Loverly:The Life and Times of My Fair Lady (Broadway Legacies) Read online

  Langner and Pascal now turned to Lerner and Loewe, who had written four Broadway shows together: What’s Up? (1943), The Day Before Spring (1945), Brigadoon (1947), and Paint Your Wagon (1951). The timing of the first three of these is ironic, since it reflects that of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s first three shows together, and the fates of their respective shows were opposite: What’s Up? was a flop that opened in the same year as their record-breaking Oklahoma!; The Day Before Spring fared only slightly better than its predecessor and has fallen into obscurity, unlike the contemporaneous Carousel; and Rodgers and Hammerstein’s third show, Allegro, was their first critical and financial disappointment, opening in the same year as Brigadoon, Lerner and Loewe’s first great success.

  Without Brigadoon, who knows what may have become of the Lerner and Loewe partnership. Neither What’s Up? nor The Day Before Spring produced anything approaching a hit song, and indeed much of the score for the former is lost.15 Lerner and Loewe had also collaborated on Life of the Party in 1943, and this piece did not even make it to Broadway, so by 1947 they were badly in need of success. Thankfully Brigadoon became one of the longest-running musicals of the decade and gave birth to a number of standards, including “The Heather on the Hill” and “Almost Like Being in Love.” It took four years before the pair teamed up again for Paint Your Wagon, and here a troublesome rehearsal and tryout period led to a disappointing show. Even though a number of the songs became well known, including “They Call the Wind Maria” and “Wandrin’ Star,” the Wild West setting was a poor fit for Loewe, and Lerner failed to resolve numerous problems with the book.

  The team’s track record is ample demonstration of the reason they were included on the list of possible collaborators for the Pygmalion musical and also why they were not at the top of it. To turn to the old pros Irving Berlin and Cole Porter first was natural, since they had each had relatively recent smash hits with Annie Get Your Gun (1946) and Kiss Me, Kate (1948), respectively; Berlin was also represented on Broadway with Call Me Madam (1950). Since the task consisted of adapting a classic of English literature, one can see in particular why the composer of Kiss Me, Kate (partly based on Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew) would be asked: obviously, a lyricist of sharp wit and a composer with a lightness of touch were needed. Although less experienced as a composer-lyricist—his early years were spent writing lyrics to other composers’ music—Frank Loesser was also an easy fit, given the artistic brilliance and box office success of Guys and Dolls. On the other hand, the triumph of Brigadoon had established Lerner and Loewe’s credentials, and the European pedigree of both composer (who was born in Berlin) and lyricist (who was educated in England) must have seemed an obvious fit for Gabriel Pascal and the Theatre Guild.

  Pascal met with Lerner and gained his assurance of the Brigadoon team’s interest in the project during the time they were in Hollywood filming that particular show. It is certain, according to David Drew, that Lerner had earlier considered setting the play with Kurt Weill during the 1940s, so the material was not unknown to him.16 Lerner’s memoir leaves out the Theatre Guild and suggests that Pascal approached him of his own accord, but in her memoir about the Pascal-Shaw relationship, Pascal’s widow, Valerie, writes more credibly that Lawrence Langner proposed Lerner and Loewe as the creative team. After a private screening of the film Pygmalion, she adds, they became enthusiastic about it. She then states that Lerner and Loewe “came to our house in California on March 21, 1952. During lunch they seemed very eager to tackle the musical, provided Mary Martin would accept the role of Eliza Doolittle. Without her, they felt the musical would not stand up.”17 However, a telegram of March 22 in the Theatre Guild papers shows that it was only at this point that Langner wrote to Pascal to arrange the screening of his film for them, also making reference to having had a “very successful meeting with Lerner and Loewe” and having “succeeded in getting them very interested and excited,” so the film was probably not the start of their fascination with the project.18

  In May, serious talks took place about casting for the part of Eliza Doolittle; at this point, Eliza rather than Higgins was thought of as the lead role, and it was to be a showcase for a great star. The two biggest female musical comedy actresses of the time were Ethel Merman, who had enjoyed success in Gershwin’s Girl Crazy, several Porter shows including Anything Goes, and Berlin’s Annie Get Your Gun and Call Me Madam; and Mary Martin, who had grown in prominence during the 1940s with shows such as Weill’s One Touch of Venus before her career-defining appearance in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s South Pacific. Merman’s stage persona was ill suited to Eliza Doolittle, but as strange as it might seem in hindsight, the subtler Mary Martin was in fact a strong possibility. This part of the story has been whitewashed over the years, however. In The Street Where I Live Lerner claims that Martin heard he was writing a Pygmalion musical with Loewe and demanded to hear the songs against the writers’ will. Lerner states that in November 1954, Martin and her husband, Richard Halliday, “had read that we were doing Pygmalion and [said] that they would love to hear what we had written.” Lerner relates that when the meeting took place, “they listened in silence and departed almost immediately after the last song.” Later, the lyricist asked Halliday what Martin’s reaction had been, and he reported that she had commented, “Richard, those dear boys have lost their talent.”

