Chapter 27 Chapter Twenty Seven
I don't have to drive home because I'm already floating anyway.When I got home, I found Joya waiting for me at the door.She looked at my face and said, "Is there any good news?"
"Great news. Desi Arnaz is going to cast "Model."
She hugged me, "That's great."
"You know what it means to have a successful show on TV? It's been on the air for years."
"When will he reply to you?"
"Give it a day or two."
Two days later, I got a call from Desi who said, "Got it. Columbia gave us their last slot."
I said to Joa, "Let's go out and celebrate tonight."
Laura on the side was beaming when she heard this. "Go and have fun." She handed me twenty dollars. "I treat you."
"I can't accept it, you already..."
"Take it."
I hugged her, "Thank you."
"I always believed you would succeed."
Joya and I went to an Italian restaurant and had a great dinner.
I said, "I can't believe it. Our show is going to be on CBS. I'm going to shoot the show, I'm going to write the script."
On the way home, Joya said, "Honey, I'm so proud of you. I know how hard it was for you, but it's all over now."
Desi called the next morning: "Could you come to my office?"
I said cheerfully, "right now." Thirty minutes later, I arrived at his office.
Desi said, "Please sit down."
"Hmm. When do we start?"
He looks at me for a moment, "Sidney, there's only one last slot left at Columbia and we've got it. They pulled 'The Dick Van Dyke Musical' and gave us time. Danny Thomas is' Producer of Van Dyke The Musical' and a few other shows at Columbia, he put pressure on Columbia to keep their show on the air for another year. The network finally relented. We were out."
I sat there, transfixed.
Desi said: "It's a pity. Maybe next season we will be able to make it."
I faced the same choice again: give up or try again.It would be too muddy for me to give up. I needed to write another book, so I sat down and started writing.I sat in my study for a week, rejecting one idea after another.Finally came up with an idea that might work.Broadway has yet to stage a musical featuring gypsies.I had a title in mind, it's called "Kings of New York," and it's about a gypsy family whose beautiful daughter falls in love with a non-gypsy, and the story unfolds. I don't know anything about gypsies, have to do some research first.Where can I find them?I called the police station and got an officer. "Is there anything I can do for you?" "I want to interview some gypsies. Can you tell me how to find them?" The police officer smiled, "Yes, the police station often takes some gypsies into custody. But now there are none. I can introduce you to a man who calls himself 'King'." "Great." "King"'s real name is Adam, and the police officer gave me his contact information.I called Adam, introduced myself, and invited him to my house.He was a tall man with black hair and a deep, husky voice. I said, "I want to know some gypsy customs with you. I want to know all about your living habits." He sat without saying a word. I said, "I'll give you the money. If you'll tell me everything I need, I'll pay you—" I hesitated. "One hundred dollars." He was overjoyed immediately, "Okay. You can give me the money now, and then..." Then I knew I would never see him again. "No. I want you to come here once a week, for an hour each time, and I will give you some money each time." He shrugged. "Okay." "Okay, let's talk." So he started talking, and I was taking notes.I want to know the customs of the gypsies, their life, dress, conversation, and thoughts.Three weeks later, I knew enough about Gypsies to start writing the script.After finishing writing, I showed the script to Joya. She said: "It's touching. Who are you going to give the script to?" I've thought about it a long time ago, "Gore Champion." He just recently directed the hit Broadway play "Happy Tonight." I went to see Gore.He was a former musical star at MGM and went on to direct Broadway, where he had great success. I said to Gore, "I have a script that I want you to read." "Okay. I'm going to New York tonight, and I'll take the script with me and read it on the plane." I foolishly thought he could open the script on the spot like Desi Arnaz, "Thank you!" When I got home, Joya asked me, "What did he say?" "He'll watch it. The thing is, I've heard he's got a lot of plays, and even if he's interested in my script, it might be a long time before he does it." The next morning, I got a call from Gower: "Sidney, I think you have a great script for a really good musical. Nothing like this has ever been done on Broadway. I'm going to call "Happy Tonight" was composed by Charles Struth and Lee Adams." I don't know why, but I don't have the slightest excitement.I've been through too many disappointments. I tried to sound as interested as I could, "That's great, Goyle." I hung up the phone, all the frustrations from the past coming to my mind. I'm waiting for news from Gore.He called five days later, sounding annoyed. I asked him, "Is everything done?" "No. I asked Struth and Adams to compose the music and they demanded more rights. Two ungrateful bastards. I told them I wouldn't let them compose." "Then who are we looking for..." "I'm not going to line up." A year later, another group of musicals, "Byeul", was staged on Broadway, telling the story of gypsies living in New York.
