Here's a list of what was playing on Broadway one week in 1948. Thanks to reader Douglas McEwan for sharing it. As he said, and I couldn't agree more, I'd go see any one of those shows.
A couple of things jumped out at me ;1) Marlon Brando shares equal billing with Kim Hunter and Karl Malden while Jessica Tandy's name is above them and in bold type. 2) Two Rodgers and Hammerstein shows were running,and they were producers of a third,Annie Get Your Gun.3) George Abbott & Jerome Robbins also had two shows, one starring Nancy Walker(Rhoda's mother).
When people talk about the ability to travel through time, they often talk about using it to change history. When I think about it, I always imagine using the ability to see Broadway legends in the making.
By the way, does anyone know why Broadway show titles beginning with "The" are alphabetized under T? The rule for alphabetizing titles is to ignore the first word if it's an article, but Broadway listings have always ignored this rule.
New York always seems to be in the process of tearing down and replacing, so it's remarkable how many of those theaters still exist.
That's the original production of OKLAHOMA! which opened in 1943. In "Underfoot in Show Business" Helene Hanff (she wrote "84, Charing Cross Road") has a chapter about how everyone was sure it would be a disaster.
If I went back in time it would be really hard to pick just one show, but I would probably have to pick The Linden Tree just to see Boris Karloff and Una O'Connor in the flesh! i wonder how well-received this play was? There isn't much info about it when I googled it.
I can imagine spending decades building a time machine, going back to that era, and being told at the ticket window, "Sorry, we're sold out of everything but 'The Hallams.'"
Three months before the Milton Berle and Ed Sullivan shows debut on TV. Tough choice between a musical starring Phil Silvers as a con man, and a sketch comedy revue starring Sid Caesar and directed by Max Liebman.
Broadway was truly a platform for cutting-edge entertainment. Original shows, with compelling dramas, musicals that often contributed popular hit songs to radio and nightclubs and a New York-centric attitude that marked it as a medium separate from film.
Back then, Broadway was a reflection of New York. The vast majority of audiences came from the New York area. By the 2000s -- when Broadway began to taken over by "the tried and true" (adaptations of popular movies and other familiar characters and imagery), the majority of the audience had become tourists -- and producers catered to them, not the local fans.
So the Broadway of these listings was a very different stage than the one that hopefully, will start re-opening six or eight weeks from now.
Wow. Just wow. So many of those names are ones I've heard of for years. But I agree with previous commenters: I'd head for Streetcar but probably end up at the Hallams.
"The Linden Tree"'s London production ran for 422 performances; perhaps the New York production that was subpar. Priestley was one of the great playwrights of the 20th Century, a little akin to Alan Ayckbourn; he was as expert at drawing-room comedies, like "When We Are Married", as he was with more experimental works like "An Inspector Calls", and "Johnson Over Jordan."
Ah, but seeing this page of offerings made me sad. Comparing those offerings to ones before COVID hit, it's pretty clear that the theatre is really over as a power in American culture. People all over the country got to see these plays in first-class tours, even if they couldn't go to Manhattan. A modern Lillian Hellman or Tennessee Williams, were they to arise today, would be writing hyper-extended binge packages for Netflix and Amazon Prime instead of genius works like "The Little Foxes" and "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof."
I wasn't alive in 1948, and for many reasons, I'm probably better off not having been - except I'd have loved to have spent five bucks to see Nancy Walker or or Gertrude Lawrence live, let alone Tandy and Brando and Hunter... (Five bucks, a reasonable '48 musical ticket price, translates to $55 of today's dollars - still considerably less than the box offices will be again charging in New York.)
There were actually TWO Brando's performing on Broadway that year: Marlon in STREETCAR and, although it's not in the ad, his sister Jocelyn in MISTER ROBERTS.
NOTE: Even though leaving a comment anonymously is an option here, we really discourage that. Please use a name using the Name/URL option. Invent one if you must. Be creative. Anonymous comments are subject to deletion. Thanks.
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.
A couple of things jumped out at me ;1) Marlon Brando shares equal billing with Kim Hunter and Karl Malden while Jessica Tandy's name is above them and in bold type. 2) Two Rodgers and Hammerstein shows were running,and they were producers of a third,Annie Get Your Gun.3) George Abbott & Jerome Robbins also had two shows, one starring Nancy Walker(Rhoda's mother).
ReplyDeleteWOW! Tyler Perry was doing Medea all the way back then!