  But in reality Lerner himself wanted Martin for the role two years earlier, in 1952, and actively pursued her.19 In a letter to Pascal (who was to go to London to speak with Martin personally) on May 10, the lyricist stated that

  no matter how excited I get about the play, I always stop when I come to the question: can we get Mary Martin? Although there are undoubtedly others who could play it, I do feel anybody after Mary is second choice. Liza is one of the great parts for a woman ever written. In music it will be even greater. And Mary is obviously the greatest star the musical theatre has produced—and there’s no doubt about that. Somehow it seems like a perfect marriage. It doesn’t bother me at all that she is American because if the King’s English as taught to her by the Prof doesn’t seem completely compatible with her, neither was it with Liza in the play. And the cockney she can do easily. From a show business point of view it would be a great tour-de-force for her. Then, too, Mary is the only one I know who has naturally that odd combination of the little girl and the great lady. I can’t think of another part when both these qualities could be better employed—or on the other side, when Mary could run more of a gamut of all her talents. This is one play that should be written for her and with her.

  Lerner assured Pascal that he would fly to London with Loewe to discuss the show with Martin when they had the outline completed, and then moved on to propose Michael Kidd as the choreographer for the show—again, someone who would be pursued more than once in this capacity. The lyricist felt that Kidd’s sense of humor (as evinced by his work on the stylized choreography for Guys and Dolls) would be perfect for helping to depict the cockneys and aristocrats, and commended his great sense of the theater; Lerner had already gained the choreographer’s interest in the project. After reiterating his enthusiasm about the play, Lerner ended: “I’m ready to do anything short of homicide to see Mary as Liza.”20

  Langner’s letter of May 22 corroborates that Lerner and Loewe’s chief desire was for Martin to play Eliza. He also underlined the team’s excitement about the project and stated that they had already written a scenario.21 The letter continues by suggesting alternatives to Mary Martin, should she turn the project down (as Lerner suspected, according to the letter). These included the Hollywood star Judy Garland, whose film work was on the wane and was willing to do the show for six months, but Lerner and Loewe did not like the idea; Garland’s Hollywood contemporary, the soprano Deanna Durbin; and the leading musical comedy actress Dolores Gray. Of the latter suggestion, the letter indicates that Lerner was willing to accept her if an “exciting man” could be found for Higgins; George Sanders and Noël Coward were s
uggested. Eventually, Lerner indeed pursued Coward for the part of Higgins, first in the summer of 1952, then in late 1954, and again for the London production, but he met with refusal every time.

  The letter also mentions the possibility of starting the show in England and then opening it on Broadway later on, which excited Lerner and Loewe. They were available to start work immediately and suggested first Robert Lewis (who had directed Brigadoon) and then John C. Wilson (director of two hit shows, Cole Porter’s Kiss Me, Kate and Jule Styne’s Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, as well as producer of Lerner and Loewe’s own The Day Before Spring) to direct the production. Finally, the letter clarifies the terms on which Lerner and Loewe were to participate in the project—initially they demanded 8 percent without Mary Martin and 6 percent with her, but Pascal over-optimistically thought they would accept 6 percent regardless of their desire for Martin—and underlines their tremendous enthusiasm yet again.

  With the fire sparked inside them, ultimately Lerner and Loewe’s association with Pygmalion was unstoppable, and the Theatre Guild proceeded to arrange a production of Shaw’s play for June 1952 to give them some extra inspiration. On May 30, the New York Times announced the Guild’s intention to produce a Pygmalion musical, and would in the meantime stage the play with three musical theater names: Dolores Gray (who had appeared in Jule Styne’s Two on the Aisle), Tom Helmore (whose Broadway credits included The Day Before Spring), and John C. Wilson.22 The next day, Lewis Funke’s column added to the report, saying that “Unless plans become badly unhinged somewhere along the way, it appears likely that Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe will be the team to do the musicalizing. … Should all end with signatures properly affixed, production will begin as soon as the pair have successfully wooed the muse.”23 But in the meantime, the Guild still needed to find a star for their show.

  NEGOTIATIONS BEGIN: LERNER, LOEWE, AND MARTIN

  June–October 1952

  All seemed to be going swimmingly. In June 1952 Langner and Marshall went to London to speak with Mary Martin, who remained their first choice for Eliza, and to meet with Elizabeth Barber of the Shaw estate to negotiate terms over the rights to Pygmalion. On June 17 Langner wrote to Theresa Helburn to say that according to Barber, Gertrude Lawrence—star of Weill’s Lady in the Dark and Rodgers and Hammerstein’s The King and I, in addition to numerous works written by her childhood friend Noël Coward—was also interested in playing the role of Eliza Doolittle, and in fact was upset at not being asked in the first place. In Langner’s letter the first mention is made of Cecil Beaton as a possible designer.

