10 years ago. It's a beautiful production that could rival the film version except it is missing those three iconic performers. The Julie Harris role was played (beautifully) by Collin Wilcox who is probably best remembered as Mayella Ewell, who accuses Tom Robinson of "taking advantage" of her in the movie "To Kill a Mockingbird". The Member of the Wedding is such a difficult piece to do because it needs such delicacy in its acting. The original production caught lightning in a bottle three times when they cast Waters, Harris, and 7 year old De Wilde. I was surprised to learn that after it closed in NY those three traveled the country in the play, doing stints in Boston, Toronto, and the west coast. It has only been revived once on Broadway and even with such great performers as Glen Close and Marybeth Hurt it simply did not work. There was another televised version of it in the 80s with Pearl Bailey and Dana Hill and that one didn't work all the well either. It is very rarely done. |
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| re: Is there footage (other than the film) of the original Broadway cast of MEMBER OF THE WEDDING? | |
| Posted by: winters 07:54 am EDT 04/19/20 | |
| In reply to: re: Is there footage (other than the film) of the original Broadway cast of MEMBER OF THE WEDDING? - Teacher64 11:21 pm EDT 04/18/20 | |
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| I have only ever seen the film. A while back. My memory of it are of the quality of the performances. Casting issues aside, are there others reasons that the play is not done? I am not that familiar with the play so I don’t know if the subject matter, dialogue or descriptions might be a ‘hard sell’ in 2020. |
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| re: Is there footage (other than the film) of the original Broadway cast of MEMBER OF THE WEDDING? | |
| Posted by: GreatMartin (greatmartin2003@yahoo.com) 04:16 pm EDT 04/18/20 | |
| In reply to: Is there footage (other than the film) of the original Broadway cast of MEMBER OF THE WEDDING? - Teacher64 02:47 pm EDT 04/18/20 | |
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| I was 14 sitting in the Empire theatre completely torn up up--vowed NEVER to miss Julie Harris in whatever she did--was in awe of DeWilde and have burned into my brain Ethel Waters holding 'Frankie' and singing bringing me to tears. | |
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| re: Is there footage (other than the film) of the original Broadway cast of MEMBER OF THE WEDDING? | |
| Posted by: Teacher64 04:34 pm EDT 04/18/20 | |
| In reply to: re: Is there footage (other than the film) of the original Broadway cast of MEMBER OF THE WEDDING? - GreatMartin 04:16 pm EDT 04/18/20 | |
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| I am SO jealous!! If I had a time machine, that is the one production I would go back to see. | |
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| re: Is there footage (other than the film) of the original Broadway cast of MEMBER OF THE WEDDING? | |
| Posted by: GreatMartin (greatmartin2003@yahoo.com) 11:17 pm EDT 04/18/20 | |
| In reply to: re: Is there footage (other than the film) of the original Broadway cast of MEMBER OF THE WEDDING? - Teacher64 04:34 pm EDT 04/18/20 | |
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| What about "Death of a Salesman"? "Come Back Little Sheba"? Just to name a couple plus the actors of that time? I was lucky enough that I had parents who believed in and loved the theatre--first show I ever saw was the original production of "Oklahoma" in 1943 when I was 7! (I wanted to be Alfred Drake but I couldn't carry a tune! After driving my parents crazy with me wanting to be Marlon Brando, Lee J. Cobb and every other actor I saw they convinced me that I was more important than any of them as an audience member!!) It's been a tough job but I am still playing the role LOL | |
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| The Glass Menagerie | |
| Posted by: winters 08:02 am EDT 04/19/20 | |
| In reply to: re: Is there footage (other than the film) of the original Broadway cast of MEMBER OF THE WEDDING? - GreatMartin 11:17 pm EDT 04/18/20 | |
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| In 1944 you would have then matured to the ripe old age of...eight. Did your parents take you to see Laurette Taylor in, arguably, the greatest stage performance of the twentieth century? Your poor parents....lol..... How did they react to the knowledge that in the 1940’s their single digit aged son aspired to be Lee J. Cobb rather then Joe DiMaggio. How wonderful that it appears that they allowed you to march to the beat of your own drummer. |
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