Your Dad’s voice was a soothing, happy background sound to my life growing up in the 60’s. Incidentally, one of my professors at UNM was Robert Hartung who adapted a whole bunch of the early theatrical scripts for Hallmark Hall Of Fame.
Thanks so much for posting this. My Dad took my brothers and sisters and me to see it at the University of New Orleans when I was a kid. Whenever I hear “Try and Remember”, I think of him.
Thanks for adding this! I can't believe I didn't know this existed. I am a huge fan of the Fantasticks, having seen it twice at Sullivan Street as well as having played Luisa at a small theatre in Iowa. I was madly in love with John Davidson as a teenager. I'm delighted to have been able to watch this and take a trip down memory lane.
This is history to me. Thankfully we have it preserved for us. 1950s-60s musicals on TV are treasures. But, in my mind “Try To Remember” belongs to one man. Jerry Orbach opened with the original cast in 1960, off-Broadway. I always hear him.
2 years ago I was the I was lighting designer for this show used a follow spot it was a small stage lake in forest IL never seen before I took a liking to it the music is great
This brings back fond memories. I was the lighting director for the college production of "The Fantasticks" when I was a theater major in college 43 years ago. Wow, time does fly.
I had sex with the lighting director of Big River when it was on Broadway last. Not totally related but your comment reminded me of that and yeah, time slips by.
Amen Rex, it brings back very fond memories . . . 50 years ago was my experience with The Fantastics. I saw this Hallmark program shortly (a couple of years) before I graduated HS in 1968 and when to college for a music major in vocal performance and a minor in theatre.
This has to be the best representation of the show without really cutting anything. It also is one of the few times an orchestrated version works. Truly an under appreciated show. Thanks again for the upload!
LOL I wouldnt say without cutting, since i understood but hoped that the Rape song would be in there and not cut for TV if only the twisted ways they may not have even had much push back. Oh but a married couple be seen is the same bed. oh, the outrage"
@@brettmastema7056 Yes, I noticed that they cut “It Depends In What You Pay” from the telecast. Of course, this was taped in the 1960s, so I guess THAT memorable song was too much for the censors back then. Also, didn’t John Davidson look like Mr. Rogers in that cardigan sweater he wore in the show? And, every time I heard Bert Lahr speak during the production, I kept seeing him in that cowardly lion’s outfit.
After Playing in Theatre, The Fantastics, 35 years ago, this production brings me joy, and absolute delight that I should never want to lret go… the pleasure is marvelous. Thank you for the journey! ❤
Thank you for uploading this to RU-vid! In my younger years, once upon a time, I worked in Theatre; and helped produce this show for separate companies, separate stages, even separate states, a few years apart. Each production is unique unto itself although the script is identical. My thanks to you!
I'm old enough to remember when visited by out of towners to NY, The Fantasticks was on the agenda. For twenty years New Yorkers debated the various replacements in the various roles.
I saw The Fantasticks at the Sullivan Street Playhouse in 1967. Actor Jack Crowder (later known as Thalmus Rasulala)portrayed El Gallo; Mr. Crowder acted and sang extremely well in the play. Mr. Crowder/Rasulala later portrayed a Los Angeles police detective in “Blackula” with the great William Marshall and as a social worker in “Fun With Dick and Jane” with Jane Fonda, George Segal and Ed McMahon. He was also the block-busting realtor on “All in the Family.” The Fantasticks was a superb show. I saw it many years later and the show was just as terrific. Oh, yeah, the great F. Murray Abraham portrayed one of El Gallo’s pirates/prospective rapists in that same 1967 production. I do recall, that when I first saw the show in Greenwich Village, a film crew was setting up for a scene in front of a restaurant across the street from the theater. I asked the cameraman which film he was working on and he said they were there to film Mia Farrow and Maurice Evans for some upcoming film called, “Rosemary’s Baby.” I wonder if that film was ever any good?
Thank you for posting this, I've been researching Ricardo Montalbán's earlier work for a project. He once said that he was an actor who couldn't sing, and in a number of films in which he appears to sing, his voice was overdubbed. But the songs he performs here are genuine and he sounds fantastic. Fun fact: he reprises Try to Remember in an episode of Fantasy Island.
