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One Touch Of Venus
''One Touch of Venus'' is a 1943 musical with music written by Kurt Weill, lyrics by Ogden Nash, and book by S. J. Perelman and Nash, based on the 1885 novella ''The Tinted Venus'' by Thomas Anstey Guthrie, and very loosely spoofing the Pygmalion myth. The show satirizes contemporary American suburban values, artistic fads and romantic and sexual mores. Weill had been in America for eight years by the time he wrote this musical, and his music, though retaining his early haunting power, had evolved into a very different Broadway style. Story Rodney Hatch, a barber, is engaged to Gloria Kramer. While visiting an art museum, he feels drawn to a sculpture of Venus, the Roman goddess of love, though other patrons dismiss it as out of step with current art trends. On a whim, Rodney puts his engagement ring on the statue's finger, bringing the statue to life. Venus falls in love with Rodney and begins pursuing him, causing turmoil in his relationship with Gloria. When Venus becomes ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lost Musicals
Lost Musicals is a British musical theatre project established in 1989 by Ian Marshall Fisher. It is dedicated to presenting lost or forgotten musicals by famous American writers, and has been responsible for the first revivals of the lesser-known works of writers such as Stephen Sondheim, Cole Porter, Alan Jay Lerner, Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II, Harold Arlen and Jerome Kern. Approach and philosophy Ian Marshall Fisher researches, reconstructs and directs each show based upon exactly what the writers had written, with no changes, amendments and no edits to their original work. In an interview with ''The Stage'' in 2005, Fisher commented "My original idea was to celebrate the writers in accurately presenting what they had written – and I don't just mean the songwriters but the bookwriters too. That's where my series stands alone. Although other series have sprung up in the last ten years, they don't honour and have a love for the books that I do." In another interview, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
North Pole
The North Pole, also known as the Geographic North Pole or Terrestrial North Pole, is the point in the Northern Hemisphere where the Earth's rotation, Earth's axis of rotation meets its surface. It is called the True North Pole to distinguish from the North magnetic pole, Magnetic North Pole. The North Pole is by definition the northernmost point on the Earth, lying antipode (geography), antipodally to the South Pole. It defines geodetic latitude 90° North, as well as the direction of true north. At the North Pole all directions point south; all lines of longitude converge there, so its longitude can be defined as any degree value. No time zone has been assigned to the North Pole, so any time can be used as the local time. Along tight latitude circles, counterclockwise is east and clockwise is west. The North Pole is at the center of the Northern Hemisphere. The nearest land is usually said to be Kaffeklubben Island, off the northern coast of Greenland about away, though ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Goodspeed Opera House
Goodspeed Musicals is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and advancement of musical theater and the creation of new works, located in East Haddam, Connecticut. Its landmark Goodspeed Opera House is a distinctive feature of the view from the Connecticut River and is the birthplace of some of the world's most famous musicals, including '' Annie'', '' Man of La Mancha'', and '' Shenandoah''. Goodspeed Musicals also includes the Norma Terris Theatre in Chester as well as several writing and performing seminars. Goodspeed Musicals is considered one of the foremost regional theaters in the United States to date producing 250 musicals, over 70 world premieres, and sending 21 productions to Broadway. Goodspeed Musicals is the first regional theatre in America to earn two special Tony Awards, one in 1980 for outstanding contributions to the American musical and a second in 1995 for distinguished achievement for a regional theatre. Goodspeed Opera House The Ope ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eve Arden
