By Ligia Fernandez
To access past Entertainers columns, click on the Entertainers archive
link to the left.
October 2007
|
Source:
rhodaonline.com
|
Nancy Walker
(1922 - 1992)
|
|
Nancy Walker will forever be immortalized on television as
Rhoda Morgenstern's domineering mother Ida on The Mary Tyler Moore Show
and its spin-off Rhoda and waitress Rosie in a series of
memorable ads for Bounty paper towels. But she began
her career in the Broadway musical BEST FOOT FORWARD in 1941, singing the
popular ditty, "The Three Bs," with castmate (and future MGM musical star)
June Allyson.
She was next cast in perhaps her best-known musical role,
saucy lady cabbie Hildy trying to land the sailor of her dreams in the
original ON THE TOWN, introducing the classic showstoppers, "I Can Cook Too"
and "Come To My Place."
Walker's other musical appearances include the Broadway
revues ALONG FIFTH AVENUE, PHOENIX '55, THE GIRLS AGAINST THE BOYS and
FOLIES BERGERE. Her last major musical role has opposite Phil Silvers
in Styne, Comden & Green's DO RE MI (1961). Both she and Silvers were
nominated for Tonys that year but went home empty-handed.
Her final Broadway appearance was at the gala benefit,
SONDHEIM: A MUSICAL TRIBUTE, in 1973 where she performed the ultimate
survivor's anthem, "I'm Still Here" from FOLLIES. |
|
Source: Answers.com |
Raul Esparza
(1970 - ) |
|
One of the most respected actors on the Broadway musical
scene today, Raul Esparza made his Broadway debut as one of original star
Alan Cumming's many replacements for the Master of Ceremonies role in the
long-running Studio 54 revival of CABARET. He then
drew major attention (and a Theatre World award) for another revival, THE
ROCKY HORROR SHOW as Riff Raff. In off-Broadway's TICK..TICK...BOOM
by RENT composer Jonathan Larson, he landed an Obie Award
playing Jon, an aspiring New York songwriter loosely based on Larson
himself.
Over the last few seasons, he appeared the original casts
TABOO (Philip Sallon) and CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG (Caractacus
Potts). He was Tony-nominated this past season as commitment-phobic
bachelor Bobby in the revival of Stephen Sondheim's COMPANY.
He is set to debut later this year opposite Ian McShane
and Michael McKean in his first major non-musical Broadway role in the drama
THE HOMECOMING at the Cort Theatre. You can also
catch him on film in the new DVD release SHOW BUSINESS: THE ROAD TO BROADWAY
which chronicles the making of the musicals TABOO, WICKED, CAROLINE OR
CHANGE and AVENUE Q. Esparza is prominently featured in the TABOO
sequences. (For more info on this DVD, please see our
New Releases page.) |
|
|
|
|
