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She is quite correct about growing into the role of Mame during its out-of-town tryouts. I saw the first preview of MAME at the Shubert Theatre in Philadelphia, its first tryout town. She was good, but did not carry the show. In fact, she was somewhat subdued next to Beatrice Arthur and Frankie Michaels. I saw her again as Mame about four months into the run at the Winter Garden. She was transformed into a dazzling Broadway star well on her way to becoming a legend. She WAS Mame.
Bette Davis talked to Dick Cavett about what idiots the studio bosses could be. "Look at Angela Lansbury, MGM had her for years and didn't know she could be a musical star."
And she was indeed amazing in the role! I was fortunate enough to see the original production both on Broadway and in Los Angeles when the show toured and it was really terrific! Bea Arthur and the rest of the cast was wonderful too!
It's amazing how many women were considered and she was ultimately the best choice. Mary Martin would have been way too old and not exciting enough. This show needs a revival.
Too bad we have no visual record (as far as I know of) of either of these great performances of hers she mentions, Anyone Can Whistle and Mame. (Aside from a few song performances on the Tony Awards, etc.) And wow, the title "Mame" was her idea???
one of the all time greats in theatre...She and Bea Arthur were a few of the highlights on Broadway in the 1960's...along with Barbra Striesand, Zero Mostel and Carol Channing. I adored Rosalind Russell in the film, but Angela Lansbury was 1,000 times better than Lucille Ball in the film based on the B'way musical..she and the film were AWFUL!!!!!!!!