I should be feeling down right now, but instead I'm elated.I am reminded of Dr. Malmö's description of manic depression.This is a part of the brain that is extremely manic and depressive, leading to emotional ups and downs.There are 30,000 suicides in the country every year, and this type of situation accounts for the majority of them.I rejoiced and felt that something good was about to happen. Sure enough, good things came through a phone call. "Sidney Sheldon, please." "I am." "I'm Robert Furier." is a very successful Broadway producer. "Hello, Mr. Forrell." "Dorothy Fields and Herbert Fields asked me to call you. They're writing me a musical called The Redhead and they want to know if you'd be interested in doing it with them. Cooperation. Are you interested?" Am I interested in working with Dorothy Fields and Herbert Fields again?Of course there is!I said as calmly as possible, "Yes, I'm very interested." "That would be great. When can you come to New York? We want to start as soon as possible." Two weeks later, Joa, Mary, and I moved into an apartment we rented in Manhattan.It is a pity that Laura cannot accompany her.I paid her all the wages I owed her, plus a large bonus.It was sad to say goodbye to Laura. "I can't leave my family, Mr. Shelton. I will miss you and I will pray for you." This is our Laura.
Robert Forrell was in his forties, handsome, elegantly dressed, and passionate about theater.We went to meet him at his office on Forty-fifth Street. "The Redhead will be a great musical." His words were full of enthusiasm. "It's a pleasure to have you work with us." "I'm happy too. Tell me about the show." "Dorothy is writing the lyrics, the music is by Albert Harger, and you and Herbert are writing the script. Set in turn-of-the-century London, the main character is a young woman who works in a wax museum on a horror production. The statue in the hall. A serial killer is free and left no clues. When he killed the last victim, the heroine saw him and made a wax statue of him. So she became the killer's next Goal. It’s a musical with mystery and suspense.” "fantastic."
We meet her at Dorothy's house. After exchanging greetings, Dorothy said, "Let's get to work." The idea of Dorothy and Herbert is perfect.I haven't seen them since "Flying Swallow and Golden Spear" and it's a pleasure to work with them again. The Fields introduced me to the composer Albert Harger, who had composed music for six Broadway plays and was an accomplished musician. Haag later rose to fame as Mr. Benjamin Sjorowski on the television series Fame. The original idea of the Fields couple was very exciting, so the script was written very smoothly.Herbert and Dorothy worked during office hours, and we worked every day from nine in the morning to six in the evening, and then we all went to our respective houses.I think back to those crazy days with Ben Roberts, we were writing multiple scripts at the same time, working until the wee hours of the morning. Joa and I got Mary a babysitter, and when I wasn't working, we were walking around New York.We go to the theater, we go to museums, we go to restaurants to enjoy good food.The first restaurant I took Joya to was Satie's, and Vincent Satie is still there, as enthusiastic as ever.We had a wonderful meal there with a fabulous bottle of champagne.
