Happy 50th Anniversary to ON A CLEAR DAY YOU CAN SEE FOREVER

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 10/17/15 at 12:22am

 

50 Years ago today the show opened at the Mark Hellinger Theatre, starring the incomparable duo of John Cullum and Barbara Harris. Also in the cast were William Daniels and Clifford David who would star together in 1776 four years later. 

 

This score is one of my absolute all-time favorites, just magnificent. The cast album is probably the one I’ve played most throughout the years and I can never get enough. The cast, the music, the lyrics, all sensational! The plot sounds like a mess but from what I know of the script it’s not as bad as they sometimes paint it and with that score who cares if the rest is a little WTF.

 

Despite its respectable run of 280 performances it is generally regarded as a flop. It was made into a heavily revised but similarly ill-received film in 1970 starring Barbra Streisand and Yves Montand, and as we all no doubt remember was revived on broadway even more drastically revised in 2011 starring Harry Connick Jr. and Jessie Meuller.

 

Highlights from the Bell Telephone Hour (won't embed for some reason)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyw-HEAUr40

 

In performance:

 

The photos featured here are mostly from the Boston tryout, before substantial revisions and recasting. The original Dr. Bruchner (then Dr. Chabot as in the film) Louis Jourdan was replaced and an entire subplot involving his family of Psychiatrists was written out. The following photos reflect this early version of the show:

 

In the recording studio:

So did anyone see it 50 years ago??

Updated On: 10/17/15 at 12:22 AM

[Sally Durant Plummer]

Posted: 10/17/15 at 12:36am

One of my all time favorite OBC recordings! Barbara Harris is nothing but amazing - and her wonderful acting of songs makes it tragic how she never wanted to be a true stage star. Although the show had some plot problems, the score is phenomenal - and as these revivals have shown, any changes only exacerbate the problem!

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 10/17/15 at 11:12am

Wow seeing a young John Cullum. The gutting of the score for the movie was the worst I have ever seen.

 

Imagine if Barbara Harris had not, apparently, retired from the stage. What a loss.Although I missed her on Clear, I did see her in The Apple Tree where she excelled.

 

The recent revival still brings back painful memories. The only saving grace was the showcase of Jessie Mueller and it catapulting her into stardom.

Updated On: 10/17/15 at 11:12 AM

[little_sally]

Posted: 10/17/15 at 11:51am

Funny, I was just listening to the obcr last night. Barbara Harris is just fantastic on it. I can listen to her sing "On the S.S. Bernard Cohn" over and over again.

[jayinchelsea]

Posted: 10/17/15 at 12:25pm

One of my favorite shows, for its score and the amazing performance of Barbara Harris, whom I also saw several times in THE APPLE TREE and MAHAGONNY, during its short off-Broadway run. She was remarkable, unlike anyone I've ever seen. Also produced an off-Broadway revival some years ago, featuring the terrific Jennifer Prescott as Daisy/Melinda, and had the pleasure of working with Burton Lane, a great composer and a true gentleman. Kristen was great in the Encores revival years ago, but the last Broadway production was just plain sad. Another show with a troublesome book and an unforgettable score.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 10/17/15 at 12:27pm

I'm still bummed we didn't get a revival recording just for Jessie Mueller alone. The rest I could have overlooked.

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 10/17/15 at 1:47pm

CATSNYrevival said: "I'm still bummed we didn't get a revival recording just for Jessie Mueller alone. The rest I could have overlooked."

 

I totally agree, the book was worse than ever but the score still shone through well. And I quite liked the addition of the Royal Wedding numbers and the resetting of Melinda's timeframe. I think if someone took the original Daisy parts and paired them with the 2011 Melinda parts (but with a better writer on hand) the definitive version of the show might be achieved.

[tazber]

Posted: 10/17/15 at 2:45pm

I agree with all that the score is a delight, but the revival has to be one of the weirdest shows I've ever seen.

 

But the score sounded great and I was really hoping they would record it.

