Mary Martin won a Tony for her portrayal of Peter Pan in 1954, and went on to do three broadcasts of the play for NBC.
“I can’t tell you the joy I felt in flying in that show … I loved it so. The freedom of spirit that was Peter Pan was suddenly there for me. I discovered I was happier in the air than on the ground.”
As quoted in Mary Martin : Broadway Legend (2008) by Ronald L. Davis. p. 183
I remember being captivated watching this on my grandmother’s television in her living room. No wonder the Peter Pan’s Flight ride became my favorite at Disneyland.
I’m trying to remember when they stopped broadcasting it – according to Google there were three different productions, the last in 1960, but I couldn’t have seen that – and I remember watching it…
Well in ’60 I’d have been six. Within the scope of this damn memory of mine. But I’m with you that it was rebroadcast beyond that, Vickie.
Mary Martin’s legendary Peter Pan. Fantastique! And you have seen it. Bella! Bella! Etc. 🙂
I have, I just can’t figure out what year it was!
Wasn’t the incredibly talented Ms Martin the original Pan?
I think she was the first to win a Tony and the first to appear in the musical version 🙂
Ah! I used to always say she was the first, I think that most people agree she deserved the Tony as she was definitely the best! Of course I’ve got to take their word for it because that was all a bit before my time! 😀
Dearest V
At last some wire work.
The very devil of the life theatrical! Have you ever tried?
I can’t help thinking that Ms Martin is deploying a little poetic license in her musings on freedom.
Trussed up like a turkey and hanging from a thread would sum it up for The D!
Yours ever
The Perfumed Dandy
I’ve seen people harnessed up and let fly – even from helicopters. It looks dreadful and queasy making and binding. I’m with you, sir!
In the theatre it is an astonishing effect though…
A splendid revival of Mary Poppins (our other at-nursery-window-interloper) had the show ending with Mary blank faced and disconsolate drifting out over the heads of the audience at The Palladium.
One could here a pin drop. The poignancy and pain in this apparently simple coup de theatre the sugar filled spoon straight back in the audience’s collective face.
Yours ever
The Perfumed Dandy
It’s not so much the harness that makes me ill… every woman who’s ever played Peter Pan nauseates me slightly. Like Hollywood using white actors to play Asian parts. Or full-sized actors to play dwarves. When there are boy actors, Asian actors, and little actors, I say use them for the parts they qualify for.