1961 TONY AWARDS, THE (TV)
Summary
The fifteenth annual presentation of the American Theatre Wing Tony (Antoinette Perry) Awards for distinguished achievement in the Broadway theater, presented live from the Grand Ballroom of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City. Metropolitan opera star Eleanor Steber opens by singing the National Anthem. Henry Fonda speaks on behalf of the American Theatre Wing, and host Phil Silvers introduces William Niven from the accounting firm of Peat, Marwick, Mitchel and Cole; and the custodians of the Tony medallion, Patty Duke (from "The Miracle Worker") and Eddie Hodges (from "Critic's Choice"). Silvers quips about producer David Merrick and announces that his own wife is expecting twins. Award winners include Colleen Dewhurst ("All the Way Home") for Actress--Dramatic, Featured or Supporting (Lillian Gish accepts for Dewhurst); Oliver Smith ("Becket") for Scenic Designer--Play; Franz Allers ("Camelot") for Musical Director/Conductor (Richard Burton accepts for Allers); Teddy Van Bemmel ("Becket") for Stage Technician; Motley ("Becket") for Costume Designer (Phil Silvers accepts for Motley, the professional name of designer Elizabeth Montgomery); Tammy Grimes ("The Unsinkable Molly Brown") for Actress--Musical, Featured or Supporting; "Becket" for Best Play (producer David Merrick accepts for playwright Jean Anouilh); Sir John Gielgud ("Big Fish, Little Fish") for Director (Jessica Tandy accepts for Gielgud); Gower Champion ("Bye Bye Birdie") for Choreographer (Kay Medford accepts); Dick Van Dyke ("Bye Bye Birdie") for Actor--Musical, Featured or Supporting (Van Dyke's understudy Charles Nelson Reilly accepts the award); Martin Gabel ("Big Fish, Little Fish") for Actor--Dramatic, Featured or Supporting; Oliver Smith ("Camelot") for Scenic Designer--Musical; "Bye Bye Birdie" for Best Musical Play (producer Edward Padula accepts); the late Adrian and Tony Duquette ("Camelot") for Costume Designer--Musical (Julie Andrews accepts); Gower Champion ("Bye Bye Birdie") for Director--Musical (Kay Medford accepts); Shirley Booth and Phil Silvers present a special award to producer David Merrick "in recognition of a fabulous production record for the past seven years and for providing some of the current season's brightest moments with his shows like "Irma la Douce," "Taste of Honey," "Do Re Mi," and "Carnival." Shirley Booth also presents a special award to The Theatre Guild "for organizing and producing the first repertory company to go abroad for the State Department" (Lawrence Langner and Warren Caro accept); Elizabeth Seal ("Irma la Douce") for Actress--Musical Star; Zero Mostel ("Rhinoceros") for Actor--Dramatic Star; Richard Burton ("Camelot") for Actor--Musical Star; Joan Plowright ("Taste of Honey") for Actress--Dramatic Star (Beatrice Lillie accepts). Presenters include: Patricia Neal, Gig Young, Joan Fontaine, Anne Bancroft, Sidney Poitier, Geraldine Page, Paul Newman, Carol Channing, Anna Maria Alberghetti, Robert Goulet, Shirley Booth, Mary Martin, Cyril Ritchard, Fredric March (who criticizes the recipients for hurrying on and off the stage as if there were a time limit). Nancy Walker, Charles Nelson Reilly, and Tallulah Bankhead can be glimpsed in the audience. Phil Silvers concludes with the sarcastic quip that he is "thrilled--not happy, just thrilled" that Richard Burton won in his category. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: CBS
- DATE: April 16, 1961 11:15 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:53:19
- COLOR/B&W: B&W
- CATALOG ID: T81:0024
- GENRE: Award presentations
- SUBJECT HEADING: Tony awards - 1961; Theater
- SERIES RUN: CBS - TV, 1961
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Dan Gallagher … Producer
- Ray Abel … Director
- John Mosedale … Writer
- Phil Silvers … Host
- Patricia Neal … Presenter
- Gig Young … Presenter
- Joan Fontaine … Presenter
- Anne Bancroft … Presenter
- Sidney Poitier … Presenter
- Geraldine Page … Presenter
- Paul Newman … Presenter
- Carol Channing … Presenter
- Anna Maria Alberghetti … Presenter
- Robert Goulet … Presenter
- Shirley Booth … Presenter
- Mary Martin … Presenter
- Cyril Ritchard … Presenter
- Julie Andrews
- Richard Burton
- Warren Caro
- Duke, Patty (See also: Astin, Patty Duke)
- Tony Duquette
- Henry Fonda
- Martin Gabel
- Tammy Grimes
- Eddie Hodges
- Lawrence Langner
- Beatrice Lillie
- David Merrick
- Zero Mostel
- William Niven
- Edward Padula
- Charles Nelson Reilly
- Elizabeth Seal
- Oliver Smith
- Jessica Tandy
- Van Bemmel, Teddy
- Adrian
- Franz Allers
- Jean Anouilh
- Gower Champion
- Colleen Dewhurst
- Sir John Gielgud
- Motley (Elizabeth Montgomery)
- Antoinette Perry
- Joan Plowright
- Dick Van Dyke