John Murray Anderson's Almanac

*John Murray Anderson's Almanac*
John Murray Anderson's Almanac
	Harry Belafonte in John Murray Anderson's Almanac on Broadway, photographed by Carl Van Vechten, 1954
Music	Richard Adler and Jerry Ross ; Cy Coleman; Michael Grace; Joseph McCarthy; Henry Sullivan ; John Rox; Bart Howard ; Harry Belafonte ; Charles Zwar
Lyrics	Richard Adler and Jerry Ross ; Cy Coleman; Michael Grace; Joseph McCarthy; Henry Sullivan; John Rox; Bart Howard ; Harry Belafonte ; Charles Zwar
Book	various

Monique van Vooren (1957) would go on to be in *Mayerling*, an episode of television series Producers Showcase (1957). The episode was later screened in Europe as a film.^[3]

John Murray Anderson's Almanac is a musical revue, featuring the music of the songwriting team of Richard Adler and Jerry Ross, as well as other composers. It was conceived by John Murray Anderson. An earlier version of the show had been produced in 1929 with the title Murray Anderson's Almanac.^[5] The earlier production included Henry Sullivan for composing the music and Noël Coward as part of the script writing team. Sullivan would go on to write music for the 1953 production mentioned here. The full title for the show was John Murray Anderson's Almanac: A Musical Harlequinade.^[6]

Productions

John Murray Anderson's Almanac began with a tryout at the Shubert Theatre in Boston from November 5, 1953 to December 5, 1953.^[7]

The production opened on Broadway on December 10, 1953, at the Imperial Theatre, New York City, and closed on June 26, 1954, after 229 performances. The revue was conceived and staged by John Murray Anderson, with sketches directed by Cyril Ritchard and dances and musical numbers staged by Donald Saddler. Scenic design was by Raoul Pene Du Bois.^[8] The revue starred Harry Belafonte, Hermione Gingold, Polly Bergen, Orson Bean, Carleton Carpenter, Tina Louise, Monique van Vooren, and Billy DeWolfe.

Richard Adler and Jerry Ross provided the majority of the songs for the show.^[9] They later wrote songs for The Pajama Game and Damn Yankees over the course of the next two years (1954-1955).^[10]^[11] John Murray Anderson's Almanac was the first Broadway show for each of them.^[12]^[13] The producers of the show were Michael Grace (who was also one of the lyricists as well), Stanley Gilky, and Harry Rigby.^[14]

The sketches were written by Jean Kerr, Sumner Lock-Elliot, Arthur Macrae, Herbert Farjeon, Lauri Wylie and Billy K. Wells.^[15]

The show was a modernized version of Murray Anderson's Almanac (1929). The 1929 version was directed by Harry Ruskin, William Hollbrook, and John Murray Anderson of this 1953 version.

Henry Sullivan composed music for both shows.^[16] A few years before the 1953 show, John Murray Anderson and Henry Sullivan composed the music for the off-camera scenes in the film The Greatest Show on Earth (1952).^[17]

Songs

Act 1

Prologue: Harlequinade – Pierrette Ensemble, Jimmy Albright, Lee Becker, Hank Brunjes, Carleton Carpenter, Ronald Cecill, Dean Crane, Nanci Crompton, Imelda De Martin, Dorothy Dushock, James Jewell, Gerard Leavitt, Celia Lipton, Greb Lober, Ralph McWilliams, Harry Mimmo, Ilona Murai, Margot Myers, Gwen Neilson, Gloria Smith
Queen for a Day
My Cousin Who? – Billy DeWolfe, Jimmy Albright, Ronald Cecill, Dean Crane, Celia Lipton, Ralph McWilliams, Illona Murai, Gwen Neilson, Kenneth Urmston, Toni Wheelis
You're So Much a Part of Me – Carleton Carpenter, Elaine Dunn
I Dare to Dream – Polly Bergen
The Cello – Hermione Gingold
Mark Twain – Harry Belafonte, Millard Thomas (Guitarist)
The Nightingale and the Rose – Jimmy Albright, Hank Brunjes, Ronald Cecill, James Jewell, Gerard Leavitt, Celia Lipton, Greb Lober, Tina Louise, Ralph McWilliams, Margot Myers, Gwen Neilson, George Reeder, Siri, Gloria Smith, Monique Van Vooren
My Love is a Wanderer
Kay Medford, shown here in an image from 1964, would go on to win the 1954 Theater World Award for Lullaby (1954) and the 1964 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her work in Funny Girl (1964).^[18]
The Pan Alley (Mammy Songs, Rhythm Songs, Torch Songs, Patriotic Songs)– Lee Becker, Carleton Carpenter, Ronald Cecill, Dean Crane, Imelda De Martin, Dorothy Dushock, Jay Harnick, Larry Kert, Bob Kole, Gerard Leavitt, Greb Lober, Ralph McWilliams, Illona Murai, Margot Myers, George Reeder, Gloria Smith, Kenneth Urmston
Hope you Come Back – Polly Bergen, Billy DeWolfe, Hermione Gingold, Nanci Crompton, Elaine Dunn, Kay Medford

