David burns and zero mostel, the original quartet of funny men in a funny. A funny thing happened on the way to the forum broadway. Samuel joel zero mostel february 28, 1915 september 8, 1977 was an american actor, singer and comedian of stage and screen, best known for his portrayal of comic characters such as tevye on stage in fiddler on the roof, pseudolus on stage and on screen in a funny thing happened on the way to the forum, and max bialystock in the original film. Comedy tonight from a funny thing happened on the way to the forum i did not film this. The song love is in the air was originally intended as the opening number. Raised in the lower east side of manhattan, the young zero, known as sammy, developed his talent for painting and drawing at art classes provided by the educational alliance, an institution serving jewish immigrants and their children. Mar 29, 2012 the original tony awardwinning broadway show, known for the signature song comedy tonight, premiered in 1962 and starred zero mostel, who became iconic for his role as tevye in fiddler on the roof.
Apr 01, 2018 samuel joel zero mostel february 28, 1915 september 8, 1977 was an american actor and comedian of stage and screen, best known for his portrayal of comic characters such as tevye on stage in fiddler on the roof, pseudolus on stage and on screen in a funny thing happened on the way to the forum, and max bialystock in the original film version of the producers. Funny thing happened on the way to the forum, a movie clip. Zero mostel and company forum original cast 1962 stephen. Zero mostel reads a book robert frank steidl verlag. The original cast included such theatre notables as zero mostel, david burns and john.
Comedy tonight a funny thing happened on the way to the. A funny thing happened on the way to the forum 1962. Zero mostel reads a book references a series of theatrical and playful vignettes in which mostel s most famous roles tevye in fiddler on the roof, pseudolus in a funny thing happened on the way to the forum, and max bialystock in the producers are clearly signaled. With zero mostel, phil silvers, buster keaton, michael crawford. If you have a 99 minutes of your life to waste, and we mean waste, suffer through the 1966 film by richard lester of the beatles films with mostel, phil silvers, jack gilford and buster keaton. This definitive, new theatrical biography tells the story of zero mostel. Instead, take the family for a guaranteed delightfully funny night out to mnm.
Zero mostel recreates comedy tonight on the 1971 tonys. Samuel joel zero mostel february 28, 1915 september 8, 1977 was an american actor, singer and comedian of stage and screen, best known for his portrayal of comic characters such as tevye on stage in fiddler on the roof, pseudolus on stage and on screen in a funny thing happened on the way to the forum, and max bialystock in the original film version of mel brooks the producers 1967. It was inspired by the farces of the ancient roman playwright plautus 251183 bc specifically pseudolus, miles gloriosus and mostellaria and tells the bawdy story of a slave named pseudolus and his attempts to win his freedom by. Merging director richard lesters 1960s verve with oldfashioned broadway and vaudeville entertainment, the movie version of the stage hit a funny thing happened on the way to the forum is an engagingly frenetic slapstick musical. A funny thing happened on the way to the forum is a 1966 britishamerican deluxe color musical comedy film, based on the stage musical of the same name. If musical comedy is larger than life, only one performer was larger than musical comedy.
A funny thing happened on the way to the forum film wikipedia. Happened on the way to the forum, a movie clip comedy tonight. Listen to comedy tonight from zero mostels the story so far. A funny thing happened on the way to the forum 1966 imdb. Samuel joel zero mostel february 28, 1915 september 8, 1977 was an american actor, singer and comedian of stage and screen, best known for his portrayal of comic characters such as tevye on stage in fiddler on the roof, pseudolus on stage and on screen in a funny thing happened on the way to the forum, and max bialystock in the original film version of the producers. A funny thing happened on the way to the forum dvd video. Though the number of winning stephen sondheim songs is scaled back, stars zero mostel, phil silvers, jack gilford, and buster keaton. In order to produce forum you must have a qualified clown. He appeared on the stage, in movies, and on television but won his greatest acclaim in theatre.
United artists produced a film version in 1966 directed by richard lester with zero mostel reprising the role of pseudolus. From comedy tonight, the rousing anthem that opens the show and. The biggest change robbins made was a new opening number to replace love is in the air and introduce the show as a bawdy, wild comedy. This is the original broadway cast recording with the music and lyrics written by stephen sondheim. Despite the impressive book, the show did poorly during outoftown tryouts. Best actor in a musical zero mostel best supporting actor in a musical david burns recording. A funny thing happened on the way to the forum 1966 comedy. Jul 01, 2019 the book of mormon and avenue q are modern classics that are extremely funny, but not starcentric. Funny thing happened zero mostel as pseudolus and company. The opening number to sondheims a funny thing happened on the way to the forum.
