This is a black and white kinescope of a live color broadcast from 1958. It re-teams the leads from the original Broadway production of "Kiss Me, Kate." Its leading man, Alfred Drake, was that rarity: a completely accomplished actor with a magnificent singing voice. He did this broadcast while he was in the midst of distinguishing himself as a classical actor at Stratford Connecticut's American Shakespeare Festival, playing "Benedick" opposite Katharine Hepburn in "Much Ado about Nothing," and as "Iago" opposite Earl Hyman's "Othello." The role of "Petruchio" fit him like a glove. His verse speaking still sets a standard for Shakespearian acting, and his singing of "So in Love," "I've Come to Wive it Wealthily in Padua," and "Where is the Life that Late I Led?" are exciting and exemplary. Patricia Morrison was a great beauty who made a number of "B" movies in the 1940's. She too was a wonderful singer and actress. She shines in "I Hate Men," and her duets with Drake such as "Wunderbar" and the first act finale. Miss Morrison reprised this part many times on stage, and came to "own" the role of "Kate." A very young Jack Klugman plays the "Second Man" and sings and dances "Brush up your Shakespeare" with Harvey Lembeck. Future cabaret star Julie Wilson is a knock-out as "Bianca." The show is cut to fit a 90 minute time slot, with the role of "Lucientio" played by Bill Hayes taking a huge hit. It was a star dancing role originally, but is so reduced that non-dancer Hayes is able to do all that is required of him. Missing are the songs "Too Darn Hot," "Bianca," and "Were Thine that Special Face," but what remains is a marvelous record of a great singing actor and a great singing actress, and of the resourcefulness and energy of the golden age of live television.
4 Reviews
An amazing surprise!
standardmetal2 December 2003
I didn't know that this existed but I was surfing through the channels last night and this appeared (near the beginning). (The listings gave the cast of the 1953 film.) The kinescope is not in great shape but I did immediately recognize Alfred Drake and Patricia Morison who were absolutely authoritative in the parts that they originated on the Broadway stage. I also liked Bill Hayes as Bill Calhoun-Lucentio even though I missed the dancing of Harold Lang.
(Updated 2018) It should be pointed out that Patricia Morison died only this year at the age of 103!!!
I thought Klugman and Lembeck were fine as the educated thugs though not as good as Wynn and Whitmore were in the film. I was less enthused about Julie Wilson as Lois-Bianca.
I got a big kick out of "Tom, Dick and Harry" even if it was better done in the film by Ann Miller (Cole was really incorrigible!!) and the backstage settings were satisfactory. But it's clear that Keel and Grayson were outshone in this version by the two original leads. (I saw the original production as a child.)
Ed
(Updated 2018) It should be pointed out that Patricia Morison died only this year at the age of 103!!!
I thought Klugman and Lembeck were fine as the educated thugs though not as good as Wynn and Whitmore were in the film. I was less enthused about Julie Wilson as Lois-Bianca.
I got a big kick out of "Tom, Dick and Harry" even if it was better done in the film by Ann Miller (Cole was really incorrigible!!) and the backstage settings were satisfactory. But it's clear that Keel and Grayson were outshone in this version by the two original leads. (I saw the original production as a child.)
Ed
A preserved treasure
bkoganbing14 July 2020
For those aged among us who might have seen Alfred Drake on stage this preserved
Hallmark Hall Of Fame tape is a real treat. It is a filmed record of Drake in on
of his most acclaimed starring roles, that of Fred Graham in Cole Porter's Kiss Me
Kate.
Doubly important it is a filmed record of Drake's Broadway leading lady in her career role as Graham's estranged wife Lilli Vanessi. Before she did Kiss Me Kate on Broadway, Patricia Morison did a lot of potboiler B films with no clue to the talent she possessed. She must have and we can be grateful that we have a filmed record of her as well.
Some of the numbers Cole Porter wrote have been eliminated, but the plot which mixes the bacstage drama with a musical comedy performance of The Taming Of The Shrerw in a real treat. In a couple of spots the dialog is updated to reflect the Eisenhower as opposed to the Truman years.
Kiss Me Kate given its source is a real challenge for players. In the case of Alfred Drake he had a classical theater background as well as a great musical comedy voice which made him the perfect lead.
Arthur Freed at MGM did a grand job with the film of Kiss Me Kate. But we are so lucky to have this filmed record of the two original leads.
Doubly important it is a filmed record of Drake's Broadway leading lady in her career role as Graham's estranged wife Lilli Vanessi. Before she did Kiss Me Kate on Broadway, Patricia Morison did a lot of potboiler B films with no clue to the talent she possessed. She must have and we can be grateful that we have a filmed record of her as well.
