After a limited engagement at City Center starring Bob Fosse, Pal Joey returned to Broadway at the Circle in the Square Theatre, this time presented in the round – a challenging obstacle for shows designed for the proscenium. The rehearsal process was plagued with challenges and conflict; ballet dancer/choreographer Edward Villella, who was originally cast as Joey, struggled to sing … Read More
1963 City Center Revival
“From the moment that the orchestra struck up the overture, it was evident that the audience was ready for an evening with an old favorite,” reported The New York Times on May 30, 1963. In a brief, limited-run revival at New York City Center, Bob Fosse starred as the titular cad in Pal Joey, which ran a “bright” production two … Read More
1995 New York City Center
Released October 12, 1995 by DRG, this recording of the New York City Center Encores! production features Peter Gallagher, Patti LuPone, Vicki Lewis, Daisy Prince and Bebe Neuwirth. Under Rob Fisher’s musical direction, the orchestra plays Hans Spialek’s original orchestrations, and the album includes one rare song, “I’m Talkin’ to My Pal,” which was from the original production during previews.
1957 Motion Picture
On October 25, 1957, Columbia Studios released the film adaptation of Pal Joey, and it became a box office smash. Starring Frank Sinatra, Rita Hayworth and Kim Novak, the film was set against the romantic, foggy backdrop of San Francisco. Though other leading men – including Gene Kelly, Marlon Brando, Kirk Douglas and Jack Lemmon – had been considered for … Read More
1980 London Cast Recording
Starring Sian Phillips and Denis Lawson, this recording preserves the cast of 1980’s West End revival of Pal Joey at the Albery Theatre, under the music direction of Trevor York.
1954 West End Premiere
Arriving at the Prince’s Theatre in London after a week of previews in Oxford, Pal Joey offered British audiences a peek into another side of the American character, exploring a cynicism they had not seen in wistfully romantic shows like Oklahoma! or Annie Get Your Gun. The London Daily Herald called it “a musical comedy of real class,” adding “The … Read More
1952 Broadway Cast Recording
Orchestrated by Don Walker under the musical direction of Max Meth, this Capitol record brings together several members of the first Broadway revival cast of Pal Joey, including Helen Gallagher as Gladys and Elaine Stritch, who made a splash singing the suddenly show-stopping cynical lament “Zip.” Vivienne Segal and Harold Lang had already recorded the score on Columbia’s 1950 Studio … Read More
1952 Broadway Revival
“As an augury of a Happy New Year, the town has inherited a brilliant production of Pal Joey, which opened at the Broadhurst,” wrote The New York Times theatre critic Brooks Atkinson in his review of Broadway’s first revival of the groundbreaking Rodgers & Hart smash. The production played for 540 performances, almost 200 more than its original production. Starring … Read More
1950 Studio Cast Recording
Recorded in September of 1950, the Columbia Studio Cast album of Pal Joey came at a convenient time, soon after the advancement of long-playing record technology. In 1948, Columbia had released their first LP record, allowing listeners to listen to an entire show without having to flip a disc every few songs. This record was among a group of recordings, … Read More
1940 Original Broadway Production
On Christmas Day, 1940, Rodgers and Hart’s Pal Joey opened on Broadway at the Barrymore Theatre, featuring a book by John O’Hara, who adapted his stories from The New Yorker. Staged by George Abbott, the show would become a landmark in American theatre history as one of the first to help progress the American musical into a fine art form, … Read More