A funny thing happened on the way to the forum original broadway cast produced by andy wiswell and dick jones. Zero mostel was born samuel joel mostel on february 28, 1915 in brooklyn, new york, one of eight children of an orthodox. Best book larry gelbart t and burt shevelove best director george abbott. Zero mostelprologus pseudolus david burnssenex john carradinelycus brian davieshero jack gilford.
A funny thing happened on the way to the forum back in the 1980s when funnyman mickey rooney was touring in this togatogged tuner, he told an interviewer, after you sing the opening number. May 01, 2016 im uncle marty, this is the 3d radioactivity, number 328, and on this episode we are focusing on winners of the antoinette perry award for excellence in theater, more commonly known informally as the tony award, which recognizes achievement in live broadway theater. Tonight s special guest star has many, many talents. Something appealing, something appalling, something for ev. During the out of town prebroadway tryouts the show was attracting little business and not playing well. The musical was so successful that it would lead to a 1966 film. Pseudolus zero mostel introduces the setting and characters of the. It was originally performed on broadway by the muppet show guest star zero mostel. Stephen sondheim, a funny thing happened on the way to the forum, comedy tonight, zero mostel, original broadway cast recording, dwtkeninny zero mostel pseudolus and company.
A comedy tonight sung by zero mostel under opening credits dances by courtesans performed by helen funai, myrna white, jennifer baker and susan baker, lucienne bridou im lovely sung by annette andre and michael crawford everybody ought to have a maid sung by michael hordern, zero mostel, jack. A funny thing happened on the way to the forum by richard. A funny thing happened on the way to the forum was made into a musical film in 1966, directed by richard lester, with mostel and gilford recreating their broadway stage roles, leon greene reprising his west end stage role, and phil silvers in an expanded role as marcus lycus. On stage in a new production, it can reflect the humour and tropes of a more modern time as well as wink at the 60s. Gelbart points out that not only did comedy tonight get the show off to a rousing start. Jerome robbins was called in to give advice and make changes. Samuel joel zero mostel february 28, 1915 september 8, 1977 was an american actor, singer and comedian of stage and screen, best known for his portrayal of comic characters such as tevye on stage in fiddler on the roof, pseudolus on stage and on screen in a funny thing happened on the way to the forum, and max bialystock in the original film version.
A funny thing happened on the way to the forum variety. Comedy tonight from the musical production a funny thing happened on the way to the forum music and lyrics by stephen sondheim brightly to to refrain with vigor l. Stephen sondheim a funny thing happened on the way to. Dec 08, 2008 comedy tonight from a funny thing happened on the way to the forum i did not film this. Floria lasky, lawyer for robbins estate, insisted that if theres a wooden leg in it, robbins gets a royalty. May 07, 2018 the complete soundtrack to the 1962 musical a funny thing happened on the way to the forum. Sondheim guide a funny thing happened on the way to the. A funny thing happened on the way to the forum has enjoyed several broadway and west end revivals and was made into a successful film starring the original lead of the musical, zero mostel. A funny thing happened on the way to the forum comedy tonight. The complete soundtrack to the 1962 musical a funny thing happened on the way to the forum. However, his career downturned when he was accused of being a communist by the house unamerican committee, and despite notoriously ridiculing the judges in his trial, was.
The son of an itinerant rabbi, samuel joel mostel was born in brownsville, the same poor brooklyn. A funny thing happened on the way to the forum 1962 full. Sondheim guide a funny thing happened on the way to the forum. Zero mostel 4 amazing broadway songs zero mostel pictures best hd quality duration. Sep 16, 2011 it was pretty amazing to see him channel zero mostel then go beyond it.
Mostel returned to painting and then towards the end of the 50s began to appear again on the stage. Zero mostel popular zero mostel songs comedy tonight. Raised in the lower east side of manhattan, the young zero, known as sammy, developed his talent for painting and drawing at art classes provided by the educational alliance, an institution serving jewish. The tony winning musical comedy, a funny thing happened on the way to the forum had 964 performances between 5862 and 82964. May 8, 1962, receiving six tony awards, including best musical and best book. The musical won tony awards for best musical, best book, best supporting actor, and best director.
