A Funny Woman and Make Your Own Thursday Headlines

 

Courtesy Silver Screen Suppers.

This week's spotlight is divided in two, shining on the Ziegfeld Follies of 1916 and Ziegfeld Follies of 1917, which opened on June 12 of their respective years at the New Amsterdam. 

Fanny Brice, who returned to Broadway in 1916 after a three-year absence, appeared alongside talent like Marion Davies (who made her lone Follies appearance in 1916), Eddie Cantor (who made his Follies and Broadway debut in 1917), Will Rogers (who made his Follies debut in 1917, but wasn't new to revues), and "William C." Fields (who briefly went by his full first name in 1916).

The IBDB pages for the 1916 and 1917 Follies' songs don't reveal any that I'm familar with. "Second Hand Rose" and "My Man" were introduced on Broadway in 1921. Fanny's involvement with the Ziegfeld Follies began in 1910 (during their fourth installment) and outlasted the man himself. He died in 1932, and Fanny, married at the time to Billy Rose, appeared in the 1934 and 1936 Follies, both of which were produced by the widow Billie Burke Ziegfeld. Alas, Funny Lady didn't include scenes about that situation.

Courtesy YouTube.

Also opening on this day:

Wally's Cafe, a 12-performance flop in 1981 at the Brooks Atkinson (now the Lena Horne). I'm including it because was the last of four quickly-closed plays from the team of Sam Bobrick & Ron Clark, none of which ever lasted for longer than two weeks. Bobrick went on to create Saved by the Bell. Also, Wally's Cafe was the second and last Broadway directing gig for stage manager-turned-producer Fritz Holt, the return to Broadway after a decade for James Coco, the return to Broadway after more than a half-decade for Rita Moreno, and the Broadway debut for Sally Struthers. Rita and Sally would reunite in 1985 (on June 11th, no less) for the female version of The Odd Couple, which Sally said improved as an experience once Rita left.

Next week, there's lots of goodwill and maybe one small thrill, but there's nothin' dirty goin' on!