  The letter also indicates that “long discussions” were taking place about Mary Martin but that negotiations with her were stuck until more of the cast and production team could be formed. “We are trying for Rex [Harrison],” writes Langner, “but if he is not interested we understand Michael Redgrave sings well and is interested.” Evidently, Martin would not consider signing the agreement to appear in the show until the following Monday, by which time it was anticipated that more artists would have committed to the show; indeed, the star’s power over the team was extraordinary. The next day, Marshall wrote to Helburn in the wake of a meeting with Barber to say that the Guild’s relationship with the Shaw estate was solid, also indicating that there was a general consensus to keep the potentially meddlesome Pascal out of the picture (everyone in London “resented him inching in,” Marshall added).24

  In reply to Langner on June 20, Helburn reported that Gertrude Lawrence’s performance in The King and I was currently drawing so many complaints from audiences about her flat singing that Rodgers and Hammerstein wanted her to leave the show, and the Guild should not therefore consider her for the role of Eliza.25 Helburn also revealed that Lerner and Loewe were haggling over their royalties for the show and that they were “spreading the report that they will have the complete charge of the show and no one else will have anything to do with it!” At that time, Shaw’s Pygmalion was staged by the Guild, with Dolores Gray as Eliza; Loewe attended the opening night and was impressed with Gray by the end of the show, laying the ground for casting her as Eliza if Martin turned down the role. Finally, the letter mentions that Lerner and Loewe had already approached Rex Harrison, who was very much interested.

  Then, on June 25, Langner sent a telegram to Helburn confirming that Mary Martin was attracted to the role but would do nothing until she had heard some music, just as she had heard some of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s songs for South Pacific before agreeing to play Nellie Forbush. At that time a contract was drawn up but left unsigned.26 The telegram also mentioned that Maurice Evans (an English actor noted for his Shakespearean performances and who would go on to star in Bock and Harnick’s musical Tenderloin) was interested in playing the part of Higgins and that Langner would see Michael Redgrave on the same subject the next day. Less than an hour later, Langner sent a second telegram, saying that “On second thoughts, don’t advise awaiting Mary.”27 He went on to urge Helburn to settle the deal with Lerner and Loewe at 6 percent using Dolores Gray instead of Mary Martin, since to use a male star of the caliber of Redgrave or Harrison would also cost them percentages, adding to the production’s financial risk. Eventually, this would be the cause of a rift between the producers and writers.

  Langner wrote again to Helburn on June 27 to report that Lerner and Loewe were willing to go to London (though they ultimately did not go) to play some of the songs they had written, and went on to say that Maurice Evans was interested in the role of Higgins if it fitted in with his other plans (he was about to star in Dial M for Murder on the stage).28 He also intended to speak with Harrison, but Redgrave was no longer a possibility because he had commitments for the foreseeable future. Cecil Tennant of the British agency MCA was to seek out other actors for the smaller roles, and Cecil Beaton confirmed he was interested in doing the designs, though Langner “preferred the American ones better.” In terms of a director, three names are mentioned: Peter Brook, who was thought to be “a great gamble, knowing so little of American musical plays”; John C. Wilson, who was Langner’s preference; and Noël Coward, who seems to have been a suggestion of Martin’s, but who, according to Langner, “never directs any plays except his own.”

  The beginning of July brought new concerns for the Guild. Helburn wrote to Langner on July 1 about her worries regarding Lerner, who had caused problems for producer Cheryl Crawford the previous year during the creation of Paint Your Wagon by making executive decisions about such issues as casting behind her back.29 The letter also reports that “The haggling still goes on over the Lerner-Loewe royalties, but they are very keen to do it and will probably come down eventually. I think they are down to 7 percent now so there is only one more percent to go.” According to David Mark D’Andre, “Soon her fears began to materialize as rumors reached her that Lerner and Loewe were claiming to be solely in charge of the production. When Helburn challenged them, both men backed down, and a nasty situation was averted.”30

  On July 18 Langner relayed Rex Harrison’s remarks about the show, following the Guild’s decision to approach him for the part of Henry Higgins: “I think it is only fair to you and myself … to wait until some music and lyrics are completed, so that I can hear them and possibly record them myself. After this we could decide whether or not to continue the idea.”31 Harrison himself wrote to Langner on August 7 to say how much he was looking forward to hearing the score.32 Thus the first choice for Higgins would eventually be the last, though other names later came up in the interim.33

  THE PROJECT FLOUNDERS

  October 1952–January 1953

  Lerner and Loewe continued to work on the show and on October 28, 1952, they signed a contract with the Theatre Guild.34 However, having made such an apparently final decision, they suddenly withdrew. Lerner’s explanation of this decision in The Street Where I Live is that he met Oscar Hammerstein II at a political rally, discovered that Hammerstein’s difficulties with the script when he had tried to write the sho
w with Rodgers coincided with his own, and decided to withdraw on this basis.35 In the absence of any further evidence, we might more tentatively say that a problem with the book was probably the reason for the decision to abandon the show. This is confirmed by a letter sent by the Guild to Lerner on October 20, 1954, in which Helburn and Langner state that “You withdrew from the project because you said you were unable to lick the book.”36 But it is also worth bearing in mind that the severing of the contract also coincided with the dissolution of the Lerner and Loewe partnership for the time being, as each went to work with another collaborator on another project, so it seems likely, as Steven Bach has suggested, that they quarreled with each other and the script was not the only issue.37