''Hazel Flagg'' is a 1953

musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the characters are interwo ...

, book by

Ben Hecht Ben Hecht (; February 28, 1894 – April 18, 1964) was an American screenwriter, director, producer, playwright, journalist, and novelist. A successful journalist in his youth, he went on to write 35 books and some of the most enjoyed screenplay ...

, based on a story by James H. Street. The lyrics are by

Bob Hilliard Bob Hilliard (born Hilliard Goldsmith; January 28, 1918 – February 1, 1971) was an American lyricist. He wrote the words for the songs: "Alice in Wonderland", "In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning", " Any Day Now", " Dear Hearts and Gentle ...

, and music by

Jule Styne Jule Styne (; born Julius Kerwin Stein; December 31, 1905 – September 20, 1994) was an English-American songwriter and composer best known for a series of Broadway musicals, including several famous frequently-revived shows that also becam ...

. The musical is based on the 1937

screwball comedy film Screwball comedy is a subgenre of the romantic comedy genre that became popular during the Great Depression, beginning in the early 1930s and thriving until the early 1940s, that satirizes the traditional love story. It has secondary characteristi ...

'' Nothing Sacred'', the primary screenwriter of which was Ben Hecht.

Production

The musical opened on

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

at the

Mark Hellinger Theatre The Mark Hellinger Theatre (formerly the 51st Street Theatre and the Hollywood Theatre) is a church building at 237 West 51st Street in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City, which formerly served as a cinema and a Broadway theat ...

on February 11 and closed on September 19, 1953, after 190 performances. Direction was by David Alexander, with musical staging by

Robert Alton Robert Alton (2 January 1902 – 12 June 1957) was an American dancer and choreographer, a major figure in dance choreography of Broadway and Hollywood musicals from the 1930s through to the early 1950s. He is principally remembered today as the ...

and costumes by

Miles White Miles E. White (July 27, 1914 – February 17, 2000) was a top costume designer of Broadway musicals for 25 years. He is known in the entertainment industry for his well rendered, prolific, imaginative and witty designs. He won recognition, in ...

. The cast included

Helen Gallagher Helen Gallagher (born July 19, 1926) is an American actress, dancer, and singer. She is the recipient of three Emmy Awards, two Tony Awards, and a Drama Desk Award. Early years Born in Brooklyn, she was raised in Scarsdale, New York, and the Br ...

(Hazel),

John Howard John Winston Howard (born 26 July 1939) is an Australian former politician who served as the 25th prime minister of Australia from 1996 to 2007, holding office as leader of the Liberal Party. His eleven-year tenure as prime minister is the ...

(Wallace Cook), Thomas Mitchell (Dr. Downer),

Benay Venuta Benay Venuta (born Benvenuta Rose Crooke, January 27, 1910 – September 1, 1995) was an American actress, singer and dancer. Early life Born in San Francisco, Venuta was a graduate of Hollywood High School. She attended finishing school in G ...

(Laura Carew), Jack Whiting (mayor of New York), Ross Martin (Dr. Egelhofer),

Jonathan Harris Jonathan Harris (born Jonathan Daniel Charasuchin, November 6, 1914 – November 3, 2002) was an American character actor whose career included more than 500 television and film appearances, as well as voiceovers. Two of his best-known roles w ...

(Oleander),

Sheree North Sheree North (born Dawn Shirley Crang; January 17, 1932 – November 5, 2005) was an American actress, dancer, and singer, known for being one of 20th Century-Fox's intended successors to Marilyn Monroe. Early life North was born Dawn Shirley ...

in her Broadway debut (Whitey), and

John Brascia John F. Brascia (May 11, 1932 – February 19, 2013) was an American actor and dancer, best known for his dancing partnerships on film with Vera-Ellen in '' White Christmas'' (1954) and with Cyd Charisse and Liliane Montevecchi in ''Meet Me in L ...

(Willie).

Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film and television production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the main namesake division of Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS). It is the fifth-oldes ...