Herbert and I wrote the first draft of the script, and Dorothy and Albert wrote the lyrics. We met in Robert Forrell's office to review the script and the lyrics. "Very well," said Furier. "Everything is going my way. Now it's time to think about the actors. Who's going to play the female lead?" We need a leading lady who is attractive, compassionate, can sing, and can do comedy.Such a collection is really not easy to find.We rummaged through the list of actresses and finally came across a name we all wanted: Bee Lilly.She is a stage comedy star from the UK, good at singing and dancing. "She's the right person," Furier said. "I'll show her the script and the lyrics, and then we'll just cross our fingers." Five days later, we were back in Forrell's office.He was very happy, "Bill Lily likes this show very much. She agreed to play." "That's great." "We still need a choreographer now, and then we can start work." As a result, it still couldn't work.Billy Lilly wants her boyfriend to be the director. We continue to look for the right heroine. "Wait," said Dorothy, "how's Gwen Foden?" The atmosphere in the room suddenly became active. "Why didn't I think of her before? She's perfect, she's so beautiful, she's so talented—and she's redheaded. I'm bringing her the script this afternoon." This time we only had to wait two days. Robert Forrell said, "She'd love to," and he sighed, "but there's a catch." We all stared at him, "Oh?" "She wants her boyfriend to be the director." "Who is her boyfriend?" "Bob Fosse." Bob Fosse is an excellent choreographer.He just took on the choreography of two hit shows: The Pajama Game and Lost Souls. I asked, "What works has he directed before?" "No, but he's very talented. If you all agree, I'm willing to take the risk." I said, "I don't want to miss Gwen Verden." "Then let's not miss her," said Dorothy, looking at Robert Forrell. "Let's talk to Bob Fosse." Bob Fosse, in his early thirties, was an ebullient little man who danced and acted in a number of Hollywood films.He later became a choreographer, and he choreographed dances in a uniquely moving style.His trademark is wearing a hat and gloves when dancing.He wears a hat to cover his head, which is beginning to bald, and gloves, it is said, because he doesn't like his hands. We had a meeting in a rehearsal studio on Broadway.Bob Fosse had very clear expectations for our show.He was full of great ideas and after the meeting we were all happy to have him on board.He's dual-tasking, choreographer and director. We brought in Richard Keeley and Leonard Stone, and rehearsals began. Problems followed. Bob Fosse, like all good choreographers, was very authoritarian.He has his own opinion about the play.We had the script written, the sets built, the costumes ordered, but Fox wasn't happy with any of that.He's assertive, stubborn, and drives us all to our nerves.The reason why we put up with all this is simple: he is a genius.His choreography is so exquisite that the whole play is beautiful because of it.But when Fox wanted to rewrite the script, I intervened, and Herbert agreed with me.We decided to send him to another screenwriter, David Sean.
The rehearsal was fantastic.Gwen's performance can be described as radiant.The dance is gorgeous and dazzling, and the whole play is like a dream.I held my breath, waiting for the unexpected to happen. Natalie and Martin came to New York for the premiere, and Richard and his wife, Joan, flew in as well.They sat in the audience with Joya and me.This time, I did not disappoint them. The premiere was held at the Forty-sixth Street Theater in New York on February 5, 1959, and was unanimously affirmed by the critics.They fell in love with Gwen, liked the arrangement of song and dance, and the script was to their liking. Watts, New York Post: "Best musical comedy of the season..." New York Telegraph & Sun, Aston: "A huge success this year, maybe years..." McKay, NYJ: "Best musical of the season so far! …" New York News, Chapman: "A musical as good as it gets!" Winchell: "Big hit drama!..." New York Herald Tribune's Kerr: "A fantastic musical..." "Redhead" was nominated for seven Tony Awards that year and won five.Needless to say, we were all excited. Three months later, Gwen Verden and Bob Fosse tied the knot. The elevator went up to the top again.I think it's time to go back to Hollywood.I'm not going to wait for the studios to hire me, I'm going to write my own scripts and sell them. Writing a hit Broadway musical was a piece of cake.I've always been interested in extrasensory perception, and movies and plays about the subject are very serious.I decided to write a romantic comedy with a beautiful young psychic as the main character, and I thought it would be fun.I wrote the script and called it "Roman Candlelight".My agent gave the script to various studios and Broadway producers, and four Broadway producers approached us. Top Broadway director Moss Hart wants to direct the script.Moss Hart's most recent work is the Broadway hit "My Fair Lady".He wanted his partner, producer Hermann Levine, to produce Candlelight in Rome.Sam Spiegel is also interested. My agent at the time was Audrey Wood, a small but dynamic woman who was one of the preeminent script agents on Broadway.Working with her husband, Bill Ribering, she represented some of the top playwrights, including Tennessee Williams and William Inge. Audrey said: "This show will definitely be a hit. Sam Spiegel is calling again and he wants to sign us. He is a friend of Moss Hart and Moss will help him directed." I'm so excited, it's best not to. Audrey called again: "I have something to inform you. William Wyler has read your script and wants to direct this film." William Wyler is one of the best directors in Hollywood. He has directed a large number of classic works, including "House of Valor", "Ben-Hur", "Roman Holiday", and so on.He was working for United Artists at the time, and United Artists was going to make the film and also wanted to invest in the Broadway musical.I now have to choose between Sam and Moss Hart and William Wyler and United Artists. I told Audrey, "Since Moss wants to direct a musical, why not have Sam Spiegel make a musical, let Moss direct, and