WOMAN OF THE YEAR Raquel Welch 

Ronda, I saw the show one evening in September 1982. At one point she was laughing so much , she forgot her lines but the audience was friendly and she received an ovation. I guess it may have happened on several occasions.

@@paxson167 and that is one of the main reasons I love live theater. What a great memory we both have. I wonder if it was the same scene? The whole audience was hysterically laughing

Agreed! Thanks so much for the upload.

EverythingClassic - Now it's clear why this One Million Year B.C. woman became a success. Untapped Broadway talent.

Yes. I have a fondness for this show as one of the last of its kind, a solidly professional, old-style star vehicle.

A creaky number? The melody is irrisistable and the lyrics are hilarious - but you can't understand her. The critics liked Raquel, as most people did, and they were absurdly kind to her in this. She was terrible.

It was creaky with Bacall because her voice is awful and her dancing was awkward. It's as if Meryl Streep was parodying her at the start of Death Becomes Her. Raquel made it dazzling. Critics were kind to her because she was a welcome relief after Bacall. And perhaps you need a hearing aid when you're watching a video that was shot using a camcorder far from the stage.@@jochenstossberg5427

​@@jochenstossberg5427, critics and audiences liked her and you say she's terrible? There's something wrong with you.

So who did you play in the show? Here's the reality of the theater. What a star is like off the stage means nothing. What matters is what that star delivers ON the stage. That's all. Raquel Welch was by all accounts a pleasant person to work with, but she was dreadful in this terrific show. Lauren Bacall was by all accounts difficult to work with. But on the stage in this part, she was sensational. And the reason it ran so long was because of her, and nobody else.

Raquel made the show work beautifully.and her terrific performance revealed how unsuitable Bacall is for any musical. She couldn't sing and she couldn't dance. Raquel gave the a show a new lease in life. She was literally Broadway's woman of the year. Bacall was sharp enough to realize the truth and she was livid.

You should see the outfit Raquel wore for the "Grass Is Always Greener" scene. The show was obviously written for and tailored to Bacall, which made her automatically the most believable of the four ladies I saw play Tess Harding.

i saw bacall and welch. i'm dying to know who else you saw and what you thought of them. i love this show, while many others criticize it, greatly.

It was one of the last of the old-style star vehicles, with a very underrated score and Bacall at her best. I'd have to say that none of the other Tess Hardings I saw was as right and as stellar as Bacall. For all her glamour, I never believed that Raquel saw the Scala walk out by Callas, took tea with Gertrude and Alice, and was pals with Nehru. After Welch I saw Debbie Reynolds, not entirely believable as a top TV media celebrity, wonderful singing, very warm and enjoyable, but with a tendency to clown too much. When Reynolds took sick I got to see understudy Louise Troy (the original standby Gretchen Wyler never got to go on for Bacall or Welch). Troy natually lacked the star glamour of Bacall but sang well and was belevable as a TV newswoman. Finally, Barabara Eden in the round in stock at Westbury---sweet, pleasant, hard working, not bad. And she got to do the two new songs that were written for Bacall's national tour. Both "Woman of the Year" opening numbers are terrific.

I saw Bacall on the San Francisco leg of the tour. She was really divine. What a trouper! She forgot/jumbled the words during the song "Woman of the Year" and began laughing. She had to stop the orchestra to get back on track. She apologized and asked "Wouldja mind if I take it from the top?" Just for that she got a standing ovation before she continued. She broke character just that once but I was so happy. I saw Julie and Raqi in "Victor/Victoria" and I gotta say although people sed Welch was to sexy to be that transvestite I liked her more than Julie cuz she seemed to be having more fun. At the stage door Julie took a long time to arrive and then exited eyes downcast under heavy security. I get it buts so many people were expecting a smile or a wave. I still love Julie but that was a disappointment. Raqui milked her exit. Tight top with key hole cleavage. Lots of mugging, waving and chatter. I remember as the Range Rover she was in drove off she popped out of the sun roof (like a burlesque queen out of a birthday cake) pursed her lips and cooed "thanks so much everyone! Gotta go home and rest so I can do it even better tomorrow!" Despite all that clamor she only got about 6 weeks out of the run. Pity I thought she really glowed in person.In closing though Liza was my fave. Her voice was in early decline but she performed within an inch of her life. And she definitely looked the most "genderqueer."

Hysterical!!!!!

Well, making a career of bending her elbow and then complaining how unfair people were to her gave her an unusual perspective.

John, you're a funny guy. Thanks for the laugh.

The show was written for Bacall, and of course she was the only perfect fit of the four "Women of the Year" I saw.

Bacall had every reason to be jealous of someone who could really sing and dance, not exactly her strong suits.

There was no competition here. Bacall owned it. You never believed Raquel Welch in this for a heartbeat. Bacall had the perfect diction, and the tough as nails persona the role needs, and she was fabulous and funny in it. The character is not meant to be flirty. She's meant to be a super tough newscaster, not a Playboy bunny in a jumpsuit.

​@@jochenstossberg5427, Bacall tried to be flirty and it was awkward. Can't imagine Sam falling for such a grumpy old woman.