Did anyone see Bette Davis on Broadway?

[BobbyBubbi]

Posted: 7/1/14 at 12:00pm

I've been immersed in James Spada's book BETTE DAVIS MORE THAN A WOMAN, and I was curious if anyone here had seen Bette on Broadway in any capacity? Her formative days in the late 1920's, or the musical revue Two's Company in 1952, or in The Night of the Iguana in 1961?

I think it's sad Bette couldn't really find success onstage after her film career at Warner's.

What did you think?

[Ed_Mottershead]

Posted: 7/1/14 at 12:58pm

I saw her in The Night of the Iguana shortly after it opened. When she first appeared onstage, there was a roar of applause that lasted so long that she broke character and acknowledged the ovation. At the final curtain call, however, there was an ovation for Margaret Leighton and the applause lessened noticeably when Davis took her call. She was absolutely WRONG for the role from the get-go -- light years away from being the sexual, bawdy Maxine that Williams envisioned. I would imagine that her replacement, Shelley Winters, whom I did not see, was much closer to the mark. Watch the movie and see Ava Gardner really get into the role. Davis was too old and had NO sexual charisma whatsoever. Apparently she realized her mistake and got out of the run as soon as she could.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 7/1/14 at 1:07pm

I can't wait for the stories from the posters who saw her on Broadway in the 20s!

[BobbyBubbi]

Posted: 7/1/14 at 1:17pm

Thanks for your insight, Ed. The Spada book tells the same story about her entrance.

He also explains Bette was trying to make herself more glamorous and sexy for the role instead of playing it as written, and that the part, of a woman losing her allure and sex appeal, hit too close to home for Bette.

I will definitely check out the movie.

Were you starstruck by Davis? I know I probably would be...

[BobbyBubbi]

Posted: 7/1/14 at 1:22pm

"I can't wait for the stories from the posters who saw her on Broadway in the 20s!"

I guess you're right, my grandma was 8 when Davis made her Broadway debut, it's a long shot but you never know.

Still any information that might have been passed down from Grandparents, friends ect, would be welcome.

Updated On: 7/1/14 at 01:22 PM

[PalJoey]

Posted: 7/1/14 at 1:45pm

I saw her my fresman year in college in a thing called Bette Davis in Person and on Film, hosted by John Springer, a legendary theatrical press agent and producer. He had done a series of evenings at Town Hall with Davis, Joan Crawford, Myrna Loy and some other ladies.

David and Crawford were the most successful. He released an audio recording of the Crawford and took Davis around the country and to Australia and then to England.

This is what she looked like, sitting on stage in a big chair, dressed rather campily in a gown and a feather boa and smoking cigarette after cigarette in a long cigarette holder.



There isn't much available on the Internet about this evening, but here is a link to a somewhat cranky review. I don't remember caring about the sound quality or the film quality. It was just a thrill to watch the clips with her there, knowing that she'd soon be onstage and talking to us.

http://tinypic.com/r/1zvzuqr/8

Updated On: 7/1/14 at 01:45 PM

[DAME]

Posted: 7/1/14 at 1:58pm

I have a really bad audio recording of this .

[PalJoey]

Posted: 7/1/14 at 2:29pm

Of the Davis? I thought there was only a recording of the Joan Crawford evening.

Here's a transcript of the the Crawford. Her first line is just perfect and then it keeps getting better.

http://www.joancrawfordbest.com/townhallinterview.htm

[DAME]

Posted: 7/1/14 at 2:34pm

PJ I will double check. I have so much of this stuff that I sometimes get confused with what I have.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 7/1/14 at 2:35pm

I saw P.S. Bette Davis at Actor's Playhouse. Does that count?

I thought that Davis was pissed off at someone in the cast and left the show. I can't remember the scenario, but Shelley Winters talks in one of her auto-lie-ographies about coming into the dressing room and Davis had left her a message written on the mirror in lipstick.

[BobbyBubbi]

Posted: 7/1/14 at 2:35pm

Thanks, Joey for the picture and the info. I was hoping someone here had seen her College/University tour.

