Show Boat (27 Oct. 1989)

A stage production of the classic musical, videotaped in front of a live audience at the Paper Mill Playhouse, New Jersey.

Director:

Kirk Browning

Writers:

Edna Ferber (novel), Oscar Hammerstein II (play)

Stars:

Eddie Bracken, Rebecca Baxter, Richard White

Cast

Episode credited cast:
Eddie Bracken	...	Cap'n Andy Hawks
Rebecca Baxter	...	Magnolia Hawks / Kim Ravenal
Richard White	...	Gaylord Ravenal
Shelly Burch	...	Julie LaVerne
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Marsha Bagwell	...	Parthy Ann Hawks
P.L. Brown	...	Joe, the stevedore
Ellia English	...	Queenie
Lauren Gaffney	...	Young Kim
Larry Grey	...	Jim Green
Robert Jensen	...	Steve Baker
Michael McCarty	...	Sheriff Ike Vallon
Lenora Nemetz	...	Ellie
Monte Ralstin	...	Pete
Lee Roy Reams	...	Frank Schultz
Lawrence Vincent	...	Windy McLain

Storyline

A stage production of the classic musical, videotaped in front of a live audience at the Paper Mill Playhouse, New Jersey.

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Plot Keywords:

based on stage musical | based on stage musical based on novel | based on novel

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Genres:

Drama | Music | Musical

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

27 October 1989 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Paper Mill Playhouse - Brookside Drive, Millburn, New Jersey, USA

Company Credits

Technical Specs

Runtime:

165 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

The character Rubber Face Smith is omitted from this production, as is now the usual practice. Rubber Face was played in the 1927, 1932 and 1946 stage productions of "Show Boat" by Francis X. Mahoney, who is the only actor associated with the role. He also played it in the 1936 film version and in a 1948 City Center revival of the show shortly before his death. Since Mahoney's death, the role, a tiny one to begin with, and one having almost nothing to do with the plot, has often been omitted. In this 1989 production of "Show Boat", Rubber Face's lines are given to Windy, the ship's pilot.

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Quotes

[last lines]
Cap'n Andy Hawks: [while Joe and chorus are singing the last verse of "Ol' Man River"] If you go up front, you'll find a new water barrel. It ain't much different from the old one.
Magnolia Hawks: Look Gay, there's Kim!
[Kim and Ravenal embrace]
Joe: [singing with chorus] But Ol' Man River,/ He jes' keeps rollin' along!

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Connections

Version of Show Boat (1951)

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Soundtracks

"Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man"
Music by Jerome Kern
Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
Sung and Danced by Shelly Burch, Ellia English, P.L. Brown, and kitchen workers

User Reviews

Terrific version of classic musical

This is one of the best cast versions of this work albeit mostly excellent Broadway performers that are largely unknown outside of New York. In addition, it incorporates songs from the movie versions of this work that up until the time this production was filmed were never used in stage presentations. These extra songs nicely flesh out the Black characters in the work and prevent them from becoming stereotypes.

This version should be available for purchase on DVD and tape but is not due to the estates of the dead owners of this work. The copyright to this work has been convoluted for years (to say the least) and the lawyers representing R&H, Kern, and Edna Ferber are a greedy lot who are always hoping for a better deal to come along with a new production. IT's not going to happen and they should just let PBS release their version before technology begins to make it look to old to be released.