1962 TONY AWARDS, THE (TV)
Summary
The sixteenth annual presentation of the American Theatre Wing Tony (Antoinette Perry) Awards for distinguished achievement in the Broadway theater, telecast live from the Grand Ballroom of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York. The ceremonies open with opera star Mimi Benzell singing the National Anthem. Albert Dekker then speaks on behalf of the American Theatre Wing, describing the Wing's activities: its establishment of the Stage Door Canteen during WWII, its current programs in the schools, and its own theater training school. Co-host Ray Bolger explains the importance of the Tony Awards to the television audience and introduces the award custodians for the evening: Anita Gillette and Ron Husmann, his costars in the musical "All American." Award winners include Walter Matthau ("A Shot in the Dark") for Actor--Dramatic, Featured or Supporting; Will Steven Armstrong ("Carnival") for Scenic Designer (Joan Bennett accepts the award); Elizabeth Ashley ("Take Her She's Mine") for Actress--Dramatic, Featured or Supporting; Michael Burns ("A Man for All Seasons") for Stage Technician; Lucinda Ballard ("The Gay Life") for Costume Designer (Kurt Kazner accepts for Ballard); Charles Nelson Reilly ("How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying") for Actor--Musical, Featured or Supporting; "A Man for All Seasons" for best play (producer Robert Whitehead accepts for playwright Robert Bolt); Robert Whitehead and Roger L. Stevens ("A Man for All Seasons") for Producer--Play; Noel Willman ("A Man for All Seasons") for Director--Play (actor George Rose accepts the award); Agnes de Mille ("Kwamina") and Joe Layton ("No Strings") tie for Choreographer (Bob Fosse accepts for Layton); Phyllis Newman ("Subways Are for Sleeping") for Actress--Musical, Featured or Supporting (Gate crasher Stan Berman presents her with a bouquet.) Co-host Robert Preston takes over as master of ceremonies and introduces American Theatre Wing founding member and president, Helen Menken, who presents a special award to Richard Rodgers for "taking the members of the orchestra out of the pit and putting them on stage" in "No Strings." The awards continue with the following winners: "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" for Musical Play (producers Cy Feuer and Ernest Martin accept the award and cite Bob Fosse's work); Abe Burrows, Jack Weinstock and Willie Gilbert ("How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying") for Author--Musical Play; Cy Feuer and Ernest Martin for Producer--Musical Play; Abe Burrows for Director--Musical Play; Richard Rodgers for Composer--Musical Play (Rodgers receives a standing ovation); Elliot Lawrence ("How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying") for Musical Director-Conductor; Anna Maria Alberghetti ("Carnival") and Diahann Carroll ("No Strings") tie for Actress--Musical Star (Carroll makes an emotional speech thanking Richard Rodgers for putting her on Broadway; producer David Merrick accepts for Alberghetti); Paul Scofield ("A Man for All Seasons") for Actor--Dramatic Star; Margaret Leighton ("The Night of the Iguana") for Best Dramatic Actress; and Robert Morse ("How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying") for Best Actor in a Musical. Antoinette Perry's daughter, producer Elaine Perry, presents (and also accepts) a special award "for his striking design and radiant direction" to Franco Zeffirelli, who is not present. Helen Hayes presents a special award to drama critic and founding member of the American Theatre Wing, Brooks Atkinson. Presenters include Olivia De Havilland, Hermione Gingold, Hal March, Ruby Dee, Ossie Davis, Sally Ann Howes, Hugh O'Brian, Tom Poston (who substitutes for Art Carney), Celeste Holm, Robert Goulet, Jason Robards, and Dame Judith Anderson. Sophie Tucker, Gwen Verdon, Bob Fosse, Richard Kiley, Lauren Bacall and Paulette Goddard can be seen in the audience. Preston concludes the evening with a quote from Samuel Johnson. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: CBS
- DATE: April 29, 1962 11:15 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:25:15
- COLOR/B&W: B&W
- CATALOG ID: T81:0025
- GENRE: Award presentations
- SUBJECT HEADING: Tony awards - 1962; Theater
- SERIES RUN: CBS - TV, 1962
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Dan Gallagher … Producer
- Ray Abel … Director
- Rowland Vance … Associate Director
- Michael Laurence … Writer
- Ray Bolger … Host
- Robert Preston … Host
- De Havilland, Olivia … Presenter
- Hermione Gingold … Presenter
- Hal March … Presenter
- Ruby Dee … Presenter
- Ossie Davis … Presenter
- Sally Ann Howes … Presenter
- Hugh O'Brian … Presenter
- Tom Poston … Presenter
- Helen Menken … Presenter
- Celeste Holm … Presenter
- Robert Goulet … Presenter
- Helen Hayes … Presenter
- Robards, Jason (See also: Robards, Jason, Jr.) … Presenter
- Dame Judith Anderson … Presenter
- Elaine Perry … Presenter
- Mimi Benzell … Singer
- Anna Maria Alberghetti
- Elizabeth Ashley
- Brooks Atkinson
- Joan Bennett
- Stan Berman
- Michael Burns
- Abe Burrows
- Diahann Carroll
- De Mille, Agnes
- Albert Dekker
- Cy Feuer
- Bob Fosse
- Willie Gilbert
- Kurt Kazner
- Elliot Lawrence
- Margaret Leighton
- Ernest Martin
- Walter Matthau
- David Merrick
- Robert Morse
- Phyllis Newman
- Charles Nelson Reilly
- Richard Rodgers
- George Rose
- Paul Scofield
- Roger L. Stevens
- Jack Weinstock
- Robert Whitehead
- Noel Willman
- Franco Zeffirelli
- Anita Gillette
- Ron Husmann