, which owned the rights to the source material for ''Nothing Sacred'', also acquired the rights to produce a film version of ''Hazel Flagg''. The

Dean Martin Dean Martin (born Dino Paul Crocetti; June 7, 1917 – December 25, 1995) was an American singer, actor and comedian. One of the most popular and enduring American entertainers of the mid-20th century, Martin was nicknamed "The King of Cool". M ...

and

Jerry Lewis Jerry Lewis (born Joseph Levitch; March 16, 1926 – August 20, 2017) was an American comedian, actor, singer, filmmaker and humanitarian. As his contributions to comedy and charity made him a global figure in popular culture, pop culture ...

film ''

Living It Up ''Living It Up'' is a 1954 American comedy film starring Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis which was released by Paramount Pictures. The film was directed by Norman Taurog and produced by Paul Jones. The screenplay by Jack Rose and Melville Shavels ...

'' (1954) is based on the musical, with Hazel Flagg rewritten as a man, Homer Flagg (played by Lewis) and Wallace Cook rewritten as a woman, Wally Cook (played by

Janet Leigh Jeanette Helen Morrison (July 6, 1927 – October 3, 2004), known professionally as Janet Leigh, was an American actress, singer, dancer, and author. Her career spanned over five decades. Raised in Stockton, California, by working-class parents, ...

). The one hit song from ''Hazel Flagg'', "Every Street's a Boulevard in Old New York", was performed in this movie by

Martin and Lewis Martin and Lewis were an American comedy duo, comprising singer Dean Martin and comedian Jerry Lewis. They met in 1945 and debuted at Atlantic City's 500 Club on July 25, 1946; the team lasted ten years to the day. Before they teamed up, Martin w ...

Plot synopsis

Wallace Cook, a writer for ''Everywhere'' magazine, suggests that his editor should run an article about small-town girl Hazel Flagg, purportedly dying from exposure to

radium Radium is a chemical element with the symbol Ra and atomic number 88. It is the sixth element in group 2 of the periodic table, also known as the alkaline earth metals. Pure radium is silvery-white, but it readily reacts with nitrogen (rat ...

. Cook invites her to New York City for an interview. After accepting, she discovers that she was misdiagnosed, but eager to visit the big city, decides not to reveal the truth, and becomes a media darling embraced by a public deeply moved by her sad story.

Song list

Sources: Dietz, Dan (2014) ''The Complete Book of 1950s Broadway Musicals''; ''Guide to Musical Theatre'' website ;Act I * A Little More Hear -- Laura Carew, Wallace Cook and Magazine Staff * The World Is Beautiful Today -- Hazel Flagg * I'm Glad I'm Leaving --Hazel Flagg * The Rutland Bounce -- Vermont Villager, Man on the Street, Dancer and Villagers * Hello Hazel -- Laura Carew and New Yorkers * Paris Gown (ballet) -- Hazel Flagg, Maximilian Lavian, Dancers, Models and Attendants * The World Is Beautiful Today -- Wallace Cook and Editors * Every Street's a Boulevard in Old New York -- Mayor of New York * How Do You Speak to an Angel -- Wallace Cook * Autograph Chant --Autograph Hunters * I Feel Like I'm Gonna Live Forever -- Hazel Flagg * You're Gonna Dance With Me, Willie -- Hazel Flagg, Willie and Company ;Act II * Who Is the Bravest? -- University Glee Club * Dream Parade (ballet)-- Hazel Flagg and Company * Salome -- Dancing Girls, Salome, Cowboy Singer and Cowboy Dancers * Everybody Loves To Take a Bow -- Laura Carew, Mayor of New York and Men * Laura De Maupassant --Hazel Flagg * Autograph Chant (Reprise) -- Autograph Hunters * I Feel Like I'm Gonna Live Forever (Reprise) -- Company * How Do you Speak to an Angel (Reprise) -- Company

Awards

* 1953

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual c ...

for Best Actor in a Musical (Thomas Mitchell) * 1953 Tony Award for Best Costume Design (Play or Musical) (Miles White) * 1953

Theatre World Award The Theatre World Award is an American honor presented annually to actors and actresses in recognition of an outstanding New York City stage debut performance, either on Broadway or Off-Broadway. It was first awarded for the 1945–1946 theatre se ...

(Sheree North)

References

External links