Some of the numbers Cole Porter wrote have been eliminated, but the plot which mixes the bacstage drama with a musical comedy performance of The Taming Of The Shrerw in a real treat. In a couple of spots the dialog is updated to reflect the Eisenhower as opposed to the Truman years.
Kiss Me Kate given its source is a real challenge for players. In the case of Alfred Drake he had a classical theater background as well as a great musical comedy voice which made him the perfect lead.
Arthur Freed at MGM did a grand job with the film of Kiss Me Kate. But we are so lucky to have this filmed record of the two original leads.
Another openin' of Cole's best show....
mark.waltz11 August 2014
Warning: Spoilers
To get to see the original stars of a Broadway musical repeat their parts for the sometimes edited television version is still an important part of our theater heritage. We'll never have the chance to see most of these incredible performances, but a few managed to get onto either the big screen or the little screen. Merman had played Reno Sweeney on the big screen once (the 1936 version) but was served better by the television version, and also got to play "Panama Hattie". Somewhere out there may still exist her in the much edited "Annie Get Your Gun" special from the late 1960's, while original national tour Annie (Mary Martin) got the full treatment that exists through kine-scope. She got to play both Nellie Forbush and Peter Pan on T.V., but sadly this T.V. production of "South Pacific" has not seen the light of day outside a few private collectors.
"Kiss Me Kate" was one of the greatest hits of the golden age of the Broadway musical, and a fairly faithful film version was a huge hit. However, like most movie musicals, the original Broadway stars did not get to be on screen, at least until the Hallmark Hall of Fame did their own version five years later. Alfred Drake and Patricia Morison were not house-hold names, although Drake had originated the role of Curley in "Oklahoma!" and Morison was a veteran movie "dark lady". They reunited a decade after the show's Broadway premiere for this black and white version which may be lacking in the color of the movie (as well as 3-D) but is of more historical value both for Broadway history and T.V. history.
Lisa Kirk and Harold Lang originated the roles of Lois and Bill, but were replaced here by the fantastic Julie Wilson and future "Days of Our Lives" heartthrob Bill Hayes (of Broadway's "Me and Juliet") who shine in the lighter roles of the second leads. Harvey Lembeck and Jack Klugman are hysterically funny in the brief scene-stealing roles of the gangsters out to make sure that Morison's temperamental Lilli Vanessi does not leave the theater, providing viewers with "Brush Up Your Shakespeare", one of Cole Porter's wittiest lyrics. Some of the original songs are restored to their original place in the script, but the book has been greatly edited to fit its original running time on T.V. Still, if less is more, I'll take this over most of the crap being put on T.V. today.
An interesting side-note concerning Patricia Morison is her recent appearance, at age 100, to sing a song from "Kiss Me Kate" at a Broadway event. Bravo to the original Lilli/Kate for being such a trooper and certainly for being a survivor!
"Kiss Me Kate" was one of the greatest hits of the golden age of the Broadway musical, and a fairly faithful film version was a huge hit. However, like most movie musicals, the original Broadway stars did not get to be on screen, at least until the Hallmark Hall of Fame did their own version five years later. Alfred Drake and Patricia Morison were not house-hold names, although Drake had originated the role of Curley in "Oklahoma!" and Morison was a veteran movie "dark lady". They reunited a decade after the show's Broadway premiere for this black and white version which may be lacking in the color of the movie (as well as 3-D) but is of more historical value both for Broadway history and T.V. history.
Lisa Kirk and Harold Lang originated the roles of Lois and Bill, but were replaced here by the fantastic Julie Wilson and future "Days of Our Lives" heartthrob Bill Hayes (of Broadway's "Me and Juliet") who shine in the lighter roles of the second leads. Harvey Lembeck and Jack Klugman are hysterically funny in the brief scene-stealing roles of the gangsters out to make sure that Morison's temperamental Lilli Vanessi does not leave the theater, providing viewers with "Brush Up Your Shakespeare", one of Cole Porter's wittiest lyrics. Some of the original songs are restored to their original place in the script, but the book has been greatly edited to fit its original running time on T.V. Still, if less is more, I'll take this over most of the crap being put on T.V. today.
An interesting side-note concerning Patricia Morison is her recent appearance, at age 100, to sing a song from "Kiss Me Kate" at a Broadway event. Bravo to the original Lilli/Kate for being such a trooper and certainly for being a survivor!
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