Eve Arden (born Eunice Mary Quedens, April 30, 1908 – November 12, 1990) was an American film, radio, stage and television actress. She performed in leading and supporting roles for nearly six decades. Beginning her film career in 1929 and on Broadway theatre, Broadway in the early 1930s, Arden's first major role was in the RKO Pictures, RKO Radio Pictures drama ''Stage Door'' (1937) opposite Katharine Hepburn, followed by roles in the comedies ''Having Wonderful Time'' (1938) and ''At the Circus'' (1939). She received an Academy Awards, Academy Award nomination for Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, Best Supporting Actress for her role in ''Mildred Pierce (film), Mildred Pierce'' (1945). Somewhat surprisingly for an actress of Arden's refinement and wit, she appeared to good effect in a number of films noir, some exceptionally high-profile, including ''Mildred Pierce'', ''The Unfaithful (1947 film), The Unfaithful'' (1947), ''The Arnelo Affair'' (1947), ''Whiplash ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Robert Walker (actor, Born 1918)
Robert Hudson Walker (October 13, 1918 – August 28, 1951) was an American actorObituary '' Variety'', September 5, 1951, page 75. who starred as the villain in Alfred Hitchcock's thriller '' Strangers on a Train'' (1951), which was released shortly before his premature death. He started in youthful boy-next-door roles, often as a World War II soldier. One of these roles was opposite his first wife, Jennifer Jones, in the World War II epic '' Since You Went Away'' (1944). He also played Jerome Kern in ''Till the Clouds Roll By''. Twice divorced by 30, he suffered from alcoholism and mental illness, which were exacerbated by his painful separation and divorce from Jones. Early life Walker was born in Salt Lake City, Utah. Emotionally scarred by his parents' divorce when he was still a child, he subsequently developed an interest in acting, which led his maternal aunt, Hortense McQuarrie Odlum (then the president of Bonwit Teller), to offer to pay for his enrollment at the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ava Gardner
Ava Lavinia Gardner (December 24, 1922 – January 25, 1990) was an American actress during the Golden Age of Hollywood. She first signed a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1941 and appeared mainly in small roles until she drew critics' attention in 1946 with her performance in Robert Siodmak's film noir ''The Killers (1946 film), The Killers''. During the 1950s, Gardner established herself as a leading lady and one of the era's top stars with films like ''Show Boat (1951 film), Show Boat'', ''Pandora and the Flying Dutchman'' (both 1951), ''The Snows of Kilimanjaro (1952 film), The Snows of Kilimanjaro'' (1952), ''Mogambo'' (1953), ''The Barefoot Contessa'' (1954), ''Bhowani Junction (film), Bhowani Junction'' (1956) and ''On the Beach (1959 film), On the Beach'' (1959). She continued her film career for three more decades, appearing in the films ''55 Days at Peking'' (1963), ''Seven Days in May'' (1964), ''The Bible: In the Beginning...'' (1966), and ''Mayerling (1968 film ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
William A
William is a masculine given name of Germanic origin. It became popular in England after the Norman conquest in 1066,All Things William"Meaning & Origin of the Name"/ref> and remained so throughout the Middle Ages and into the modern era. It is sometimes abbreviated "Wm." Shortened familiar versions in English include Will or Wil, Wills, Willy, Willie, Bill, Billie, and Billy. A common Irish form is Liam. Scottish diminutives include Wull, Willie or Wullie (as in Oor Wullie). Female forms include Willa, Willemina, Wilma and Wilhelmina. Etymology William is related to the German given name ''Wilhelm''. Both ultimately descend from Proto-Germanic ''*Wiljahelmaz'', with a direct cognate also in the Old Norse name ''Vilhjalmr'' and a West Germanic borrowing into Medieval Latin ''Willelmus''. The Proto-Germanic name is a compound of *''wiljô'' "will, wish, desire" and *''helmaz'' "helm, helmet".Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxfor ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Marlene Dietrich
Marie Magdalene "Marlene" DietrichBorn as Maria Magdalena, not Marie Magdalene, according to Dietrich's biography by her daughter, Maria Riva ; however, Dietrich's biography by Charlotte Chandler cites "Marie Magdalene" as her birth name . (, ; 27 December 1901 – 6 May 1992) was a German and American actress and singer whose career spanned nearly seven decades. In 1920s Berlin, Dietrich performed on the stage and in silent films. Her performance as Lola Lola in Josef von Sternberg's ''The Blue Angel'' (1930) brought her international acclaim and a contract with Paramount Pictures. She starred in many Hollywood (film industry), Hollywood films, including six iconic roles directed by Sternberg: ''Morocco (film), Morocco'' (1930) (her only Academy Award for Best Actress, Academy Award nomination), ''Dishonored (film), Dishonored'' (1931), ''Shanghai Express (film), Shanghai Express'' and ''Blonde Venus'' (both 1932), ''The Scarlet Empress'' (1934), ''The Devil Is a Woman (1935 fi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kenny Baker (American Performer)
