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February 27 2012

allaboutjulie: by Lloyd Shearer for Youngstown Vindicator April 4, 1965 Three years ago Warner Brothers plunked down $5 1/2 million for the film rights to My Fair Lady, the most successful musical comedy of all time. Subsequently the studio drum-beaters announced, amid much jazz and hulla baloo, that Warners had hired for its film version most of the principals who had contributed to the excellence of My Fair Lady. The major exception was Julie Andrews, the delightful, pretty, multitalented English girl who has played the leading role of Eliza Doolittle for three years. It was like announcing a great new recipe for cream puffs without the whipped cream. Later, when I asked a Warner executive why Julie Andrews, popularly and critically acclaimed the brightest musical comedy star to hit Broadway in decades, had not been signed for the film, he quickly explained: “Nobody in this  country has ever heard of Julie Andrews. Besides,” he added furtively, “we’ve got some one much better.” He glanced about the room to make sure there were no spies from the competition, then whispered the state secret: “We are about to make a deal with Audrey Hepburn. We can get her for a million bucks.” At that time I was a stockholder in Warner Brothers and I tried to dissuade the man. I agreed that Audrey Hepburn was a superb actress, but I pointed out that professionally she couldn’t sing a note. Someone would have to sing for her (it turned out to be Marni Nixon) and I was sure Julie Andrews would not allow her voice to be dubbed onto the sound track. “Julie Andrews,” I stated flatly, “has the finest singing voice of any woman in a musical comedy or operetta. She’s as cute as a bug. She’s photogenic. She’s got a winning personality. Audiences identify with her. “More important, she originated the role. She’s inseparable from it. She’s had the benefit of being directed by Moss Hart. She knows what it is to play opposite Rex Harrison. They both get along well. “The most vital ingredient in My Fair Lady,” I continued, “is the music”. Whoever plays Eliza will become a big, big star. Warners can get this girl for as little as $75,000. If the studio puts her under contract now, it can make a small fortune by loaning her out to other producers after the film’s released. “I strongly suggest,” I advised, “that you forget Audrey Hepburn for a while. For a million bucks, don’t worry, you’ll always be able to get her. Why don’t you sign Julie Andrews? Or at least give her a screen test? I’m telling you, I saw this girl on Broadway in Camelot, and she’s the greatest musical talent show business has produced in 25 years.” The Warner executive looked at me pitifully. “You,” he said charitably, “they should put away.” Noting my irritation, he reasoned with me, as if I were an imbecile son: “Why gamble when you don’t have to? Audrey Hepburn is a sure thing at the box office. Julie Andrews is a nobody, a gamble.” I explained that talent gambles constituted Hollywood’s life’s blood. Without them the motion picture industry would die. I offered the case of Audrey Hepburn, who 10 years before had been an unknown chorus girl. Paramount had gambled by signing her to play opposite Gregory Peck in Roman Holiday. “One picture,” I declared, “and she was a star overnight. Paramount went on to make a fortune with her. Warners can do the same thing to Julie Andrews. For Pete’s sake, at least test her for the part.” The man from Warners brushed me off. Next morning, convinced that a group of near-idiots had taken over the studio’s production schedule, I sold my stock. Tomorrow nigh one of the five actresses pictured on these pages will drive home with the Academy Award for the best performance by an actress in 1964. Please observe that Audrey Hepburn, star of the film, My Fair Lady, is not among them.

allaboutjulie:

by Lloyd Shearer for Youngstown Vindicator April 4, 1965

Three years ago Warner Brothers plunked down $5 1/2 million for the film rights to My Fair Lady, the most successful musical comedy of all time.

Subsequently the studio drum-beaters announced, amid much jazz and hulla baloo, that Warners had hired for its film version most of the principals who had contributed to the excellence of My Fair Lady.

The major exception was Julie Andrews, the delightful, pretty, multitalented English girl who has played the leading role of Eliza Doolittle for three years.

It was like announcing a great new recipe for cream puffs without the whipped cream.

Later, when I asked a Warner executive why Julie Andrews, popularly and critically acclaimed the brightest musical comedy star to hit Broadway in decades, had not been signed for the film, he quickly explained: “Nobody in this  country has ever heard of Julie Andrews. Besides,” he added furtively, “we’ve got some one much better.” He glanced about the room to make sure there were no spies from the competition, then whispered the state secret: “We are about to make a deal with Audrey Hepburn. We can get her for a million bucks.”

At that time I was a stockholder in Warner Brothers and I tried to dissuade the man. I agreed that Audrey Hepburn was a superb actress, but I pointed out that professionally she couldn’t sing a note. Someone would have to sing for her (it turned out to be Marni Nixon) and I was sure Julie Andrews would not allow her voice to be dubbed onto the sound track.

“Julie Andrews,” I stated flatly, “has the finest singing voice of any woman in a musical comedy or operetta. She’s as cute as a bug. She’s photogenic. She’s got a winning personality. Audiences identify with her.

“More important, she originated the role. She’s inseparable from it. She’s had the benefit of being directed by Moss Hart. She knows what it is to play opposite Rex Harrison. They both get along well.

“The most vital ingredient in My Fair Lady,” I continued, “is the music”. Whoever plays Eliza will become a big, big star. Warners can get this girl for as little as $75,000. If the studio puts her under contract now, it can make a small fortune by loaning her out to other producers after the film’s released.

“I strongly suggest,” I advised, “that you forget Audrey Hepburn for a while. For a million bucks, don’t worry, you’ll always be able to get her. Why don’t you sign Julie Andrews? Or at least give her a screen test? I’m telling you, I saw this girl on Broadway in Camelot, and she’s the greatest musical talent show business has produced in 25 years.”

The Warner executive looked at me pitifully. “You,” he said charitably, “they should put away.”

Noting my irritation, he reasoned with me, as if I were an imbecile son: “Why gamble when you don’t have to? Audrey Hepburn is a sure thing at the box office. Julie Andrews is a nobody, a gamble.”

I explained that talent gambles constituted Hollywood’s life’s blood. Without them the motion picture industry would die. I offered the case of Audrey Hepburn, who 10 years before had been an unknown chorus girl. Paramount had gambled by signing her to play opposite Gregory Peck in Roman Holiday.

“One picture,” I declared, “and she was a star overnight. Paramount went on to make a fortune with her. Warners can do the same thing to Julie Andrews. For Pete’s sake, at least test her for the part.”

The man from Warners brushed me off. Next morning, convinced that a group of near-idiots had taken over the studio’s production schedule, I sold my stock.

Tomorrow nigh one of the five actresses pictured on these pages will drive home with the Academy Award for the best performance by an actress in 1964.

Please observe that Audrey Hepburn, star of the film, My Fair Lady, is not among them.

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