give William Wyler and United Artists the film rights?" Audrey shook her head: "I doubt if Sam is willing to make a musical if he can't get the film copyright." I said, "Go and try." The next day she gave me an answer: "As I expected, Spiegel still wants the film rights. However, I can recommend a very suitable producer candidate. The recent blockbuster "Candide" is From her pen, her name is Ethel Lindell Rainer." I went to see Ethel Lindell Rainer.She was in her fifties, with gray hair and an aggressive demeanor."I absolutely love your script. We're sure to hit it big," she said. I've heard that Alan Lerner and Frederick Lowe have also written a Broadway play about extrasensory perception, which they've been planning to put into production, but because of Candlelight in Rome, they've put it on hold.The success of a film or TV production is followed quickly by imitators, and on Broadway, originality is the key to success.Lerner and Lowe didn't want to do another show with the same ESP theme after someone else had just done it.They waited for the performance of "Roman Candlelight". I got to know Allen when I was with MGM and I liked him as a person.Both he and Frederick Lowe are extremely talented, and I feel very sorry that they wasted their time and talent on a musical that will never be produced. Everyone said we were on the verge of success.Had Moss Hart been able to direct, "Candlelight in Rome" would have been a hit. I said to Audrey, "Can you call Moss and tell him we're starting?" "Of course we can, the faster we progress the better," she said. The next day, I had a meeting with Audrey and Ethel Lindell Rainer. Audrey said, "Moss sent me a telegram." Then she read the telegram aloud: "Dear Audrey, I have received your ultimatum, but I am currently writing an autobiography called "The First Act", and it will take six months for me to finish writing before I have time to direct Sid Ni's script." She looked up at me, "We have to find another Xianming." At this time, I should express my opinion.There is no better director on Broadway than Moss Hart.We don't need to rush to rehearse, we have to wait for him.But I'm not a person who likes to contradict others.When I was a kid I used to hear Natalie and Otto arguing violently, and I've hated arguments ever since.So, I nodded and said, "It's up to you." This is one of the biggest mistakes I've ever made in my life.I later found out that Ethel Lindell Rainer was a half-baked guy who didn't know enough about Broadway or Hollywood.When I introduced William Wyler, who was going to direct the film version of Candlelight in Rome, she said, "I love "Sunset Boulevard." Wilder's masterpiece.
We start casting.She cast the young, beautiful Inle Stevens, who had been in several TV series, and Robert Sterling and Julia Myard.The director is David Pressman, who has little directing experience.As a playwright, I have the right to express my opinion on the selection of actors and directors, but I don't want to stir up disputes.Then, after Ingle Stevens and Robert Sterling flew in to New York, rehearsals began. William Wyler called: "Sidney, there's a question." I took a deep breath, "What's wrong?" "Audrey Hepburn and Shirley MacLaine both wanted to play your script after reading it." "Wyler - I wish there were more questions like this!" The show opens with a young, beautiful psychic who arrives in New York after seeing a photo of her future husband-in-law, a scientist, about to marry a senator's daughter on the cover of Time magazine. marry.That's where the plot unfolds, because the military doesn't want to see their scientists have anything to do with a woman who claims to be a psychic. The rehearsal went well.The musical was played elsewhere and I almost doubt that those comments were written by Natalie. Philadelphia: "Sidney Sheldon's light-hearted sarcasm is hilariously hilarious..." New Haven: "Last night at the Hubert Theater there was a lot of laughter because Sidney Sheldon's Candlelight in Rome..." Evening Post, Wilmington, Delaware: "After Military Music, Candlelight in Rome is the funniest comedy about troops..." John Chapman: "Candlelight in Rome is a lighthearted comedy featuring soldiers and a beautiful psychic." In every theater we went to, the audience burst into laughter. Audrey said: "This play will go on forever." I tried to suppress my ecstasy.In every town we went to, we received rave reviews.I kept revising the script to make the lines more refined and sharper.Every scene is beautiful.We're getting ready to go back to New York.There's a lot of confidence in everybody, and it's not blind because the audience loves our show like crazy. It's finally going to be staged in Manhattan.The venue was the Cotter Theatre, a perfect venue.The glowing words of praise from out of town had reached New York before we even played.The entertainment pages of New York newspapers were filled with photos of the crew and articles proclaiming our success.Congratulatory messages from family and my friends on Broadway and Hollywood poured in.We were all very excited, and we started betting. "I bet it goes on for two years," the producer said. Audrey Wood said: "Three years, maybe four years, plus touring." Then they all looked at me.I've had too many hard lessons to say, "I abstain." The premiere went well, and the response from the audience was also very good.We saw the first comments that evening. The New York Times: "Not as exciting as a six-day bike race." Variety: "The characters are surprisingly boring." "New York Herald Tribune": "I don't want you to think that "Candlelight in Rome" is useless, and that's not enough. It's just a lukewarm, insignificant, mediocre play." Q Magazine: "Cotter Theater Comes to Life with Performances, Not Scripts." New York Daily News: "'Candlelight in Rome' moves forward most of the time, but not all of the time." A pundit has said that critics are a bunch of guys waiting in the wings, and when someone hapless shows up, they swarm to rub salt in your wounds. After five performances, Candlelight in Rome was discontinued. Not long after we closed, Lerner and Lowe began rehearsing their play about psychics, called "The Way We Live." The play was a huge success.