Kenneth Laurence Baker (September 30, 1912 – August 10, 1985) was an American singer and actor who first gained notice as the featured singer on radio's ''The Jack Benny Program'' during the 1930s. Film Before he became a star, Baker sang as a member of the Vitaphone chorus at Warner Bros. At the height of his radio fame, and after leaving the Benny show in 1939 (succeeded by Dennis Day, whose tenor voice was very similar to Baker's), he appeared in 17 film musicals, including '' Mr. Dodd Takes the Air'' (1937), '' At the Circus'' (1939), and ''The Harvey Girls'' (1946). He also starred in the 1939 movie version of Gilbert and Sullivan's ''The Mikado''. He later co-starred with Mary Martin in the original Broadway production of Kurt Weill and Ogden Nash's ''One Touch of Venus'' (1943). Radio Baker first appeared on Jack Benny's weekly radio program on November 3, 1935, having been hired to replace singer Frank Parker. Parker had been very popular on the Benny program, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mary Martin
Mary Virginia Martin (December 1, 1913 – November 3, 1990) was an American actress and singer. A muse of Rodgers and Hammerstein, she originated many leading roles on stage over her career, including Nellie Forbush in ''South Pacific (musical), South Pacific'' (1949), the Peter Pan, title character in ''Peter Pan (1954 musical), Peter Pan'' (1954), and Maria von Trapp in ''The Sound of Music'' (1959). Over the course of her career, she won four Tony Awards and an Emmy Award. She was named a Kennedy Center Honors, Kennedy Center Honoree in 1989. She was the mother of actor Larry Hagman. Early life Martin was born in Weatherford, Texas. Her autobiography described her childhood as secure and happy. She had close relationships with both of her parents as well as her siblings. As a young actress Martin had an instinctive ear for recreating musical sounds. Martin's father, Preston Martin, was a lawyer, and her mother, Juanita Presley, was a violin teacher. Although the doctors ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cheryl Crawford
Cheryl Crawford (September 24, 1902 – October 7, 1986) was an American theatre producer and director. Biography Born in Akron, Ohio, Crawford majored in drama at Smith College. Following graduation in 1925, she moved to New York City and enrolled at the Theatre Guild's school. By then she knew that she did not want to pursue an acting career, but saw no other way to gain access to the organization producing the highest quality theatre of its time. Finishing her training in 1927, she was hired by Theresa Helburn, the Guild's Executive Director, as a casting secretary. She then worked her way through various backstage jobs, including assistant stage manager, to assistant to the “Board of Managers,” an important administrative job.Crawford, Cheryl, One Naked Individual, Bobbs-Merril, New York, 1977 While working at the Guild, she met Harold Clurman and Lee Strasberg who had also been working there as play reader and actor, respectively. She was impressed with these ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John Wildberg
John J. Wildberg (September 4, 1902 – February 8, 1959) was an American copyright attorney, who later became a theatre producer. He was born Jacques Wildberg in New York, NY, the eldest son of Jacob and Joan Wildberg. Wildberg's most successful show; Anna Lucasta was produced in 1944. Together with Cheryl Crawford, he co-produced the first revival of Porgy and Bess (1942) and One Touch of Venus (1943). Wildberg's fourth marriage (her third), to novelist Ursula Parrott in 1934, ended in June 1938 on the grounds of his intolerable cruelty. In 1950 his fifth wife took an overdose of sedatives and died in bed next to him. Wildberg had various business ventures in London, England, and eventually moved there in 1951. He died there on February 8, 1959, and was cremated in Golders Green Crematorium. Selected productions * A Woman's a Fool - to Be Clever, October 18, 1938 - October 1938 * Porgy and Bess, January 22, 1942 - September 26, 1942 (co-producer) * Porgy and Bess, Sept ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
