#BetteMidler in #GYPSY

By Paul Winkler, PaulWinklerBlog.com, Updated 4:40 PM

Over the break, I saw the 1993 made-for-TV movie Gypsy, starring Bette Midler. Based on the 1957 memoir, back in the day, this story went from stage to screen very quick. From the 1959 Broadway musical starring Ethel Merman, to the 1962 film with Rosalind Russell as Momma and Natalie Wood as Louise. Since then the show has had four Broadway revivals, most recently “rivaled” by Patti LuPone (2008) v. Bernadette Peters (2003). (I’m on the Bernadette-side.) “Do you think I’m gonna let Sutton Foster play Momma Rose in the next annual revival of Gypsy?” -Forbidden Broadway-LuPoneparody. The musical adaptation is often hailed as, “the greatest American musical.” 

I agree, Gypsy is a great musical! It’s entertaining, it’s funny, dramatic, everything you want from a show. But I don’t understand the casting of Bette Midler, for the film. I posted something on twitter and a few theatre friends chimed in−Tony Award winner Daisy Egan, Forbidden Broadway’s James Donegan, Priscilla Queen of the Desert’s James Brown III and A Blog Next Door’s Manuel Betancourt.

You know, the film has an excellent supporting cast. There are cameos from Michael Jeter, Andrea Martin, Christine Ebersole, Tony Shalhoub, and even a young Elisabeth Moss!

 Watching the movie, gave me a casting idea. Controversial, but kinda perfect!

Now, for the record:

The one good thing that came out of the 1993 Gypsy, was a jumping-off point for film producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron. They went on to have success with the movie musicals Chicago, Cinderella, Annie, etc. And soon their first TV Series, “Smash!” (The NBC drama about the drama of writing a Broadway musical, will debut on Feb 6.)

Here’s a marvelous clip of the song “Some People,” through the years.