Tony Hoover & Ruta Lee Photo

From: Photo Flash: Betty Buckley's AH! MEN Concludes LA Run

'Next stop, Carmel CA,' announced Betty Buckley as she wrapped a truly spectacular cabaret concert entitled 'AH MEN! The Boys of Broadway' in the historic lobby of the Pantages Theatre. The sold out benefit for The Actors Fund featured 'Many of my favorite songs that I would otherwise never be able to sing on Broadway ... because they were written for men.' Arrangements that included 'I Can See,' 'My Defenses Are Down,' and both the 'Jet Song' and 'Maria' from WESTSIDE STORY, as well as 'Luck Be A Lady,' 'Hey There,' 'Come Back to Me,' and a SWEENY TODD medley. Ms. Buckley introduced a new arrangement that received with wild enthusiasm from the patrons, entitled 'A Hymn to Her' and dedicated to the question, 'Why can't women play famous Broadway roles written for men?' Among the men Buckley credited with influencing her most were the brilliant Russ Tamblyn, the graceful Fred Astaire and the very sexy Gene Kelly. Among those in attendance were colleagues and friends such as Ruta Lee, Alley Mills, Orson Bean, Juliet Mills, Maxwell Caulfield, and fellow TV Mom Marion Ross, among other industry notables like Tony Hoover (Hollywood Red-Line Tours owner), B. Harlan Boll (Publicist/Author/Producer), Patricia Kelly (wife of the late Gene Kelly) and the evening's producers John Bowab and Martin Wiviott.