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Top Banana (musical)
Encyclopedia
Top Banana is a musical with music and lyrics by Johnny Mercer
and book by Hy Kraft
which premiered on Broadway
in 1951. Comedian Phil Silvers
starred, and won the Tony Award in 1952
.
on November 1, 1951 and closed on October 4, 1952 after 350 performances. The original cast co-starred, in addition to Phil Silvers, Rose Marie
, Lindy Doherty, Jack Albertson
, Bob Scheerer and Ted "Sport" Morgan. Produced by Paula Stone
and Mike Sloane, the musical was directed by Jack Donohue and choreographed by Ron Fletcher, with vocal arrangements and direction by Hugh Martin
, musical direction by Harold Hasting, and orchestrations by Don Walker
. Scenic and lighting design were by Jo Mielziner
and costume design was by Alvin Colt
.
It was filmed and released in a film version
by United Artists
in 1954.
Biffle engineers a big publicity wedding between Cliff and "a girl," not knowing that Sally is the girl. To further complicate his life, Jerry learns that he is about to lose his sponsor. The publicity elopement between his girl and Cliff almost shatters his entire career and life.
When it seems that his whole world will cave in, Jerry's sponsor comes up with a new format for the Blendo program and, as far as Jerry is concerned, the day is saved.
Act 2
, Brooks Atkinson
wrote: "Phil Silvers will have to look after his health this winter. He is king-pin in a very funny musical show that ought to last as long as he can."
The Life Magazine reviewer wrote that "On Broadway today 'Top Banana' is the name of a new rough-and-tumble musical show, which has catapulted Phil Silvers into the small, exalted company of great stage zanies."
Ethan Mordden
wrote that Silvers "took four of the funniest minutes in musical comedy history trying to teach a bewildered ingenue how to pull off a comercial, cajoling, hectoring, professorial, puerile, in audition, in tirade."
began hosting the Texaco Star Theater
on television in 1948. Because of their friendship, Silvers was able to use his knowledge of Berle to create the character of Jerry Biffle. Later, Berle performed the song "Top Banana" on the Muppet Show with Fozzy Bear.
Johnny Mercer
John Herndon "Johnny" Mercer was an American lyricist, songwriter and singer. He is best known as a lyricist, but he also composed music. He was also a popular singer who recorded his own songs as well as those written by others...
and book by Hy Kraft
Hy Kraft
Hyman Solomon Kraft , aka Hy Kraft or H.S. Kraft, was an American screenwriter, playwright, and theatrical producer....
which premiered on Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
in 1951. Comedian Phil Silvers
Phil Silvers
Phil Silvers was an American entertainer and comedy actor, known as "The King of Chutzpah." He is best known for starring in The Phil Silvers Show, a 1950s sitcom set on a U.S...
starred, and won the Tony Award in 1952
Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical
The Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical is awarded to the actor who was voted as the best actor in a musical play, whether a new production or a revival...
.
Production
The musical opened on Broadway at the Winter Garden TheatreWinter Garden Theatre
The Winter Garden Theatre is a Broadway theatre located at 1634 Broadway in midtown Manhattan.-History:The structure was built by William Kissam Vanderbilt in 1896 to be the American Horse Exchange....
on November 1, 1951 and closed on October 4, 1952 after 350 performances. The original cast co-starred, in addition to Phil Silvers, Rose Marie
Rose Marie
Rose Marie is an American actress. As a child performer she had a successful singing career as Baby Rose Marie....
, Lindy Doherty, Jack Albertson
Jack Albertson
Jack Albertson was an American character actor dating to vaudeville. A comedian, dancer, singer, and musician, Albertson is perhaps best known for his roles as Manny Rosen in The Poseidon Adventure , Grandpa Joe in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, Amos Slade in the 1981 animated film The Fox...
, Bob Scheerer and Ted "Sport" Morgan. Produced by Paula Stone
Paula Stone
Paula Stone was an actress in theater and motion pictures from New York City.-Birth:She was the daughter of Fred Stone, a stage actor, dancing comedian, and owner of the Fred Stone theatrical stock company. Her mother, Allene Crater Stone, acted with her father and was a singer...
and Mike Sloane, the musical was directed by Jack Donohue and choreographed by Ron Fletcher, with vocal arrangements and direction by Hugh Martin
Hugh Martin
Hugh Martin was an American musical theater and film composer, arranger, vocal coach, and playwright. He is best known for his score for the 1944 MGM musical Meet Me In St...
, musical direction by Harold Hasting, and orchestrations by Don Walker
Don Walker (orchestrator)
Don Walker was a prolific Broadway orchestrator, who also composed music for musicals and one film and worked as a conductor in television.-Biography:...
. Scenic and lighting design were by Jo Mielziner
Jo Mielziner
Joseph "Jo" Mielziner was an American theatrical scenic, and lighting designer born in Paris, France. He is "the most successful set designer of the Golden era of Broadway", and worked on both stage plays and musicals.-Career:He was the son of artist Leo Mielziner, Sr...
and costume design was by Alvin Colt
Alvin Colt
Alvin Colt was an American costume designer. Colt worked on over 50 Broadway shows.His first job was in a theatrical fabric house, he also worked on painting scenery during the summer. On the Town was the first Broadway show he worked on in 1944...
