I Once Walked On Broadway…or How I Made Love To A Theater Marquee…
This is from my other blog...I just added more to it.
My father knew how to direct me there. I asked him and he knew exactly how many blocks to walk. I have never known anyone who could pinpoint all of New York City by memory. 
Pop in Athens, GA…he’s learning another town…
Watch out!
I remember being in a crowd at the stage door of The Old Vic’s production of “The 🌙 For The Misbegotten” on Broadway. I had just seen the play with a friend. It was, suffice it to say, a magical day. Someone snapped my picture. I was very moved by Eugene O’Neill’s words and at the same time I remembered how he disowned his beautiful daughter Oona for marrying Charles Chaplin and fate made his granddaughter Geraldine a great actress. The other memory of that night I have is seeing the Ethel Barrymore theater across the street.
I was thrilled because it was there that Gene Kelly became a 🌟 on Christmas Day, 1940 in “Pal Joey.” Stanley Donan, Van Johnson, June Havoc, Vivienne Seigel were in the Rodgers & Hart show produced by George Abbott, based on John O’Hara’s stories. It looked the same as it did in the silent home movies I had seen from that era.
Video of Pal Joey, 1940 by June Havoc.
I liked this work better than "Long Day's Journey Into Night." Purists would disagree. I guess I am a sap...however, I have seen many adaptions of this play...a lot of great actors tackled it. O'Neill is tough. You have to have stamina and brains to carry his shows...and maybe a pint of scotch in your dressing room...strike that last thought...As a side note...the greatest parody of Eugene O'Neill was performed by the Marx Brothers on Broadway and on film in "Animal Crackers." They shot films on Long Island back then. Groucho addresses the audience as if he is in O'Neill's "Strange Interlude." Of course, he is mocking the play..."Pardon me, while I have a strange interlude...this would be a better world if the parents had to eat the spinach..." I believe we have to credit Kauffman and Ryskind...1928. (I am from another time...) 🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀
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