Forty-five Minutes from Broadway
Encyclopedia
Forty-Five Minutes From Broadway is a three-act musical
by George M. Cohan
written about New Rochelle, New York
. The play's title refers to the 45-minute train ride from New Rochelle to Broadway
.
The play debuted on January 1, 1906 at the New Amsterdam Theatre
and ran for 90 performances before closing on March 17. The role of Mary Jane Jenkins was created by Fay Templeton
and Kid Burns was played by Victor Moore
. The musical re-opened later the same year, on November 5, at the New York Theatre
with the cast almost entirely intact. It played there for an additional 32 performances before closing on December 1. Its only other Broadway revival occurred from March 14 to April 13, 1912 at the George M. Cohan Theatre, where it ran for 36 performances with a different cast.
The play is remembered for several songs, such as its title song, "Forty-five Minutes from Broadway", originally sung by Moore, and for tunes about its leading lady character, "Mary Is a Grand Old Name" and "So Long Mary", both sung in the debut production by Templeton, which were presented in recreations of the original stage play within the 1942 film Yankee Doodle Dandy
.
As staged in the film Yankee Doodle Dandy
(1942), starring James Cagney
, this sentimental song is lightened by a scene in which her luggage springs open. Her male admirers politely gather her bloomers and petticoats, and repack for the blushing Mary, while they continue singing.
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
by George M. Cohan
George M. Cohan
George Michael Cohan , known professionally as George M. Cohan, was a major American entertainer, playwright, composer, lyricist, actor, singer, dancer, and producer....
written about New Rochelle, New York
New Rochelle, New York
New Rochelle is a city in Westchester County, New York, United States, in the southeastern portion of the state.The town was settled by refugee Huguenots in 1688 who were fleeing persecution in France...
. The play's title refers to the 45-minute train ride from New Rochelle to Broadway
Broadway (New York City)
Broadway is a prominent avenue in New York City, United States, which runs through the full length of the borough of Manhattan and continues northward through the Bronx borough before terminating in Westchester County, New York. It is the oldest north–south main thoroughfare in the city, dating to...
.
The play debuted on January 1, 1906 at the New Amsterdam Theatre
New Amsterdam Theatre
The New Amsterdam Theatre is a Broadway theater located at 214 West 42nd Street between Seventh and Eighth Avenues in the Theatre District of Manhattan, New York City, off of Times Square...
and ran for 90 performances before closing on March 17. The role of Mary Jane Jenkins was created by Fay Templeton
Fay Templeton
Fay Templeton was an American stage actress.Her parents were actors/vaudevillians and she followed in their footsteps, making her Broadway debut in 1900. She continued to appear there until 1934...
and Kid Burns was played by Victor Moore
Victor Moore
Victor Frederick Moore was an American actor of stage and screen, as well as a comedian, writer, and director.-Personal life:...
. The musical re-opened later the same year, on November 5, at the New York Theatre
Olympia Theatre (New York)
The Olympia Theatre , also known as Hammerstein's Olympia, was a theatre complex built by impresario Oscar Hammerstein I in Longacre Square , New York City, opening in 1895. It consisted of a theatre, a music hall, a concert hall, and a roof garden...
with the cast almost entirely intact. It played there for an additional 32 performances before closing on December 1. Its only other Broadway revival occurred from March 14 to April 13, 1912 at the George M. Cohan Theatre, where it ran for 36 performances with a different cast.
The play is remembered for several songs, such as its title song, "Forty-five Minutes from Broadway", originally sung by Moore, and for tunes about its leading lady character, "Mary Is a Grand Old Name" and "So Long Mary", both sung in the debut production by Templeton, which were presented in recreations of the original stage play within the 1942 film Yankee Doodle Dandy
Yankee Doodle Dandy
Yankee Doodle Dandy is a 1942 American biographical musical film about George M. Cohan, known as "The Man Who Owns Broadway". It stars James Cagney, Joan Leslie, Walter Huston, and Richard Whorf, and features Irene Manning, George Tobias, Rosemary DeCamp and Jeanne Cagney.The movie was written by...
.
Forty-five Minutes from Broadway
- Only forty-five minutes from Broadway
- Think of the changes it brings
- For the short time it takes
- What a diff'rence it makes
- In the ways of the people and things
- Oh, what a fine bunch of reubens
- Oh, what a jay atmosphere
- They have whiskers like hay
- And imagine Broadway
- Only forty-five minutes from here
Mary Is a Grand Old Name
- For it is Mary; Mary
- Plain as any name can be
- But with propriety, society
- Will say, "Marie"
- But it was Mary; Mary
- Long before the fashions came
- And there is something there
- That sounds so square
- It's a grand old name
So Long Mary
- Mary: It's awfully nice of all you boys to see me to the train
- Chorus: So long, Mary
- Mary: I didn't think you'd care if you should ne'er see me again
- Chorus: You're wrong, Mary
- Mary: This reminds me of my family / On the day I left SchenectadySchenectady, New YorkSchenectady is a city in Schenectady County, New York, United States, of which it is the county seat. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 66,135...
- Chorus: So long, Mary / Don't forget to come back home
As staged in the film Yankee Doodle Dandy
Yankee Doodle Dandy
Yankee Doodle Dandy is a 1942 American biographical musical film about George M. Cohan, known as "The Man Who Owns Broadway". It stars James Cagney, Joan Leslie, Walter Huston, and Richard Whorf, and features Irene Manning, George Tobias, Rosemary DeCamp and Jeanne Cagney.The movie was written by...
(1942), starring James Cagney
James Cagney
James Francis Cagney, Jr. was an American actor, first on stage, then in film, where he had his greatest impact. Although he won acclaim and major awards for a wide variety of performances, he is best remembered for playing "tough guys." In 1999, the American Film Institute ranked him eighth...
, this sentimental song is lightened by a scene in which her luggage springs open. Her male admirers politely gather her bloomers and petticoats, and repack for the blushing Mary, while they continue singing.