January 13, 2021

20,000 vinyl LPs 264: New Girl in Town ~ Gwen Verdon

  ~       
         
Today, January 13, is the birthday of Gwen Verdon, an actress and dancer, one of the greats of Broadway.       
 
I never actually saw her perform but I bought every vinyl LP of the shows she was in; her most famous, of course, was as Lola in Damn Yankees. But of all of them, my favorite was her show New Girl in Town.       
      
     
     
vinyl LP front cover detail 
cover design by Oscar Liebman 
detail photo by Styrous®
         
         
New Girl in Town is a musical that opened on May 14, 1957. It is based upon the  Eugene O'Neill play, Anna Christie, the story of Anna (Gwen Verdon), an ex-street walker who has returned home to her Swedish father, Chris Christopherson (Cameron Prud'homme), a retired sailor who knows nothing of her past with she, determined to forget it.        


vinyl LP front cover 
cover design by Oscar Liebman
photo by Styrous®


In addition to Gwen Verdon, veteran Broadway and film actress, Thelma Ritter was her co-star. Ritter was the recipient of a Tony Award and six nominations for Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, more than any other actress in the category.         
 
 

vinyl LP front cover detail
cover design by Oscar Liebman
detail photo by Styrous®
 
 
Gwen Verdon center
photographer unknown
 
 
The basic story line is Anna (Gwen Verdon) is trying to live down her past and find love with a young sailor, Mat Burke (George Wallace), but Marthy (Thelma Ritter), the jealous common law wife of Christopherson, tries to prevent her from accomplishing that (plot link below).       


Gwen Verdon as Anna - 1957
photographer unknown


There are some great songs in the production; as with most musicals of that period the songs range from the raucous to the romantic. The music and lyrics are by Bob Merrill who went on to work on many other shows: Take Me Along with Jackie Gleason in 1959, Carnival! which is is based on the 1953 film Lili and starred Anna Maria Alberghetti, Funny Girl with Barbra Streisand and many other shows.              
 
 
vinyl LP front cover detail
cover design by Oscar Liebman
detail photo by Styrous®


The show takes place on the docks of the New York City waterfront at the beginning of the twentieth century and the music brilliantly reflects the time and local. The song, The Sunshine Girl (not to be confused by the 1968 song of the same name by Herman's Hermits), is a ragtime cakewalk complete with banjo and some great harmonizing by a quartet of men.        


Gwen Verdon center 
photographer unknown
 
 
In down-home, 1910 New York style, there are Roll Yer Socks Up, a joyous and lively tune by the dock workers, their wives, girlfriends, whatever; At The Check Apron Ball and There Ain't No Flies On Me: "When I get dressed in all my best, I win every prize, I ain't got no flies."            


vinyl LP front cover detail
cover design by Oscar Liebman
detail photo by Styrous®


In the lovely vein there is a beautiful paean of the love only a father can have for his daughter; Anna Lilla, is sung by Anna's father, Cameron Prud'homme, when she first returns home..               
 
 
New Girl in Town
production photo
photographer unknown




In the romantic vein are plenty of tunes; there is the beautiful, Did You Close Your Eyes?, sung by Gwen Verdon and George Wallace; It's Good To Be Alive sung by Verdon and Look At 'Er sung by Wallace.  
               
 


vinyl LP back cover detail 
detail photo by Styrous®


Of course there has to be the broken heart song or two; it has that If That Was Love, sung by Verdon, is a reflection on the disappointment of  a love gone sour.           


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vinyl LP back cover detail 
detail photo by Styrous®


There has to be a fun song; there are several. The song, Flings, sung by Lulu Bates, Mara Landi and Thelma Ritter is one. "Flings is wonderful things but they've gotta be flung while young." Carol Burnett and Martha Raye did a cover of the song.       




Yer My Friend Ain'tcha? (Cameron Prud'homme and Thelma Ritter) and Ven I Valse (Verdon and Prud'homme) fit into the fun slot.                
 
 
 

vinyl LP back cover detail 
detail photo by Styrous®


Gwen Verdon was born in Culver City, California, in 1925. As a toddler, she had rickets, which left her legs so badly misshapen she was called "Gimpy" by other children and spent her early years in orthopedic boots and rigid leg braces. Her mother put the three-year-old in dance classes. Further ballet training strengthened her legs and improved her carriage.           
         

 
vinyl LP back cover detail 
detail photo by Styrous®


 
Gwen Verdon was married to Broadway theater choreographer Bob Fosse, whom she met in 1963 while he was choreographing Damn Yankees, in which she starred. 


    Damn Yankees    
photographer unknown


Verdon won four Tony Awards for her musical comedy performances, and served as an uncredited choreographer's assistant and specialty dance coach for theater and film. With flaming red hair and a quaver in her voice, she was a critically acclaimed performer on Broadway in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. Having originated many roles in musicals she is also strongly identified with her second husband, director–choreographer Bob Fosse, remembered as the dancer–collaborator–muse for whom he choreographed much of his work and as the guardian of his legacy after his death.      
 