I know you said you were excited, but does anything else stick out?

And yes, I guess I should rephrase it, if you have seen her live in any capacity, it counts! Updated On: 7/1/14 at 02:35 PM

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 7/1/14 at 4:28pm

What about her dead-on-the-road musical adaptation of The Corn Is Green, MISS MOFFAT? It wasn't Broadway, but it was Broadway bound.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 7/1/14 at 4:33pm

After Eight's grand daughter was in Bette Davis' 3rd grade school play with her so he saw that a couple of times. According to historical archives, he absolutely hated it.

[Ed_Mottershead]

Posted: 7/1/14 at 6:08pm

I have the CD of the Crawford thing at Town Hall -- it's a hoot. When asked about working with Bette in What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, she said something to the effect that "Miss Davis, when angry, would scream and holler and shout and make a scene. I preferred to knit when angered and by the time I'd finished working with Miss Davis, I'd knitted a scarf that would stretch from Los Angeles to San Francisco."

[BobbyBubbi]

Posted: 7/1/14 at 6:40pm

Nowack- I didn't know if MISS MOFFAT "counted," as it never made it to Broadway when Bette backed out.

To me it counts, absolutely. If anyone saw it chime in please! I'd love to read about it.

I was just trying to keep the discussion to her appearances on Broadway, since that is what the main board is about. I didn't want people to be upset that this topic maybe one for the "off topic" section.

Anyway. If anyone has seen Bette live, in any capacity, please share your stories. I would love to read them. :)

[carolineorchange21]

Posted: 7/2/14 at 12:24am

The creators of MISS MOFFAT were under the impression that Davis was going to 'sing-speak' in the manner of Rex Harrison and Robert Preston but she showed up at first rehearsal announcing that she was going to SING the role. This was disastrous by all accounts and through several creative and casting changes, Davis was gradually convinced to 'deliver' rather than sing her songs which made all the difference. Unfortunately, after maybe a week of giving reportedly great performances using the sing-speak method, Davis' old psychologically-related back spasms stemming from a late 50s fall* reared their ugly head and she left the production which, as a star vehicle, closed immediately.





*Davis hurt her back by opening a door and falling down into a stair-less basement. At the time, she was set to guest star on an episode of the Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour as 'The Star Next Door' but obviously couldn't and was replaced by rival-in-her-own-mind Miss Tallulah Bankhead who made her episode the best of the series.

Updated On: 7/3/14 at 12:24 AM

[BobNC]

Posted: 7/2/14 at 6:53am

I'm confused by Jordan Catalano's message: how could anyone still be alive who had a granddaughter who was in Bette Davis's third grade play?


Updated On: 7/2/14 at 06:53 AM

[Susanswerphone]

Posted: 7/20/14 at 12:15am

BobbyBubbi: If you're interested in the real back story about the ill-fated Miss Moffat, grab a copy of the August issue of Opera News. The article is "Bette Davis's Biggest Flop" and it had nothing at all to do with back spasms. If you don't want to purchase, it should be available on the ON website after August 1.
It also has a nice profile on Marin Mazzie and an article by Michael John LaChiusa as well.

[VIETgrlTerifa]

Posted: 7/20/14 at 12:29am

I guess the Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour was a very minor payback for the fact that Bette Davis would play in a few of the film versions of the roles that Tallulah Bankhead created on stage.

Interesting that Bette was going to guest star on Lucy's show. If I were to believe that Lucille Ball movie, Bette was a totally bitch to her while they were in drama school together.

Updated On: 7/20/14 at 12:29 AM

[carolineorchange21]

Posted: 7/20/14 at 3:49am

Susanswerphone:

here is the link to the Opera News article:

http://www.operanews.com/Opera_News_Magazine/2014/8/Features/Stage_Fright.html

Bette Davis had a history of physically manifesting deeper psychological issues and frequently fell ill when faced with great pressure. She came down with a mysterious rash and lethargy after getting one of her first paying acting jobs (I'm currently at work and don't have any of my Bette Davis books but I believe the job was either THE WILD DUCK on the road or BROKEN DISHES on Broadway) and had to learn the part while in her sickbed.