Mr. Montalban was not being fair to low-rate himself as a singer, and as a performer who's done the role I'm quite critical. He's no Jerry Orbach but he touches all the bases quite nicely. A bit of trivia on him- he did do the singing when he and Esther Williams introduced 'Baby, it's Cold Outside' in 'Neptune's Daughter', and I heard that he once acted Rodgers-Hammerstein's King of Siam on stage. I imagine he must have been quite good in that. Delighted to learn that he sang Try to Remember on Fantasy Island once, will have to look that up.
@@kennethwayne6857 Agnes Moorehead loved his his work on stage in her "Don Juan in Hell" in the 50s and I saw him in her revival n the 70s. He was quite polished. I think he played the title role!
@@kennethwayne6857 Thank you for clarifying what he did and didn’t sing in his movies…. I have become a huge fan of Montalban’s, having first seen him in car ads and Fantasy Island. He brings great warmth and tenderness to “Try to Remember.” Would LOVE to have seen him in The King and I.
Which was Ricardo Montalban’s greatest role: as Khan, the evil conqueror on both the original “Star Trek” tv series and in the film, “The Wrath of Khan,” where both Mr. Montalban and William Shatner, literally each chewed up the scenery? or as the unfailingly suave Mr. Rorke on “Fantasy Island,” with his faithful major domo, Tattoo, who would announce new arrivals by aircraft to Fantasy Island, by shouting, “De plane! De plane!”? or as the official commercial spokesperson for Chrysler Motor’s snazzy car, the Cordoba! Who can forget Mr. Montalban, declaring with great grandiloquence, “The Córdoba, with rich Corinthian leather” and also saying, “I like what they’ve done to MY car!”? or as the nefarious Mr. Pap Schmear, from the “Naked Gun” film series? I don’t know, but I have to go with Khan, the macho and muscular empire conqueror
I really love this version of El Gallo, I know he's very tame compared to what I've seen of the source material but frankly I prefer this kind of jaded yet caring teacher character. From what I've seen of other productions (predominantly the movie which I know is awful) El Gallo shows some interest in Louisa but I much prefer him just playing the role he feels he needs to play without overstepping any boundaries. I can forgive him taking the necklace, and I am relieved he didn't accept the kiss. Also somehow that initial Hallmark ad was just so perfect for this show, the act of growing up and learning to care just ties in so well. I feel so old saying this, but this would probably be a good show for teens to watch. Sweeney Todd and Romeo & Juliet have similar themes but it feels like kids would miss them underneath everything else that is happening. Meanwhile I think this show does a good job of really hammering home those points about how naive we are as teens and young adults. Or maybe I'm just old enough to recognise my own mistakes and my younger self would have seen this show, decided I was 'not like other teens' and continued on my merry way. Either way, it's a good show and I actually think the low production value makes it better considering the content and themes of make believe.
Tonight's a Double Feature on The CBS Late Movie... A CBS Late Movie Special Presentation of The Hallmark Hall Of Fame Presentation of The Fantasticks, Starring Ricardo Montalban, Bert Lahr, and Stanley Holloway First Time On Color!!!...Followed By Tonight's of our second feature on The CBS Late Movie... Steve McQueen stars in...THE BLOB! And Now The CBS Late Movie Special Presentation of The Hallmark Hall Of Fame Presentation of The Fantasticks!
The late NY Daily News sportswriter Duck Young once wrote thar NY Ranger John Davidson is both a terrific hockey player and guy, but not to be confused with that pretty boy, actor/singer, who loves himself.
I may have to go with Jerry Orbach though I've only experienced his performance from the cast recording. I haven't seen them in the role but three favorite performers of mine have all played him in the original production- Sal Provenza. Richard Muenz and Martin Vidnovic. The last switched to the role of Luisa's dad in the NY revival.