ReplyDeleteWhen people talk about the ability to travel through time, they often talk about using it to change history. When I think about it, I always imagine using the ability to see Broadway legends in the making.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, does anyone know why Broadway show titles beginning with "The" are alphabetized under T? The rule for alphabetizing titles is to ignore the first word if it's an article, but Broadway listings have always ignored this rule.
New York always seems to be in the process of tearing down and replacing, so it's remarkable how many of those theaters still exist.
ReplyDeleteThat's the original production of OKLAHOMA! which opened in 1943. In "Underfoot in Show Business" Helene Hanff (she wrote "84, Charing Cross Road") has a chapter about how everyone was sure it would be a disaster.
I am 74. I have heard of all of these except 2 or 3
ReplyDeleteNowadays I walk by a mall multiplex and almost never see more than one movie I'm not actively opposed to seeing.
ReplyDeleteInsert get-off-my-lawn joke or some other curmudgeon reference here.
I'd have loved to see Marion Brando before she transitioned.
ReplyDeleteI'd had such a hard time deciding which show to go to first...No, I wouldn't. Tennessee. He always comes first.
ReplyDeleteBoris Karloff on stage live with Una O'Connor?! I would plotz!
ReplyDelete(insert GIF of Miss Una in "Bride of Frankenstein" freaking out and falling over)
Cheers, thanks a lot,
Storm
If I went back in time it would be really hard to pick just one show, but I would probably have to pick The Linden Tree just to see Boris Karloff and Una O'Connor in the flesh! i wonder how well-received this play was? There isn't much info about it when I googled it.
ReplyDeleteJeff, The Linden Tree closed after just seven performances. I think that answers your question!
Deletehttps://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/boris-karloff-linden-tree-priestley-1898968054
I can imagine spending decades building a time machine, going back to that era, and being told at the ticket window, "Sorry, we're sold out of everything but 'The Hallams.'"
ReplyDeleteAs a lifelong Broadway nerd all I can say is "wow"... just... WOW!
ReplyDeleteThree months before the Milton Berle and Ed Sullivan shows debut on TV. Tough choice between a musical starring Phil Silvers as a con man, and a sketch comedy revue starring Sid Caesar and directed by Max Liebman.
ReplyDeleteBroadway was truly a platform for cutting-edge entertainment. Original shows, with compelling dramas, musicals that often contributed popular hit songs to radio and nightclubs and a New York-centric attitude that marked it as a medium separate from film.
ReplyDeleteBack then, Broadway was a reflection of New York. The vast majority of audiences came from the New York area. By the 2000s -- when Broadway began to taken over by "the tried and true" (adaptations of popular movies and other familiar characters and imagery), the majority of the audience had become tourists -- and producers catered to them, not the local fans.
So the Broadway of these listings was a very different stage than the one that hopefully, will start re-opening six or eight weeks from now.
"Marion" Brando was great in STREETCAR.
ReplyDeleteWow. Just wow. So many of those names are ones I've heard of for years. But I agree with previous commenters: I'd head for Streetcar but probably end up at the Hallams.
ReplyDelete"The Linden Tree"'s London production ran for 422 performances; perhaps the New York production that was subpar. Priestley was one of the great playwrights of the 20th Century, a little akin to Alan Ayckbourn; he was as expert at drawing-room comedies, like "When We Are Married", as he was with more experimental works like "An Inspector Calls", and "Johnson Over Jordan."
ReplyDeleteAh, but seeing this page of offerings made me sad. Comparing those offerings to ones before COVID hit, it's pretty clear that the theatre is really over as a power in American culture. People all over the country got to see these plays in first-class tours, even if they couldn't go to Manhattan. A modern Lillian Hellman or Tennessee Williams, were they to arise today, would be writing hyper-extended binge packages for Netflix and Amazon Prime instead of genius works like "The Little Foxes" and "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof."
I wasn't alive in 1948, and for many reasons, I'm probably better off not having been - except I'd have loved to have spent five bucks to see Nancy Walker or or Gertrude Lawrence live, let alone Tandy and Brando and Hunter... (Five bucks, a reasonable '48 musical ticket price, translates to $55 of today's dollars - still considerably less than the box offices will be again charging in New York.)
There were actually TWO Brando's performing on Broadway that year: Marlon in STREETCAR and, although it's not in the ad, his sister Jocelyn in MISTER ROBERTS.
ReplyDeleteTo see Brando live in Streetcar. That's the only one I need to see.
ReplyDelete