Davis' first post-film theatrical endeavor was a revue called TWO'S COMPANY, during which she complained of fatigue and left the show to be hospitalized for osteomyelitis of the jaw.



Bette was a very difficult person who dealt with substance abuse and rage issues. I do believe her lack of faith in the show, creatives, and herself - coupled with her crippling stage fright manifesting itself physically - are what led to Bette Davis abandoning MISS MOFFAT.

Thank you for making me aware of the article - exquisite production photos.

VIETgrlTerifa:

Tallulah always came off as the poor sport when it came to the Bette Davis thing - the moustache quip - sweeping up to Bette at a Hollywood party and saying something about having been better in the stage versions of some of Davis' most popular vehicles. I expect Tallu was down for a rumble but Bette just said, "I agree with you" and walked off.

As for Bette and Lucy's relationship, I think because they were the most legendary figures to come out of John Murray Anderson's school at that time, it just made better dramatic sense for Lucy to encounter Bette in the movie. Lucille didn't attend for that long and claimed that no one knew who she was but that everyone knew who Bette Davis was.

Interestingly, Bette did have a Lucy-related tantrum during the tour of the play THE WORLD OF CARL SANDBURG, in 1960. Basically she threw shade Lucy's way during a backstage visit by mentioning the fact Lucy had been a B-Picture actress before the radio and television fame. Lucy became immediately cold and spent the rest of the visit fixing her makeup.

Bette was a handful - I love her for many reasons and in spite of others :)

[lovebwy]

Posted: 2/22/17 at 1:16am

Ed_Mottershead said: "I saw her in The Night of the Iguana shortly after it opened. When she first appeared onstage, there was a roar of applause that lasted so long that she broke character and acknowledged the ovation. At the final curtain call, however, there was an ovation for Margaret Leighton and the applause lessened noticeably when Davis took her call.  "

Umm Ryan Murphy must have seen this. What Ed Mottershead described is EXACTLY what happens in episode of one Feud: Bette and Joan! Huge applause for Davis, she bows, and then the leading lady gets big applause for the curtain call. EXACTLY as described here.

 

 

[nsguy45]

Posted: 2/22/17 at 5:47am

In addition to the Legendary Ladies evening with Crawford, audio recordings of the evenings with Bette Davis, Myrna Loy and Lana Turner exist, I've heard them all. The audio of the Ladies and John Springer is very good, but the audience members had no microphone, so you have to strain to hear their questions. Davis was pure Bette that night, Jose Quintero was in the audience and praised her acting. Myrna was appearing on Broadway in The Women at the time. Lana was better than one might expect, Carleton Carpenter was in the audience. I've sought the evening with Rosalind Russell for years, but no luck in locating it. Years ago, I contacted John Springer's office to ask if he might release all of the evenings commercially, like he did with Crawford, but could not get past his nasty secretary.

[TheSassySam]

Posted: 2/22/17 at 6:21am

THANK YOU for bumping this thread! I love reading these stories. 

[nsguy45]

Posted: 2/22/17 at 11:34am

Miss Moffat was given another life with Ginger Rogers in 1983.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRsdrYouN_M

[daredevil]

Posted: 2/22/17 at 5:06pm

I also saw her in The Night of the Iguana---her last Friday evening performance. As Ed M recounts-she received a tremendous hand, when she came on stage. She gave, what I felt, was a very straightforward and professional performance. For me, she was not miscast---but what surprised me was that Margaret Leighton had the bigger role (many of you probably know this) and that Bette's character was offstage for most of Act II, during the dialogue between Shannon and Hannah Jelkes, the character Ms. Leighton played.  At the curtain calls, she took hers third to last---Patrick O'Neill, ( Shannon)  came next and then Miss Leighton. 

I was very moved by the play, then saw it a few months later with Shelley Winters as Maxine. She was a little younger and raunchier, but I did not feel it changed my overall experience of the play. . For me, everything  centers around the relationship and chemistry of Hannah and Shannon.