Norma's Bust

[PattyO'Furniture]

Posted: 10/19/14 at 2:26pm

In the original Broadway production of SUNSET BOULEVARD, it is obvious that the bust at the end of the banister is the likeness of Glenn Close. In the link below, you can see it best at 26:43-26:45 in "Sunset Boulevard (Reprise)", among other places:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=BQR74a4P3nw#t=1603

Did Patti get her own as well? Betty and Elaine, too? I cannot find any pictures to verify.

[Showface]

Posted: 10/19/14 at 2:49pm

How interesting...I did not notice that before...I haven't seen any of those Normas (actually none), but are we sure it's Glenn Close's likeness? If it is, then I'm going to go out on a limb and say the other Normas did not get one. Mainly because Glenn was a star who sold the production on Broadway, and...well....Betty, Patti, and Elaine weren't "big names" to the general public...it also might've caused inconvenience to do a bust for every Norma

[SNAFU]

Posted: 10/19/14 at 8:51pm

Yes, they all did. I saw the one of Betty Buckley being sculpted.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 10/19/14 at 10:10pm

I assume they replaced all the photographs in the frames too? No wonder this show didn't make any money. People in the first row probably couldn't even make out the faces in the photographs and the sculpture looks pretty generic to me. It could be anyone.

[SNAFU]

Posted: 10/19/14 at 10:38pm

I cast the oscar awards that were placed on the set. One of them was 2 degrees off 90 and they made me recast it. There was no way in hell anyone could see the Oscars and know one was 2 degrees off.

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 10/20/14 at 5:51am

God would have known, SNAFU. Isn't that why the tops of gargoyles are sculpted?

[PattyO'Furniture]

Posted: 10/20/14 at 8:16pm

SNAFU - Wow, thanks. Yes, no wonder it was such an expensive production. I could see the likeness for Glenn Close but had to pictures for the others.

So many intricate details to change for each actress - the bust, the pictures, the ending projection, not to mention the other usual things.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 10/20/14 at 11:48pm

I could be wrong, but I seem to remember that poor Elaine Paige did not get her own bust, and that it was rather obvious that in her younger years she was in fact Betty Buckley.

[sparepart973]

Posted: 10/21/14 at 2:25pm

If I recall correctly, the busts were based on the original opening star, but didn't change then per replacements. The photographs most definitely did change as actresses (and understudies) went on, and the "young Norma" projection at the very end also changed.

Most professional West End/Broadway shows would change small things as photos when understudies go on, let alone full-time cast replacements. I saw The Bodyguard countless times (another diva-based show), which has many projections and photographs on the stage and they are customised to each performer.