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Among the classics of musical theater, one of the most cherished productions is one that was originally created for television: Rodgers & Hammerstein's "Cinderella," starring Julie Andrews and a cast including Kaye Ballard, Alice Ghostley, and Edie Adams. An enchanting musical adaptation of the classic fairy tale, it was watched by an astounding 107 million viewers during its 1957 network premiere, but amazingly the film has not been seen, or in fact available in any format, since that initial telecast. "Impossible things are happening every day," however, and now GREAT PERFORMANCES grants the wishes of musical theater fans everywhere, presenting the restored original film for the first time in nearly half a century. Cinderella herself, Julie Andrews, hosts the program, recalling fond memories and backstage stories from the landmark show that includes classic Rodgers & Hammerstein songs like "In My Own Little Corner," "Ten Minutes Ago," and "Do I Love You Because You're Beautiful?".
Rodgers and Hammerstein stayed faithful to the original Charles Perrault tale and worked on their adaptation for eight months. The final CBS production, which premiered on March 31, 1957, cost a princely $375,000 and a cast album, recorded only two weeks earlier, was released to coincide with the broadcast. Get more details about the musical, the only one the famous duo ever wrote specifically for television, in the essay by author and theater professor Thomas Hischak. Browse biographies of both Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein in the Multimedia Presentation. Find a directory of the songs and music from the production in the song list.
Additional funding for this program was provided by the LuEsther T. Mertz Charitable Trust and the Irene Diamond Fund.
Top banner photos: Jon Cypher as the Prince (CBS Photo Archives), a scene from the ball (Photofest), and Julie Andrews as Cinderella (CBS Photo Archives). |
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Cinderella's stepmother (Ilka Chase) with her stepsisters, Portia (Kaye Ballard) and Joy (Alice Ghostley). |
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Julie Andrews took a short break from her role in "My Fair Lady" on Broadway to appear in this television broadcast. |
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The DVD is available. |
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