Dissed by Arthur Laurents - Again!
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Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — Ethel Merman
Harold_Robbins — 17 years ago(May 17, 2008 06:56 AM)
I have the greatest respect for playwright/director/scenarist Arthur Laurents, one of
Gypsy
's creators, yet once again he has taken an opportunity to diss Ethel Merman - he previously did so in his excellent autobiography,
Original Story By
.
From www.playbill.com, 5/15/08:
In 1959, after
West Side Story,
came
Gypsy,
which many theatre aficionados call the best musical ever written. Laurents has long said that
Gypsy,
is his favorite and that he thinks it wonderful to have written a piece considered a classic. "I always was proud of it," he once told The New York Times. "But
Gypsy,
grew to be a classic. It wasn't one of those things that was hailed as such in the beginning." (Indeed, it didn't win the Tony, losing out to both
The Sound of Music
and
Fiorello!
, which tied for Best Musical.)
And he has also said that styles have changed, and that Ethel Merman, the original star, would not achieve the success now that she did back then. "I suppose it's heresy," he told the Times, "but I don't think Merman would have gotten away with it today. The voice is a glorious trumpet, but it's like, 'Now I'm doing my ballad. Now I'm doing my comedy number. Now I'm doing my 24; I'll do a little feeling here, but not too much.'"
Laurents is right on target about
Gypsy
's status and how the show grew into it, but even Stephen Sondheim has gone on record with some negative comments about Merman and
Gypsy- both apparently forgetting two facts that remain indisputable: that Merman's contribution to the initial success of the show was undeniable, and that her formidable presence has loomed mightily on all subsequent productions, reviews for which seldom fail to mention her (and that goes for the current one).
"Stone-cold sober I find myself absolutely
fascinating!"
Katharine Hepburn
- both apparently forgetting two facts that remain indisputable: that Merman's contribution to the initial success of the show was undeniable, and that her formidable presence has loomed mightily on all subsequent productions, reviews for which seldom fail to mention her (and that goes for the current one).
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filmmekker — 17 years ago(May 18, 2008 12:24 AM)
All his comments about Merman's abilities would carry more weight if we didn't have the original cast album and various videotaped performances to remind us what a magnificent performer she was! Funny how NONE of the critics of the time agreed with his assesment of her limited talent as an actress in addition to her "glorious trumpet"
Action Is everything! -
HelenaHatcheese — 17 years ago(July 22, 2008 04:20 AM)
Gypsy with. Mary Martin!!
or how bout Gypsy starring Gwen Verdon? Or Carol Channing??
NEVER would've worked. The great songs would've been forgotten along with many other miscast musicals of the era. Remember Saratoga? Or Christine?
Merman was the thing that propelled Gypsy to the stratsphere. Laurents, Sondheim and Robbins knew that then. Only years later do they denigrate Merman to make themselves look indispensible.
Gypsy is a STAR vehicle! It needs the RIGHT star or the show will pffft. Just ask Bernadette Peters or Linda Lavin!
Maybe Merman would be passe today. But that is today, not tommorow. Ethel was an original. There was no one before and there will be no one after. Someday soon she'll be back in vogue and with the CDs and DVDs we'll be all the richer. -
Clothes-Off — 15 years ago(January 06, 2011 10:42 AM)
There is a reason why they dissed Merman they always thought she was Jewish and she wasn't they don't like when that happens.
That is the most ridiculous thing. I can't imagine someobody 238fuming because they mistakenly believed someone to be a certain religion, then taking it out on them personally.
These men knew her and worked with her. According to biographies she could be difficult, had her own style and was at a point in her career where she probably didn't respond well to new ideas.
That being said, by his comments Laurents comes off as a jerk any way you look at it. He flat out calls EM
dumb
in Brian Kellow's book. (The woman graduated from high school at age 16. In reading about her one could see how she was no5b4t an intuitive person, but still that is uncalled for.)
"Well, for once the rich white man is in control!"
C. M. Burns -
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metalman091 — 13 years ago(August 17, 2012 12:25 AM)
I remember a strange thing happened when I could picture what Laurents' looked like judging by his comments, and this was before I had ever heard of him. I was right.
Anyone can say what they want about Ethel Merman and her performance in GYPSY, it will never take away the fact that she was brilliant and the reason for its success. -
Harold_Robbins — 12 years ago(June 30, 2013 08:52 AM)
"it will never take away the fact that she was brilliant and the reason for its success."
Indeed, and there will
never
be a revival of this show over which her formidable musical shadow won't cast itself, nor will her contribution to the show ever
not
be mentioned in reviews of suc5b4h a production, no matter who the star is.
"In
my
case, self-absorption is
completely
justified." -
metalman091 — 12 years ago(August 30, 2013 12:28 AM)
Maybe it's just me but I've always had the feeling that Arthur Laurents was a little arrogant and bitter as a person. I had this idea in my head of what he looked like before I saw a photograph. It was almost dead on!
Even today, you mention the stage versions GYPSY, or ANNIE GET YOUR GUN, and people will automatically say the name Ethel Merman. The lady was a powerhouse. She was probably the biggest Broadway star of all time.