ANDROCLES AND THE LION (TV)
Summary
An original television musical special. Richard Rodgers was commissioned to write the music and lyrics for this musical adaptation of George Bernard Shaw's satirical drama set in Roman times about a mild-mannered Christian. The musical opens as the lions frolic in the forest and one lion gets a painful thorn in his paw. While walking through the forest with his shewish wife, the Christian, animal-loving tailor Androcles encounters the injured lion and pulls the thorn from the beast's paw, winning the animal's love. Meanwhile, a Roman centurion threatens that the Christians will be thrown to the lions when they arrive in Rome unless they make sacrifices to the gods. A beautiful Christian woman named Lavinia attracts the attention of a Roman captain who, smitten, entreats her to pretend to renounce her Christianity in order to save her life. Meanwhile, Androcles is accused of sorcery by the Romans and brought to Caesar's court where Christian slaves are thrown to the lions unless they honor Roman Gods. While waiting to be brought before Caesar's court, a giant-sized Christian named Ferrovius has trouble honoring the Christian injunction to turn the other cheek and attempts to convert the Roman heckler Retiarius by means of his great strength. Meeting Androcles, Ferrovius contrasts his great bodily strength with the Christian strength of the puny and meek tailor, and Lavinia accuses the Roman centurion of fearing the individuality and diversity of the Christians. The gladiators perform a dance with nets before entering the arena. Entering the pen where the Christians are held, the Emperor Caesar explains about the power of his thumb in deciding who will live and die and offers Ferrovius a place in his guards if he survives the lions. The Roman captain once again urges Lavinia to think of herself and live by burning the incense, and asks her to marry him. Ferrovius proves himself a great fighter against the lions in the arena and the Emperor frees the Christians except for Androcles who is chosen as "dinner" for the last lion . Once in the arena, Androcles discovers that the lion happens to be the same one whose paw he healed. The two encounter each other in a friendly way, and Caesar, impressed, frees Androcles. Commercials deleted. Songs include: "Velvet Paws," "Follow in Our Footsteps," "Strangers," "A Fine Young Man," "Strength Is My Weakness," "The Emperor's Thumb," "No More Waiting," "Don't Be Afraid of an Animal." Commercials deleted.
(This is a black-and-white copy of a program that was telecast in both color and black-and-white.)
Details
- NETWORK: NBC
- DATE: November 15, 1967 7:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:18:20
- COLOR/B&W: B&W copy of a color telecast
- CATALOG ID: T81:0834
- GENRE: Music; Specials
- SUBJECT HEADING: Christianity - Early church, c. 30-600 - Drama; Drama; Musical revues, comedies, etc.
- SERIES RUN: NBC - TV, 1967
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Marc Merson … Producer
- James S. Stanley … Associate Producer
- Joe Layton … Director
- Walter C. Miller … Director
- Peter Stone … Writer
- George Bernard Shaw … Based on the play by
- Richard Rodgers … Composer, Music and lyrics by
- John Smolko … Associate Choreographer
- Robert Russell Bennett … Music (Misc. Credits), Music arranged by
- Jay Blackton … Music (Misc. Credits), Musical Director
- David Baker … Music (Misc. Credits), Dance Arranger
- Tom John … Art Director
- Theoni Aldredge … Costumes designed by
- Noel Coward … Cast, Caesar
- Ed Ames … Cast, Ferrovius
- Inga Swenson … Cast, Lavinia
- Brian Bedford … Cast, Lentulus
- John Cullum … Cast, the Roman Captain
- Norman Wisdom … Cast, Androcles
- Patricia Routledge … Cast, Megaera
- Geoffrey Holder … Cast, the Lion
- Kurt Kasznar … Cast, the Gladiators' Manager
- William Redfield … Cast, Spintho
- George Mathews … Cast, the Centurion
- Clifford David … Cast, Metellus
- Hickey, Bill (See also: Hickey, William) … Cast, the Keeper of the Lions and Ox Driver
- Bill Starr … Cast, Retiarius and a Lion
- George Reeder … Cast, Secutor and a Lion
- Steve Bookvar … Cast, a Lion