.
It was filmed and released in a film version
Top Banana (film)
Top Banana is a movie musical based on the musical of the same name starring Phil Silvers, and released by United Artists. It stars most of the original cast...
by United Artists
United Artists
United Artists Corporation is an American film studio. The original studio of that name was founded in 1919 by D. W. Griffith, Charles Chaplin, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks....
in 1954.
Synopsis
Jerry Biffle is the star of the Blendo Soap Program. He has been invited to participate in an autograph-signing party for his new book at an important department store. Jerry meets Sally Peters, one of the department store models, and makes her part of his TV troupe. As part of his campaign to court Sally, Jerry gets Cliff Lane, the tenor of his TV company, to sing to her over the phone. When Sally and Cliff meet, they fall in love, with Biffle ignorant of the complications.Biffle engineers a big publicity wedding between Cliff and "a girl," not knowing that Sally is the girl. To further complicate his life, Jerry learns that he is about to lose his sponsor. The publicity elopement between his girl and Cliff almost shatters his entire career and life.
When it seems that his whole world will cave in, Jerry's sponsor comes up with a new format for the Blendo program and, as far as Jerry is concerned, the day is saved.
Cast and characters
- Phil SilversPhil SilversPhil Silvers was an American entertainer and comedy actor, known as "The King of Chutzpah." He is best known for starring in The Phil Silvers Show, a 1950s sitcom set on a U.S...
as Jerry Biffle - Rose MarieRose MarieRose Marie is an American actress. As a child performer she had a successful singing career as Baby Rose Marie....
as Betty Dillon - Lindy Doherty as Cliff Lane
- Judy Lynn as Sally Peters
- Jack AlbertsonJack AlbertsonJack Albertson was an American character actor dating to vaudeville. A comedian, dancer, singer, and musician, Albertson is perhaps best known for his roles as Manny Rosen in The Poseidon Adventure , Grandpa Joe in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, Amos Slade in the 1981 animated film The Fox...
as Vic Davis - Bob Scheerer as Tommy Phelps
- Joey Faye as Pinky
Songs
Act 1- Man of the Year This Week - Ensemble
- You're So Beautiful That... - Cliff Lane
- Top Banana - Jerry Biffle, Vic Davis, Cliff Lane, Pinky and Moe
- Elevator Song - Ensemble
- Only If You're in Love - Cliff Lane and Sally Peters
- My Home Is in My Shoes - Tommy and Ensemble
- I Fought Every Step of the Way (music by Johnny Mercer and Bill Finnigan) - Betty Dillon
- O.K. for TV - Jerry Biffle, Vic Davis, Sally Peters, Pinky, Moe, Danny and Russ Wiswell
- Slogan Song - Jerry Biffle, Betty Dillon, Vic Davis, Sally Peters, Cliff Lane, Tommy, Pinky, Moe, Danny, Russ Wiswell and Mr. Parker
- Meet Miss Blendo - Entire Company
Act 2
- Sans Souci (music by Johnny Mercer and Bill Finnigan) - Betty Dillon, Featured Dancer and Ensemble
- A Dog Is a Man's Best Friend - Jerry Biffle, Ted (Sport) Morgan and The Grenadiers
- That's for Sure - Cliff Lane, Sally Peters and Ensemble
- Be My Guest
- A Word is Day - Jerry Biffle and Betty Dillon
- Top Banana Ballet - Jerry Biffle and Ensemble
- Finale - Entire Company
Reception
In his review for The New York TimesThe New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, Brooks Atkinson
Brooks Atkinson
Justin Brooks Atkinson was an American theatre critic. He worked for The New York Times from 1925 to 1960...
wrote: "Phil Silvers will have to look after his health this winter. He is king-pin in a very funny musical show that ought to last as long as he can."
The Life Magazine reviewer wrote that "On Broadway today 'Top Banana' is the name of a new rough-and-tumble musical show, which has catapulted Phil Silvers into the small, exalted company of great stage zanies."
Ethan Mordden
Ethan Mordden
Ethan Mordden is an American author.-Biography:Mordden was raised in Pennsylvania, in Venice, Italy, and on Long Island, and is a graduate of Friends Academy in Locust Valley, New York, and the University of Pennsylvania...
wrote that Silvers "took four of the funniest minutes in musical comedy history trying to teach a bewildered ingenue how to pull off a comercial, cajoling, hectoring, professorial, puerile, in audition, in tirade."
Background
Silvers had suggested that a musical be made of the "madness of week-to-week television...I would do Uncle Miltie". Milton BerleMilton Berle
Milton Berlinger , better known as Milton Berle, was an American comedian and actor. As the manic host of NBC's Texaco Star Theater , in 1948 he was the first major star of U.S. television and as such became known as Uncle Miltie and Mr...
began hosting the Texaco Star Theater
Texaco Star Theater
Texaco Star Theater is an American comedy-variety show, broadcast on radio from 1938 to 1949 and telecast from 1948 to 1956. It was one of the first successful examples of American television broadcasting, remembered as the show that gave Milton Berle the nickname "Mr...
on television in 1948. Because of their friendship, Silvers was able to use his knowledge of Berle to create the character of Jerry Biffle. Later, Berle performed the song "Top Banana" on the Muppet Show with Fozzy Bear.