 

[ggersten]

Posted: 10/17/15 at 2:58pm

I saw a CLO production with Robert Goulet and Joanna Gleason in 1980 in San Francisco.  I remember enjoying the show but thinking it was kind of light fluff.  I don't recall Goulet playing a character as much as playing Robert Goulet.  

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 10/17/15 at 3:25pm

Barbara Harris's rendition of "What Did I Have" is so utterly flawless, heartbreaking and thrilling. I listen to it often and I can't get over the brilliance of her delivery. I would have loved to see the revival just to hear Mueller's rendition, which I'm sure was genius. 

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 10/17/15 at 3:51pm

I used to have an LP of songs cut from movie musicals. For some reason,I tossed it. One of the songs was one done by Jack Nicholson. Believe it was an original one written for the movie. I cannot remember the title of it. Does anyone else know?

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 10/17/15 at 4:41pm

ray-andallthatjazz86 said: "I would have loved to see the revival just to hear Mueller's rendition, which I'm sure was genius. "

 

Well, due to the bizarre rewrites she never sang it! I would love to have seen her take on Daisy as well, rather than the annoying as hell David Gamble replacement.

 

The song you mention, Mr. Roxy, is called "Who Is There Among Us Who Knows." It was recycled for the revival I believe but sung by the Dr. Bruchner character. I've always liked it.

[Sally Durant Plummer]

Posted: 10/17/15 at 4:47pm

I'm still upset that the off-broadway Mahogonny wasn't recorded - all we have are very grainy and distorted versions of Harris' "Alabama Song" and "As You Make Your Bed" - which she really delivers on.

 

As for the revival, I was very upset with all the changes made. I mean, the original worked far better. If they really wanted to explore homosexuality, it could have been a lot better. "Davey" should have both himself and the Melinda character, at least in acting (maybe a woman could appear behind him to show the audience what the Doctor was seeing). The score should have not been tampered with - it was perfect the way it was. Truly. And the show should have been about the Doctor realizing his sexuality because of the incident with Davey/Melinda - with the bizarre ending in the revival, the show had absolutely no point.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 10/17/15 at 5:02pm

Thanks for the info Mr N.

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 10/17/15 at 7:28pm

Exactly, Sally. The addition of the gay plot device ADDED NOTHING! And it made us lose the chance to see Jessie Mueller slay as Daisy.

 

I'm actually a fan of the messy movie, including some of the songs added and the re-setting of the Melinda plot. And of course it's Barbra at her kooky best. I do wish more of the cut material was available though.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 10/17/15 at 10:41pm

Mr. Nowack, you just blew my mind. I cannot believe Mueller didn't sing it Her rendition would have been flawless. Well, I guess I can't feel so bad about missing the bizarre revival then.

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 10/18/15 at 12:16am

It's probably the truest tragedy of that revival, forcing budding star Mueller to only knock half a role out of the park.

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 10/18/15 at 1:34am

The highlights clip:

 

[sondheimboy2]

Posted: 10/18/15 at 3:10am

I also love this album.  No one can match her "What Did I Have."

As for the book, legend has it that James Kirkwood, who would go on to co-author the libretto of "A Chorus Line", told Lerner how much he enjoyed seeing a musical where he didn't know how it was going to end.  "That was the problem," Lerner replied, "I didn't know either."

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 10/18/15 at 3:28am

 

I'm glad to hear so many other people obsess over the cast album as I do! If anyone had the original LP it was a gorgeous textured gatefold sleeve (possible the only single disc RCA cast album with a gatefold from this era).
Updated On: 10/18/15 at 03:28 AM

[The Other One]

Posted: 10/18/15 at 6:02am

I disliked the revisal, but David Turner actually did deliver a great version of "What Did I Have I Don't Have Now?".  I did not like his performance otherwise, but I don't fault him.  That was a hard book to make work.

The OBCR is one of the greatest of all OBCRs.  Thank you for the great photos, Mr. Nowack.

Updated On: 10/18/15 at 06:02 AM

[devonian.t]

Posted: 10/18/15 at 6:11am

One of favourite scores from the latter part of the Golden Era.  And the movie is a guilty pleasure too in a different way.