HarryCarter Posted February 7, 2016 Report Share Posted February 7, 2016 This video has gone viral in the past few days. Someone put film clips to the haunting prologue of Stephen Sondheim's Follies. It's terrific. LOTS of Lucy is included. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryCarter Posted February 7, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 7, 2016 Gloria Swanson was the star of the first film to play The Roxy in 1927. When the theater was demolished in 1960 LIFE Magazine photographed Swanson amidst the rubble. This photo was the inspiration of the musical Follies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Posted February 7, 2016 Report Share Posted February 7, 2016 Breathtaking and brilliant... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freddie2 Posted February 7, 2016 Report Share Posted February 7, 2016 Absolutely incredible. This makes me wish there had been a production of Follies with all of these amazing women. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brock Posted February 7, 2016 Report Share Posted February 7, 2016 This is astounding! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Posted February 7, 2016 Report Share Posted February 7, 2016 "I'm Still Here" was supposed written by Sondheim with Joan Crawford's career in mind. However the character Carlotta, a movie star from a bygone era who has survived it all, now has her own "never-ending TV series". Sounds like someone else to me. "Been called a pinko commie tool" "Been through Herbert and J. Edgar Hoover" "Still someone said she's sincere, so I'm here" "Danced in her scanties" (Roman Scandals) Seems you wouldn't have to alter the lyrics much to fit Lucy. It's been said that Yvonne DeCarlo gave a strong audition but they didn't think she was right for either of the leads so they came up with the character Carlotta, who doesn't have much to do except for her big song. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryCarter Posted February 8, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2016 Carlotta was originally just one of the showgirls who had one short number to sing: "Could That Boy Foxtrot." Yvonne DeCarlo auditioned for the role of Phyllis, but was offered Carlotta and to be Alexis Smith's standby for Phyllis instead. Since Yvonne was probably the biggest name in the cast by 1971, director Hal Prince had Sondheim expand the song. Sondheim said it was a one joke song that was expanded into a full fledged production number. Out of town in Boston he wrote "I'm Still Here" to replace it. Yvonne had so much trouble with her own lines that she never actually became the Phyllis standby. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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