Its punnish script is in part by larry gelbart creator of tvs mash and songs are from stephen sondheim. After studying art and english at university, mostel became a manual worker during the depression, taking any job he could find in factories, mines and on the docks. Early the following decade he achieved acclaim for his roles in eugene ionescos rhinoceros 1961, stephen sondheims a funny thing happened on the way to the forum 1962 and jerry bock and sheldon harnicks fiddler on the roof 1964, winning tony awards. Mostel first, lane third and phil silvers in between. A funny thing happened on the way to the forum, with book by burt. Comedy tonight, the opening number from the sondheim musical a funny thing happened on the way to the forum, was written as a lastminute addition to the show, expressly for the purpose of informing the audience that the show was, in fact, a comedy. A wily slave must unite a virgin courtesan and his young smitten master to. A funny thing happened on the way to the forum wikipedia. Zero mostel was born samuel joel mostel on february 28, 1915 in brooklyn, new york, one of eight children of an orthodox jewish family. Forums songs are as relentlessly zany as forums book. A funny thing happened on the way to the forum is a 1962 tony awardwinning musical by stephen sondheim, larry gelbart, and burt shevelove. Early the following decade he achieved acclaim for his roles in eugene ionescos rhinoceros 1961, stephen sondheims a funny thing happened on the way to the forum 1962 and jerry bock and sheldon harnicks fiddler on the roof 1964, winning tony awards for all three performances.
Pseudolus zero mostel is the laziest slave in rome, and has one wish, to purchase his freedom. Zero mostel won the tony for the best actor in a musical. Samuel joel zero mostel february 28, 1915 september 8, 1977 was an american actor and comedian of stage and screen, best known for his portrayal of comic characters such as tevye on stage in fiddler on the roof, pseudolus on stage and on screen in a funny thing happened on the way to the forum, and max bialystock in the original film version of the producers. In it frank takes the comic actor zero mostel 19151977 for hissubject, and depicts him in cartoonish dimensionsbemused, baffled and apoplectic, as he makes his way through an unidentified. Zero mostel and company, zero mostel and jack gifford zero mostel and company, zero mostel and jack gifford comedy tonight. Stephen sondheim comedy tonight lyrics genius lyrics.
Unlike the legendary mostel, who delighted audiences by reportedly. Zero mostel is remembered as one of the great stage and screen comedians of the 1960s, shaping the characters of tevye in fiddler on the roof. Original broadway cast recording, harold hastings, musical director. A funny thing happened on the way to the forum is a musical with music and lyrics by stephen sondheim and book by burt shevelove and larry gelbart. See more ideas about comedy tonight, comedians and movie stars. Something familiar, something peculiar, something for everyone. This is the original broadway cast recording with the music and lyrics written by stephen sondheim and. A funny thing happened on the way to the forum 1966 plot. Zero mostel, byname of samuel joel mostel, born february 28, 1915, brooklyn, new york, u. Check out comedy tonight by zero mostel on amazon music. The musical won tony awards for best musical, best book. Dec 04, 2007 the opening number to sondheims a funny thing happened on the way to the forum.
Though the number of winning stephen sondheim songs is scaled back, stars zero mostel, phil silvers, jack gilford. A funny thing happened on the way to the forum original, musical, comedy, farce, broadway opened in new york city may 8, 1962 and played through aug 29, 1964. When his master and mistress leave for the day, he finds out that the young master has fallen in love with a virgin in the house of marcus lycus phil silvers, a slave dealer specializing in beautiful women. Samuel joel mostel, 28 february 1915, new york city, new york, usa, d. Samuel joel zero mostel february 28, 1915 september 8, 1977 was an american actor, singer and comedian of stage and screen, best known for his portrayal of comic characters such as tevye on stage in fiddler on the roof, pseudolus on stage and on screen in a funny thing happened on the way to the forum, and max bialystock in the original film version of the. However, his career downturned when he was accused of being a communist by the house unamerican committee, and despite notoriously ridiculing the.
The theatre is a temple, and we are here to worship the gods of comedy and tragedy. All three times it has been produced on broadway it starred a oneofakind performer. One ofthe hottest burlesque shows that ever hit broadway time comes to the screen showcasing the enormous talents of tony awardar winner zero mostel, phil silvers, jack gilford cocoon, buster keaton and michael crawford broadways the phantom of the opera. Zero mostel is just one of the greates actors in the world. The song was cut from the show and replaced with comedy tonight. A wily slave must unite a virgin courtesan and his young smitten master to earn his freedom. A funny thing happened on the way to the forum 1966. Stephen sondheim a funny thing happened on the way to the. Tragedy tomorrow, comedy tonight at mnms a funny thing.
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