1972 Tony Awards ~ COMPLETE 

Wow! I was lucky enough to see Merman in Gypsy in Los Angeles. Nobody had a better entrance than when she came down the aisle calling out "Sing out Louise!" What a thrill hearing that some ten years later she still had it! What a voice! Even the fact that my playback kept breaking up didn't hurt that much. Thanks for the post!

Now I remember what it was like to actually enjoy the Tonys!

The incomporable Helen Gallagher. Not much spoken about today but what a talent. The voice, the looks and the dance! Incredible.

Just saw Sada Thompson receive an award. Four years later she would star on the tv series Family. Nice to watch all these classic award shows since so many of these celebrities are no longer here. AWSOME!

Ruby Keeler is unbelievable!

Go, Ethel. Amazing. Now I "get" her.

Thank you for posting and bringing back such great memories.

How fantastic to see Alfred Drake and Lisa Kirk singing "We Open in Venice" and "Another Op'nin, Another Show" from KISS ME KATE, the show they starred in together 23 years prior to this broadcast. These Tony shows are time machines and the most wonderful treasure troves for theater buffs.

I had the pleasure of being there this fabulous night

Ethel with her entrance, her gown and her hair beautifully styled and her makeup was just amazing

Ahh Bobby Van. Such a wonderful talent that was taken from us way to soon. He reminds me of one of today's superstars of the Broadway musical and "The Tony Awards": Hugh Jackman. Especially in the way he dances, he and Hugh are so light on their feet. He would die eight years later in 1980 at the to young age of 51 from cancer.

Thank you so much for sharing these pieces of history!!

Thank God that there is a video that preserves the I Want To Be Happy Tap Routine with Ruby Keeler and cast. She was marvelous and it is one of those once in a lifetime performances that you always will remember for those of us who got to see the original show in 1971. Also, I still can't figure out how Follies did not win best musical. Looking back, it has been revived and revered by so many theatre fans. How does that compare to Two Gentleman of Verona? A good show but not even in the same league as Follies.

Seeing Larry Blyden makes me happy..so good

Great voice and Elliman's personal performance.

MissPoochSmooch you are an absolute gem! I've been watching Tonys for days! Thank you

Thanks, MissPoochSmooch! What a treat!!

Two wonderful daytime actresses, Constance Towers from "Capitol" fame, and her other famous role as that of "Helen Cassidine" from "General Hospital". And ahhh Helen Gallagher from "Ryan's Hope". Pure delight.

Second year in a row that a Sondheim show was nominated for best musical yet didn't perform on the awards.

To see and hear Thaaron Musser, Florence Kltz and Boris Aaronson was wonderful. And those perfomrers in the "concert party" - most of whom I knew from TV & recordings. And such great voices. *sigh*. Of course, it was clear why Marni Nixon was needed in The King & I movie :) And then we heard Michael Bennet! The standing ovation for Merman was 100% deserved. How lucky we are to have seen her Everything's coming up Roses

15:48 Rodgers/Hammerstein medley 34:00 Richard Rodgers gets his special honorary Tony award 1:07:54 Ethel Merman medley

Bobby Van never got enough credit.

Just my reaction, but Rodgers was so prolific that the tribute to him seemed over long. Could have been divided into the Hart years and the Hammerstein/Rodgers solo years in two parts of the show. However...my God! What a great Merman concert! And then, at age 63, Ruby Keeler, still dancing as awkwardly as ever (Fred and Ruby would not have blended quite like Fred and Ginger) , still tapping as energetically as ever. In the reprise with the whole cast at the end, she's the only one who's still kicking up her heels, rather than just standing there and singing. Brava! And the acceptance speech of Alexis Smith following the acceptance oration of Phil Silvers made them both great. Now almost all the speeches are long and often disjointed. The best line was: "Writers aren't very articulate." Loved it. Thanks so much for posting this and bringing back the memories.

Thank's for putting up all the great early Tony award shows.

That young Hal Linden!

