Shirley Jones question

David10086 Profile Photo
David10086
#1Shirley Jones question
Posted: 1/15/21 at 11:12am

I know actress Shirley Jones was quite the musical and dramatic star on both Broadway and Hollywood in the 50s and 60s. By 1970, she found a whole new audience (including my generation) on TV / radio with 'The Partridge Family' and other programs.

I've wondered why she didn't return to Broadway starring in big musicals for the past 40 years? I know she was supposedly one of the names rumored to be in Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Sunset Boulevard" in 1996 to replace Buckley, but there were so many other opportunities for her as well - either as a replacement or as an opening star. (I think she would have been a good replacement for Bacall in 'Woman of the Year', or for Julie Andrews in 'Victor/Victoria'). Does anyone know why she never really returned to B'way in a starring role?

BrodyFosse123 Profile Photo
BrodyFosse123
#2Shirley Jones question
Posted: 1/15/21 at 11:28am

She was a replacement Dorothy Brock in the 2001 Broadway revival of 42ND STREET. She played the role from May to August 2004. Her son Patrick Cassidy was Julian Marsh during her run.

Shirley Jones question


Fosse76
#3Shirley Jones question
Posted: 1/15/21 at 1:44pm

BrodyFosse123 said: "She was a replacement Dorothy Brock in the 2001 Broadway revival of 42ND STREET. She played the role from May toAugust 2004. Her son Patrick Cassidy was Julian Marsh during her run."

I was going to post this response...I actually got to see them. Not being familiar with the show itself,  I remember enjoying their performances. 

David10086 Profile Photo
David10086
#4Shirley Jones question
Posted: 1/15/21 at 3:41pm

BrodyFosse123 said: "She was a replacement Dorothy Brock in the 2001 Broadway revival of 42ND STREET. She played the role from May toAugust 2004. Her son Patrick Cassidy was Julian Marsh during her run.

Shirley Jones question
"



Thanks for this. It's too bad she had such a short run and hasn't been invited back since (or maybe she has and decided against it?). It seems like she was such an incredible talent - I wonder why she stayed away from Broadway for so long ? At this point, the only role she may be suitable for is Madame Armfeldt in a revival of ALNM. In the past four decades she would have made a wonderful 'Mame' if not a 'Mama Rose'.

Does anyone recall seeing her on Broadway in anything ?

Bret Chisenhall
#5Shirley Jones question
Posted: 1/15/21 at 3:50pm

Updated On: 1/15/21 at 03:50 PM

BrodyFosse123 Profile Photo
BrodyFosse123
#6Shirley Jones question
Posted: 1/15/21 at 4:08pm

Many actors just have issues with the 8 performances a week schedule. That’s why Streisand never returned to Broadway. She’s admitted she would have loved to have done a play on Broadway but that 8 performances a week commitment she was totally against. I’m sure Shirley did her short run in 42ND STREET as her son was doing it as well so found the offer like a fun excursion. I’m sure she wouldn’t have done the show without him being in it.


joevitus Profile Photo
joevitus
#7Shirley Jones question
Posted: 1/16/21 at 1:58am

Jones was singed to an exclusive contract with Rodgers  and Hammerstein--the only performer they ever did this with--but all that resulted in were small roles in productions outside of New York while awaiting her  casting in the lead of the film version of Oklahoma! She did subsequently head a company of Oklahoma! in Europe afterwards, but once the R&H contract ran out, she was entirely in Hollywood. She was never a stage performer as such, that just happened to be where she got her first break. She seems always to have preferred film. I think she also preferred remaining in Hollywood so she could be with her kids.

Loopin’theloop
#8Shirley Jones question
Posted: 1/16/21 at 12:40pm

She did do some regional stuff after 42nd Street. She appeared in both Carousel and The Music Man (the latter with her son, not sure about the former)

CarlosAlberto Profile Photo
CarlosAlberto
#9Shirley Jones question
Posted: 1/16/21 at 12:44pm

Shirley Jones has only 3 Broadway credits on her resume:

South Pacific - Original Broadway production as a replacement in the role of "Ensign Sue Yaeger" (this was under her contract with Rodgers & Hammerstein) 

Maggie Flynn - Original Broadway production in 1968 starring opposite her then-husband Jack Cassidy

42nd Street - Broadway revival as a replacement in the role of "Dorothy Brock"

She toured in a European stage production of Oklahoma! right after completing the film.

So it seems that after her successful film career and after her Oscar win she did attempt to return to the stage in Maggie Flynn, but that show had a short run of 82 performances before she returned back to Hollywood. It would be another 30 plus years before she came back for the revival of 42nd Street.

