Sweeney Todd questions

[Gmerchant123]

Posted: 2/27/13 at 1:20am

Hello!
First question!
1.during the 1979 tony performance who is playing Sweeney? He dressed like a hobo and usually sweeney wearing suspenders and a with shirt and black pants, why is George Hearn or Len cariou not doing this?
2. What happen to Len cariou? He was never filmed on the recorded stage film of Sweeney? Did a fallout happen with him and the creative team? And I've never seen bootlegs of Len just George Hearn.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 2/27/13 at 1:29am

1. Most likely Len did not wish to spend the time putting on the Sweeney make-up just to sit there onstage so they used a cast member as a fill-in for the Tony Awards performance since the character of Sweeney doesn't sing in it.

2. The filmed video of the show was of the US Nat'l Tour in Los Angeles which George Hearn and Angela Lansbury both headlined and yes... there IS indeed a bootleg of Len Cariou in SWEENEY TODD shot at the Uris Theatre. Its not hard to find and the quality is quite good for a 1979 camcorder bootleg.

[Gmerchant123]

Posted: 2/27/13 at 1:32am

Thanks for clearing that up!

[ChairinMain]

Posted: 2/27/13 at 5:12am

I THINK the guy filling in for Sweeney on the Tonys is Walter Charles, who was the Sweeney Understudy.

[Leadingplayer]

Posted: 2/28/13 at 1:35am

Not sure who it is but it isn't Walter Charles. I have a tape of that ceremony....Cariou sang "I'll Take Manhattan" in some tribute type thing on the show.

Updated On: 2/28/13 at 01:35 AM

[D2]

Posted: 2/28/13 at 2:43am

It's Frank Kopyc.