Act 2

Larry Kert would later go on to be Tony in West Side Story (1957).^[19] Seen in image from the 1957 Broadway musical.
If Every Month Were June – Celia Lipton
Which Witch – Hermione Gingold (song by Charles Zwar)^[20]
La Loge – Polly Bergen, Jay Harnick
Acorn in the Meadow – Harry Belafonte
When Am I Going to Meet your Mother? – Carleton Carpenter, Elaine Dunn, singer/dancer
Dinner for One – Billy DeWolfe, Hermione Gingold
Hold 'em Joe – Harry Belafonte, Colleen Hutchins, Illona Murai, George Reeder, Gloria Smith, and Monique Van Vooren (dancers) (song by Harry Thomas)
La Pistachio – Billy DeWolfe, Kay Medford

Musical works


Title	Year (Creation/ Publication)	Lyricist	Composer
You're so much a part of me^[21]	1951		Richard Adler and Jerry Ross
Fini^[22]	1953		Richard Adler and Jerry Ross
The earth and sky^[23]	1953		John Rox
Acorn in the meadow^[24]	1953		Richard Adler and Jerry Ross
Anema e core: With all my heart and soul.^[25]	1954	Mann Curtis Harry Akst Tito Manlio	Salve D'Esposito
Mark Twain^[26]	1954		Harry Belafonte
Hold 'em Joe^[27]	1954		Harry Belafonte

Critical response

Brooks Atkinson reviewing for The New York Times called it a "bright and brilliant show", and had special praise for Hermione Gingold, who "gives herself artistic airs that are hilarious", and Harry Belafonte's "Mark Twain" performance, "expository style as a singer and actor makes it the 'Almanac's' high point in theatrical artistry." However, Atkinson wrote that the "Almanac is more distinguished for its humor. Jean Kerr...has written a gruesome jest about horror literature, 'My Cousin Who?'"^[28]

Awards

Theater Awards Awarded to Cast Members
Actor	Award	Category	Year
Harry Belafonte	Tony Award	Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical	1954
Harry Belafonte	Theater World Awards	Award Winner	1954
Harry Belafonte	Donaldson Award	Best Featured Actor in a Musical^[29]	1954
Orson Bean	Theater World Awards	Award Winner	1954
Billy De Wolfe	Donaldson Awards	Best Actor Debut in a Musical^[29]	1954
Hermione Gingold	Donaldson Awards	Best Actress Debut in a Musical^[29]	1954

Note: Hermione Gingold would go on to make a cameo in the film Around the World in 80 Days (1956).^[30]

