"Raw interview footage used for the documentary Broadway, the American musical. Film and stage actress Patricia Morison discusses her roles as Lili/Kate in the 1948 Broadway production Kiss me, Kate, which she originated, and in the King and I as Anna, as a replacement for Getrude Lawrence who died during the run of the show. Topics include auditioning for composer Cole Porter at his home in Los Angeles for Kiss me, Kate and being hired for the role, at Porter's urging, despite her lack of an operatic voice; Porter's difficulty in raising money for the show following a series of commercial failures; the story of Kiss me, Kate, which is based on the on- and offstage struggles of married actors Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne; Porter's initial trepidation at composing a musical with a Shakespearen theme, and his decision to do so at the urging of Bella Spewack, who wrote the book; the censorship of the songs Too darn hot and Always true to you (in my fashion), which were barred from radio and television broadcasts; the meaning of the song I hate men, and Morison's showstopping rendition of it in Philadelphia; the show's hit song So in love, and what she sees as the underlying melancholy of Porter's lyrics; Porter's elegance and charm as a friend and host, who nonethess suffered from a debilitating leg injury; the rehearsals for Kiss me, Kate lead by Porter; the show's opening night in Philadelphia where standing ovations made it clear it was a hit. Morison goes on to discuss her experiences socializing in Hollywood during the 1940s; her childhood in Manhattan during the Depression, and her impression of Broadway during the period; the lack of racial integration of Broadway productions during the 1940s, and experiences touring in the segregated South; meeting Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein at the Plaza Hotel before departing for London, who asked her to take over for Mary Martin in South Pacific, a role she didn't want, and receiving a call in London from Rodgers who asked her to assume the role of Anna in the King and I following the death of Lawrence; the casting of Yul Brynner as the the King; her experiences rehearsing with him on their own time; the musical's subject of culture clash, and its expression in the song Getting to know you; opera star Ezio Pinza's role as Emile de Becque in South Pacific; Yul Brynner's accomplishments as a theater photographer who frequently took pictures backstage, and his interesting personality; the differences between the film and stage versions of The king and I; Mary Martin's versatility as a performer and Alfred Drake, who played opposite Morison in Kiss me, Kate, a stylish performer who was also a Shakespearean scholar. Interview concludes with audio-only discussion for ca. 5 min. on Brynner's photography and Cole Porter's character."
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