Here is a brief moment of Broadway history. It may be of special interest to those of you who watched the video of the 42nd Street musical that I embedded here a few days ago.
42nd Street opened at the Winter Garden Theatre in New York on August 25, 1980. It was produced by David Merrick, a producer who was famous (some would say infamous) for many hits, many feuds and many tales that involved him being not the nicest man in the world. Often, they involved him deliberately creating trouble to make others uncomfortable and/or to promote his shows. Some called him "The Abominable Showman."
The show was staged/directed by Gower Champion, who also had lots of hits and lots of stories of him not being too nice, though there were many who loved him and even more who considered him a great man of the theatre. He was not there for the opening night of what turned out to be his final show and his greatest hit. 42nd Street ran for 3,486 performances topping the previous holder of the "most performances" trophy, Hello, Dolly! — also directed by Gower Champion.
Champion was also not present for the last days of previews since he'd been hospitalized for cancer…and he died that morning of 8/25/80. The news was withheld from the public and also from the cast and crew at the Winter Garden.
The show was an obvious smash hit and the audience was standing and cheering and clapping through many bows at its close…and then Merrick wandered out onto the stage. He was nervous and twitchy and he didn't even think to grab a microphone as he signaled for the applause to stop so he could make an announcement. This is footage of that moment and he's barely audible.
He began, "This is a tragic night…" and the audience laughed, thinking that was Merrick's way of being funny during the huge on-stage celebration. Then he said, "I am sorry to have to report Gower Champion died."
The audience and cast were in shock. Folks who knew Champion began crying. It was very awkward until Jerry Orbach, who played the producer of the show within a show, called out to lower the curtain. Given the theme of 42nd Street, all about how "the show must go on," it was an eerily appropriate moment. Here it is but you won't be able to hear much…