Me, too! Although I've seen some pretty spectacular El Gallos in various stage productions. But I didn't think Jonathon Morris was going to be quite right for the role when he first showed up in the movie, but he was amazing and won me over totally. 👏
Oh my... What can you say? This is one of my absolute favorite musicals. And at times, I believe it's my VERY favorite. But the movie of this musical is horrible.. and this is not that much better. They have cut so much out of it, and the actors (other than Matt and Louisa) are strictly there for the publicity and the paycheck. They don't blend their voices (the duets between the two fathers and the one between Matt and El Gallo are howl-worthy), they have no chemistry or rapport with any of the other actors that they deal with in the play. You would think that adding a full orchestra instead of the two person accompaniment (originally written for a pianist and a harpist who would double on percussion) would add a lot to the production... but in true fact, it takes away from the simplicity and beauty. For as much as they have added to the set design, it actually spoils the production. Taking the incredibly humorous parts of El Gallo's two sidekicks, and replacing them with a tribe of unmemorable extras is a travesty. And the editing to fit the television time frame is an absolute hatchet job. I'm so blessed that the time that I actually saw it performed was simply magical and that I am left with the original Off-Broadway cast recording which is sheer perfection. If all you've ever seen is the movie and this production, please don't judge this musical harshly. You haven't even seen a fraction of its brilliance! There is a tremendously strong reason why it has played for over 50 years. Because it is... fantastic!
I wonder why Hallmark and NBC didn’t decide to have a two hour show and produce the complete version of the musical? They should have asked the cast of the Sullivan St Theater of Fantasticks to do a production of the play in a TV studio. And yes, the motion picture version of the musical is awful. However, I did enjoy watching this version because I love the score so much. Maybe someday NBC will produce this instead of “Annie.”
I loved the movie. I thought it was amazing how they transformed it for the screen. But then I have loved _The Fantastics_ since 1964, and my daughter played Louisa in a college production in 1991-I was _thrilled!_ I'd like to know what was so terrible about the movie. Never mind, I don't need to know. You're entitled to your opinion.
Great to see it; even flawed. I understand that they could use the “beautiful rape” song. But “This plum is too ripe” is a great quartet. Also noticed the took out the “fake faker” line. It is important to emphasize callousness. That number seemed problematically staged. Just thoughts. Still get to see. And to see Susan Watson at her height is great.
No. Some of these parts were cut from the TV show: Jerry Orbach. El Gallo Thomas Bruce. Henry. George Curley. Mortimer. Mortimer. Rita Gardner. Luisa [The Girl] Luisa. Jay Hampton. The Handyman. The Handyman. Tom Jones. Henry. William Larsen. Hucklebee. Kenneth Nelson. Matt [The Boy] Matt.
I've tried watching this several times, and I've watched the movie. I don't get it. It seems uninspired and charmless to me. Outside of, "Try to remember," I find this show a waste of time. Sure, it ran for decades, but in a tiny theatre that usually only had 25 people in it on any given night. I think it only kept running because it cost pennies to stage.
Yep-totally agree with you. I remember some of the music, but after watching the entire play for the first time since I saw it at the Sullivan Theatre in the 60's, I'm rather horrified to see a scene which could have been out of "Eyes Wide Shut" thrown in towards the end - complete with occult symbolism and human sacrifice! Gave me the willies to realize how much of that garbage was slipped into just about everything without anyone noticing!
@@HiDefAnalog Thanks for demonstrating conclusively that you 1) don't have the faintest idea what the show is about, 2) don;t know what defines good show music, 3) That you're pretty old, and 4) that you hide behind an alias to make critical remarks and lack the courage to post your actual name. Bravo.
I saw the production at the Sullivan Street playhouse several times over the years it played, and never saw an audience that had less than 100+ (often full house) in the theater. At least you admit you "don't get it". But that's not a criticism of the show, it's a comment on your perception of it, and of course such personal viewpoint is valid, for you, so thanks for admitting it.
I think part of the issue is that 1) the movie is a really terrible version of the show, and 2) even in this much better version, some of the theatricality that makes the show charming is missing. It did indeed cost pennies to stage--because there wasn't any of the set that you see here, just a wooden platform, a few painted cloths, and an old chest. When El Gallo hung up the moon, he hung it on a pole not much taller than he was. Devices like that engage the audience's imagination. Watching the play, you help create the world in which it lives. That's what sticks with me about The Fantasticks. It's a love letter to the theater as a place where actor and audience collaborate in casting a spell.