 
 
 
vinyl LP, side 1 
detail photo by Styrous®
 




 
vinyl LP, side 1 
detail photo by Styrous®
 
 
   
Tracklist:

Side 1:

A1 – Orchestra* - Overture    
A2 – H. F. Green And Chorus* - Roll Yer Socks Up    
A3 – Cameron Prud'homme - Anna Lilla    
A4 – Del Anderson, Eddie Phillips (2), Mark Dawson (6) - Sunshine Girl    
A5 – Gwen Verdon - On The Farm    
A6 – Thelma Ritter, Lulu Bates, Mara Landi - Flings    
A7 – Gwen Verdon - It's Good To Be Alive    
A8 – George Wallace* - Look At 'Er    
A9 – George Wallace* - It's Good To Be Alive (Reprise)

Side 2:

B1 – Thelma Ritter, Cameron Prud'homme - Yer My Friend Ain'tcha?    
B2 – Gwen Verdon, George Wallace* - Did You Close Your Eyes?    
B3 – Chorus* - At The Check Apron Ball    
B4 – Chorus* - There Ain't No Flies On Me    
B5 – Gwen Verdon, Cameron Prud'homme And Chorus* - Ven I Valse    
B6 – Chorus* - Sunshine Girl (Reprise)    
B7 – Gwen Verdon - If That Was Love    
B8 – Thelma Ritter And Chorus* - Chess And Checkers    
B9 – George Wallace* - Look At 'Er (Reprise)    

Companies, etc.

    Copyright (c) – RCA
    Copyright (c) – Radio Corporation Of America
    Pressed By – RCA Records Pressing Plant, Indianapolis

Credits:

    Adapted By (Text) [Book By] – George Abbott
    Arranged By [Dance Music Devised By] – Roger Adams
    Choreography [Dances & Musical Numbers Staged By] – Bob Fosse
    Cover – Oscar Liebman
    Directed By [Production] – George Abbott
    Liner Notes – Douglas Watt
    Music By, Lyrics By – Bob Merrill
    Music Consultant [Dance Music Devised By] – Roger Adams
    Music Director [Musical Direction] – Hal Hastings*
    Orchestrated By [Orchestrations By] – Philip J. Lang, Robert Russell Bennett
    Presenter – Frederick Brisson, Harold S. Prince*, Robert E. Griffith
    Set Designer [Production Designed By] – Rouben Ter-Arutunian
    Text By [Based On The Play "Anna Christie" By] – Eugene O'Neill

Notes:

 Stereo-Orthophonic High Fidelity Recording
 Living Stereo

Made in U.S.A.

Front cover: © RCA Printed in U.S.A.
 
Barcode and Other Identifiers

    Matrix / Runout (Label side A): J2PY-2227
    Matrix / Runout (Label side B): J2PY-2228
    Matrix / Runout (Runout stamped side A): J2 PY-2227-5S I A 1
    Matrix / Runout (Runout stamped side B): J2 PY-2228-5S I
 
Gwen Verdon, Thelma Ritter ‎– New Girl In Town (Original Cast Recording)
Label: RCA Victor ‎– LSO-1027
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo, Indianapolis Pressing
Country: US
Released: 1958
Genre: Stage & Screen
Style: Musical
 
   
         
Viewfinder links:        
         
Carol Burnett         
Bob Fosse         
Oscar Liebman         
Martha Raye       
Thelma Ritter          
Gwen Verdon        
        
Net links:        
        
Alchetron ~ Gwen Verdon         
Mark Robinson Writes ~ Broadway Blip: New Girl in Town      
Masterworks Broadway ~  Synopsis       
        
YouTube links:        
        
New Girl In Town ~        
        Ensemble ~ Roll Yer Socks Up       
        Cameron Prud'homme ~ Anna Lilla      
        Del Anderson, Mark Dawson & Eddie Phillips ~ Sunshine Girl  
        Gwen Verdon ~ On the Farm             
        Lulu Bates, Mara Landi & Thelma Ritter ~ Flings    
        Gwen Verdon ~ It's Good To Be Alive      
        George Wallace ~ Look at 'Er     
        Thelma Ritter & Cameron Prud'homme ~ Yer My Friend Ain'tcha?  
        Gwen Verdon& George Wallace ~ Did You Close Your Eyes?    
        Ensemble ~ At the Check Apron Ball     
        Ensemble ~ There Ain't No Flies on Me   
        Gwen Verdon & Cameron Prud'homme ~ Ven I Valse 
        Gwen Verdon ~ If That Was Love       
        Thelma Ritter ~ Chess and Checker s      
Carol Burnett & Martha Raye ~ Flings      
Eddie Fisher ~ Sunshine Girl       
Herman's Hermits ~ Sunshine Girl      
Bob Merrill ~ New Girl in Town documentary  
42nd Street Moon ~ New Girl In Town       
         
        
        
        
        
        
Styrous® ~ Wednesday, January 13, 2021       
       
















 

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