Ustinov is simply DELICIOUS! What a VOICE & an extraordinary talented actor!! 💯% CLASS act!!! 🥰

Would have been great to put this on in place of this year's awards

What a treat Henry Fonda was he hosted these awards I believe three or four times. I read his autobiography and was moved and saddened. He was an American institution he could portray anything. His daughter Jane is one of my favorite actresses. I met her in Santa Monica and she is very personable and downright beautiful. Back to Henry Fonda he could have done more in diverse communities. We in the Black community would have welcomed him.

Wonder why "Grease" didn't do a number? They were nominated for best musical and the Tony's completely snubbed them in all other categories too. But "Grease" got the last laugh and ended up becoming one of the longest running shows, and most produced, in Broadway history.

I was thrown to see a young, slim Sada Thompson who later went on to TV with "Family" and did some wonderful dramatic parts. She started in a moving drama with Richard Thomas in a work written by Terrance McNally entitled "Andre's Mother (I think that's right).

The great Ethel Merman

Great to hear Ethel do "Everything's Coming Up Roses"...she probably would have shit bricks if they let Lisa Kirk do it LOL Also Garret Morris in his pre-SNL days!

Great

"Lily Done the Zampoughi" is a great number, but it makes one wonder why they wouldn't air "A Call From the Vatican" ten years later...

Sound seems to all be left channel. Not expecting true stereo, but full mono would be nice. Still, appreciate this archive. Loving them all.

I think Ethel Merman is the original of Broadway's voice that others try make singing Broadway music mostly

Merman was a GREAT belter, but I never thought she had a great singing voice. STREISAND, to me, is the epitomè of a Broadway Singing Star. No hate mail, please. This is only MY personal opinion and taste. You can have yours.

Am I the only one that detects the announcer's voice is Richard Chamberlain???

Two of the most elegant and classy actors: Henry Fonda and Peter Ustinov.

do you have the 2003/4 tony awards, the year of long days journey production with the late phillip seymore hoffman.

Best Musical goes to "Two Gentlemen of Verona" & not "Follies"? RIDICULOUS.

They gave a special Tony to Ethel Merman and didn't allow her to speak????

faded images of a happier and so much more civilized time in america

And the WINNER is! OMG, a pre-Barney Miller Hal Linden! Barbara McNair?! Forgot all about her. And a young Stephen Sondheim(RIP)!! This is how awards shows and variety specials used to be like. Corny as hell but done with lots of heart.

Does anyone know the song the orchestra plays whenever Follies wins an award for its show? It somewhat resembles “Buddy’s Blues”, but isn’t exactly it.

I guess the best revival categories didnt' exist then, oh what a shame I can only hear it through one headphone

Why didn't the show include numbers from three of the four Best Musical nominees: "Two Gentlemen of Verona," "Follies," and "Grease?"

Alfred Drake!!!!!!!!!!!!

oh hell when that rat at 1:40:47 i screamed LMAO OH HELL NA

Yvonne Elliman sang behind the beat for the entire song! :-(

I thought they only gave best actor awards to the originator. Phil Silvers won this, but at this point wasn't Forum a revival?!

Nobody wants to talk about Phil Silvers? Or did he talk about himself enough?

картон

1:48:16 one half of Mt. Rushmore

Where's Grease? And You're a good man charlie brown?

Oh dang Michael Bennett was so hot, but is also the type to not be into me at all haha

Gee, I guess Ingrid Bergman hadn't heard of Stephen Whats-His-Name! Not a gaffe you'd expect on a Tony Awards show.

henry fonda did bway???? strange show, such long show numbers.... phil silvers : fun...alexis smith: classy...

@Geoff Scheinbach 1:04:05 Lee Grant says it wrong, much to the bemused looks of the audience....Vivat! Vivat Regina! was the correct title...

Great to see the Merm in action. But, jeez, just like this year's show, anyone who claims that Jews have a cabal on professional theatre just need to watch the Tony's for effin proof.

Tony doesn't always get it right. Two Gentlemen of Verona wasn't as good as the other nominees.

Only one black performer in 1972. The delicious and delightful Barbara McNair. Shameful Tony Awards.