I agree, that it would have been wonderful if she had returned sooner but after her movie career wound down she chose to remain in Hollywood and do television so that she could raise her sons.

I also wish she would have recorded more. Aside from her appearances on soundtrack albums her solo recording output is extremely limited.

 

fosterfan2
#10Shirley Jones question
Posted: 1/16/21 at 1:36pm

I,too,wish she'd recorded more. She has a beautiful voice. She was the only real singer on The Partridge Family,besides David Cassidy. All of the others lip-synced.

David10086 Profile Photo
David10086
#11Shirley Jones question
Posted: 1/16/21 at 5:17pm

BrodyFosse123 said: "Many actors just have issues with the 8 performances a week schedule. That’s why Streisand never returned to Broadway. She’s admitted she would have loved to have done a play on Broadway but that 8 performances a week commitment she was totally against.."

With Streisand, she has also claimed she never performed 'live' from 1967-94  because she had severe 'stage fright'. That kept her off the concert stage as well as the B'way stage. 

 

joevitus Profile Photo
joevitus
#12Shirley Jones question
Posted: 1/16/21 at 5:37pm

fosterfan2 said: "I,too,wish she'd recorded more. She has a beautiful voice. She was the only real singer on The Partridge Family,besides David Cassidy. All of the others lip-synced."

She obviously could sing--I  think she's underrated, and I'm glad to see someone post  enthusiastically about her--but I can never distinguish her voice among the group singing, nothing that remotely sounds like her or  in her range, and of course she never had a solo, even a solo line in a song. I've always wondered if in fact she did sing on those recordings, or if she did prerecords, if they took her voice out in the final mix.

joevitus Profile Photo
joevitus
#13Shirley Jones question
Posted: 1/16/21 at 5:39pm

David10086 said: "BrodyFosse123 said: "Many actors just have issues with the 8 performances a week schedule. That’s why Streisand never returned to Broadway. She’s admitted she would have loved to have done a play on Broadway but that 8 performances a week commitment she was totally against.."

With Streisand, she has also claimed she never performed 'live' from 1967-94 because she had severe 'stage fright'. That kept her off the concert stage as well as the B'way stage.


"

Had zero idea she didn't do concerts all those years--knew, of course, she didn't return to Broadway. I find the idea that she had stage fright...kinda odd, considering the live with an audience shows and the innumerable club appearances she did leading up to Funny Girl. But it's hardly impossible. Interesting. 

CarlosAlberto Profile Photo
CarlosAlberto
#14Shirley Jones question
Posted: 1/16/21 at 7:18pm

joevitus said: "fosterfan2 said: "I,too,wish she'd recorded more. She has a beautiful voice. She was the only real singer on The Partridge Family,besides David Cassidy. All of the others lip-synced."

She obviously could sing--I think she's underrated, and I'm glad to see someone post enthusiastically about her--but I cannever distinguishher voice among the group singing, nothing that remotely sounds like her or in her range, and of course she never had a solo, even a solo line in a song. I've always wondered ifin fact she did sing on those recordings, or if she did prerecords, ifthey took her voice out in the final mix.
"

As far as the Partridge Family recordings are concerned she did sing on some of them. She can be heard on their recording of "Let the Good Times In", that's her prominently singing "pa-da da da da da da-da-da" on that recording. She also recorded "The Whale Song" and performed it on the second second episode, "Whatever Happened to Moby Dick?", she also recorded "Ain't Love Easy" and sang it on an episode of the show and Bell Records did release a promotional only single of her recording of "Roses in the Snow" which was produced by Bones Howe in 1973. Those songs have since been released as bonus tracks in expanded editions of several Partridge Family albums. She's also prominent on their Christmas album. Her vocals were mostly mixed low and blended in with those of Ron Hicklin, John Bahler, Tom Bahler and Jackie Ward on most of these recordings according to those who were responsible for production. 

Updated On: 1/16/21 at 07:18 PM

BrodyFosse123 Profile Photo
BrodyFosse123
#15Shirley Jones question
Posted: 1/16/21 at 9:41pm

 


Claude Perkins
#16Shirley Jones question
Posted: 1/16/21 at 10:20pm

If I remember correctly, Streisand claimed her stage fright came from her concert in Central Park when she forgot the lyrics to one of her songs during the performance.

