December 27
SHOW BOAT DAY
The Jerome Kern (music) and Oscar Hammerstein II (lyrics) musical, Show Boat, opened on this day in 1927 at the Ziegfeld Theatre in New York City. Its star, Helen Morgan, received excellent reviews from critics of the show; a musical about riverboat show people and their romances and disappointments. It was inspired by the novel, Show Boat, written by Edna Ferber in 1926.
Ms. Ferber was inspired by the 19th century steam boats that traveled up and down the Mississippi and other large rivers, carrying entertainers to rural communities where the performers presented on-board shows. The largest showboat that traveled Ol’ Man River could seat 3,400 showgoers and was called the Floating Circus Palace.
It’s amazing what a little inspiration can accomplish. Show Boat went showboatin’ along for 572 performances; then Hollywood got into the act, filming its first version in 1929; then Ziegfeld put it on stage again in 1932 as Life Aboard a Real Showboat. Hollywood, not to be outdone, did it for the silver screen again in 1936, starring Irene Dunne, Allan Jones, Paul Robeson, Hattie McDaniel, Joe E. Brown and Helen Morgan.
In 1951, a third version of Show Boat was made. This time, Kathryn Grayson, Howard Keel, Ava Gardner, William Warfield, Joe E. Brown, Agnes Moorehead and Gower Champion were in the spotlight. Cotton Blossom, the showboat in the film, cost $126,468 to build. Nineteen years later, it sold at auction for $15,000. Talk about depreciation...
Those Were the Days, the Today in History service from 440 International
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