References

^ ^a ^b "Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter (Production Credits)".
^ "Billy DeWolfe (Playbill)".
^ "Mayerling (Producers' Showcase)", Wikipedia, 2023-02-21, retrieved 2023-08-31
^ "Hotel Paradiso (Broadway show)".
^ "MURRAY ANDERSON'S ALMANAC", Show Music on Record, retrieved 2023-08-18
^ "John Murray Anderson's Almanac (Playbill)".
^ "John Murray Anderson's Almanac (Original Broadway Production, 1953) | Ovrtur". ovrtur.com. Retrieved 2023-09-30.
^ "Raoul Pene Du Bois".
^ Stanley Green, The World of Musical Comedy (New York: Da Capo Press, 1984), p. 271
^ "Richard Adler". The Official Masterworks Broadway Site. Retrieved 2023-08-06.
^ "Richard Adler | Songwriters Hall of Fame". www.songhall.org. Retrieved 2023-08-06.
^ "Jerry Ross | Songwriters Hall of Fame". www.songhall.org. Retrieved 2023-08-06.
^ "Richard Adler Obituary (Playbill)".
^ "John Murray Anderson's Almanac – Broadway Musical – Original | IBDB". www.ibdb.com. Retrieved 2023-05-29.
^ "John Murray Anderson's Almanac (Playbill)".
^ "Murray Anderson's Almanac".
^ "WebVoyage Titles". cocatalog.loc.gov. Retrieved 2023-08-30.
^ "Kay Medford (Playbill)".
^ "Larry Kert (Performer) (Playbill)".
^ “Obituary—Charles Zwar: Australian Exponent of West End Revue”, The Times [London], 7 Dec. 1989.
^ "Almanac". lcweb2.loc.gov. Retrieved 2023-08-29.
^ "Almanac". lcweb2.loc.gov. Retrieved 2023-08-29.
^ "Almanac". lcweb2.loc.gov. Retrieved 2023-08-29.
^ "Almanac". lcweb2.loc.gov. Retrieved 2023-08-29.
^ "Almanac". lcweb2.loc.gov. Retrieved 2023-08-29.
^ "Almanac". lcweb2.loc.gov. Retrieved 2023-08-29.
^ "Almanac". lcweb2.loc.gov. Retrieved 2023-08-29.
^ Atkinson, Brooks. "John Muray Anderson Brings Hermione Gingold and an 'Almanac' to Town", The New York Times, December 11, 1953, p. 42
^ ^a ^b ^c "Billboard Magazine (1954) Award winners for Almanac on page 52".
^ "Hermione Gingold", Wikipedia, 2023-08-29, retrieved 2023-08-30

External links

John Murray Anderson's Almanac at the Internet Broadway Database

[:1-1] "Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter (Production Credits)".

[2] "Billy DeWolfe (Playbill)".

[3] "Mayerling (Producers' Showcase)", Wikipedia, 2023-02-21, retrieved 2023-08-31

[4] "Hotel Paradiso (Broadway show)".

[5] "MURRAY ANDERSON'S ALMANAC", Show Music on Record, retrieved 2023-08-18

[6] "John Murray Anderson's Almanac (Playbill)".

[7] "John Murray Anderson's Almanac (Original Broadway Production, 1953) | Ovrtur". ovrtur.com. Retrieved 2023-09-30.

[8] "Raoul Pene Du Bois".

[9] Stanley Green, The World of Musical Comedy (New York: Da Capo Press, 1984), p. 271

[10] "Richard Adler". The Official Masterworks Broadway Site. Retrieved 2023-08-06.

[11] "Richard Adler | Songwriters Hall of Fame". www.songhall.org. Retrieved 2023-08-06.

[12] "Jerry Ross | Songwriters Hall of Fame". www.songhall.org. Retrieved 2023-08-06.

[13] "Richard Adler Obituary (Playbill)".

[14] "John Murray Anderson's Almanac – Broadway Musical – Original | IBDB". www.ibdb.com. Retrieved 2023-05-29.

[15] "John Murray Anderson's Almanac (Playbill)".

[16] "Murray Anderson's Almanac".

[17] "WebVoyage Titles". cocatalog.loc.gov. Retrieved 2023-08-30.

[18] "Kay Medford (Playbill)".

[19] "Larry Kert (Performer) (Playbill)".

[20] “Obituary—Charles Zwar: Australian Exponent of West End Revue”, The Times [London], 7 Dec. 1989.

[21] "Almanac". lcweb2.loc.gov. Retrieved 2023-08-29.

[22] "Almanac". lcweb2.loc.gov. Retrieved 2023-08-29.

[23] "Almanac". lcweb2.loc.gov. Retrieved 2023-08-29.

[24] "Almanac". lcweb2.loc.gov. Retrieved 2023-08-29.

[25] "Almanac". lcweb2.loc.gov. Retrieved 2023-08-29.

[26] "Almanac". lcweb2.loc.gov. Retrieved 2023-08-29.

[27] "Almanac". lcweb2.loc.gov. Retrieved 2023-08-29.

[28] Atkinson, Brooks. "John Muray Anderson Brings Hermione Gingold and an 'Almanac' to Town", The New York Times, December 11, 1953, p. 42

[:0-29] "Billboard Magazine (1954) Award winners for Almanac on page 52".

[30] "Hermione Gingold", Wikipedia, 2023-08-29, retrieved 2023-08-30

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John Murray Anderson's Almanac

Productions

Songs

Musical works

Critical response

Awards

References

External links

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