As for returning to Broadway, she could have written her own ticket / schedule had she truly wanted to, much like Bette Midler's reduced schedule for Hello, Dolly!  I suspect the money just wouldn't be good enough for her. Streisand's return to live public performances at the Las Vegas MGM Grand opening in 1994 after 20 years is widely credited with starting the trend to outrageously high ticket prices for prime seats by major music acts over the last two decades. I paid $600 face value for my ticket at the MGM Grand and the view wasn't what anyone would have expected to have for $600. (Remember, this was 1994! ) Once performers like Madonna saw what the market would bear VIP packages and other gimmicks became the norm. I have seen Streisand 5 times now and never had what I would consider a reasonable ticket price ( although I freely admit nobody twisted my arm to pay top level prices ) I had a shot at a front row seat the last time I saw her and paid $2000 for it, and this was a legit ticket and not from scalpers.

Ms Streisand has very high expectations of what her value is and I don't see her suddenly reducing her expectations for the love of her art.

David10086 Profile Photo
David10086
#17Shirley Jones question
Posted: 1/17/21 at 12:20am

BrodyFosse123 said: "

 

"

Thank You for this! Wow! What a voice. I would have loved to hear her sing the Sunset Boulevard songs! Too bad it didn’t happen. 

joevitus Profile Photo
joevitus
#18Shirley Jones question
Posted: 1/17/21 at 7:55pm

Thanks, Carlos!

CarlosAlberto Profile Photo
CarlosAlberto
#19Shirley Jones question
Posted: 1/17/21 at 9:40pm

joevitus said: "Thanks, Carlos!"

You're welcome! heart

bk
#20Shirley Jones question
Posted: 1/19/21 at 7:38am

Not only wonderfully talented but the nicest person you'd ever want to know. One of my warmest memories of her was filming the episode The Last of Howard on a cruise ship. One night, after we ate, she graciously agreed to sing something for the passengers. So, since I'd just played and sung something and had played When I Fall in Love for David, I faked my way through If I Loved You and she sounded exactly the same as she had in the movie. Just did a Partridge reunion thing on Zoom a couple of months ago and she joined in - looks great and we had a lot of fun.

Jarethan
#21Shirley Jones question
Posted: 1/19/21 at 12:38pm

David10086 said: "BrodyFosse123 said: "She was a replacement Dorothy Brock in the 2001 Broadway revival of 42ND STREET. She played the role from May toAugust 2004. Her son Patrick Cassidy was Julian Marsh during her run.


Does anyone recall seeing her on Broadway in anything ?
"

I saw her in Maggie Flynn, which was much better than its short run would suggest.  It got mixed reviews, but there were some real raves.  I remember it having the first two page ad that I had seen in the Times; today, I assume the Times trashed it since it was a very old fashioned musical, and the two-pages were intended to convey that a lot of critics loved the show.  Jones was very good in the title role, her voice was in great form and she seemed very comfortable on stage.  I do remember that Jack Cassidy got the show-stopping number -- and a decent number of 'bravos' back in the days when people bravoed rather than screamed.  The OCR was very enjoyable.

David10086 Profile Photo
David10086
#22Shirley Jones question
Posted: 1/19/21 at 8:07pm

bk said: "Not only wonderfully talented but the nicest person you'd ever want to know. One of my warmest memories of her was filming the episode The Last of Howard on a cruise ship. One night, after we ate, she graciously agreed to sing something for the passengers. So, since I'd just played and sung something and had played When I Fall in Love for David, I faked my way through If I Loved You and she sounded exactly the same as she had in the movie. Just did a Partridge reunion thing on Zoom a couple of months ago and she joined in - looks great and we had a lot of fun."

 

WOW!

 

CarlosAlberto Profile Photo
CarlosAlberto
#23Shirley Jones question
Posted: 1/19/21 at 8:54pm

bk said: "Not only wonderfully talented but the nicest person you'd ever want to know. One of my warmest memories of her was filming the episode The Last of Howard on a cruise ship. One night, after we ate, she graciously agreed to sing something for the passengers. So, since I'd just played and sung something and had played When I Fall in Love for David, I faked my way through If I Loved You and she sounded exactly the same as she had in the movie. Just did a Partridge reunion thing on Zoom a couple of months ago and she joined in - looks great and we had a lot of fun."

Thanks for sharing that bk. I saw the PF reunion you participated in for the show's 50th anniversary. And yes, Shirley did look great.

One of my all time favorite PF episodes was the one where you steal Laurie's diary just to get her attention because you secretly had a crush on her. I always tease you about that. I love the scene where you finally confess to her that you like her - it was very sweetly played. 

 

 

Updated On: 1/19/21 at 08:54 PM