My agent called from Hollywood: "I regret the fate of this musical." "me too." "I'm afraid I have some bad news for you." "I thought what you just said was bad news." "More than that. William Wyler has decided not to direct the film." This is the final fatal blow. It's easy to pull off a ostensibly successful Broadway musical.
I faced the same choice again: give up or try again.It would be too muddy for me to give up. I needed to write another book, so I sat down and started writing.I sat in my study for a week, rejecting one idea after another.Finally came up with an idea that might work.Broadway has yet to stage a musical featuring gypsies.I had a title in mind, it's called "Kings of New York," and it's about a gypsy family whose beautiful daughter falls in love with a non-gypsy, and the story unfolds. I don't know anything about gypsies, have to do some research first.Where can I find them?I called the police station and got an officer. "Is there anything I can do for you?" "I want to interview some gypsies. Can you tell me how to find them?" The police officer smiled, "Yes, the police station often takes some gypsies into custody. But now there are none. I can introduce you to a man who calls himself 'King'." "Great." "King"'s real name is Adam, and the police officer gave me his contact information.I called Adam, introduced myself, and invited him to my house.He was a tall man with black hair and a deep, husky voice. I said, "I want to know some gypsy customs with you. I want to know all about your living habits." He sat without saying a word. I said, "I'll give you the money. If you'll tell me everything I need, I'll pay you—" I hesitated. "One hundred dollars." He was overjoyed immediately, "Okay. You can give me the money now, and then..." Then I knew I would never see him again. "No. I want you to come here once a week, for an hour each time, and I will give you some money each time." He shrugged. "Okay." "Okay, let's talk." So he started talking, and I was taking notes.I want to know the customs of the gypsies, their life, dress, conversation, and thoughts.Three weeks later, I knew enough about Gypsies to start writing the script.After finishing writing, I showed the script to Joya. She said: "It's touching. Who are you going to give the script to?" I've thought about it a long time ago, "Gore Champion." He just recently directed the hit Broadway play "Happy Tonight." I went to see Gore.He was a former musical star at MGM and went on to direct Broadway, where he had great success. I said to Gore, "I have a script that I want you to read." "Okay. I'm going to New York tonight, and I'll take the script with me and read it on the plane." I foolishly thought he could open the script on the spot like Desi Arnaz, "Thank you!" When I got home, Joya asked me, "What did he say?" "He'll watch it. The thing is, I've heard he's got a lot of plays, and even if he's interested in my script, it might be a long time before he does it." The next morning, I got a call from Gower: "Sidney, I think you have a great script for a really good musical. Nothing like this has ever been done on Broadway. I'm going to call "Happy Tonight" was composed by Charles Struth and Lee Adams." I don't know why, but I don't have the slightest excitement.I've been through too many disappointments. I tried to sound as interested as I could, "That's great, Goyle." I hung up the phone, all the frustrations from the past coming to my mind. I'm waiting for news from Gore.He called five days later, sounding annoyed. I asked him, "Is everything done?" "No. I asked Struth and Adams to compose the music and they demanded more rights. Two ungrateful bastards. I told them I wouldn't let them compose." "Then who are we looking for..." "I'm not going to line up." A year later, another group of musicals, "Byeul", was staged on Broadway, telling the story of gypsies living in New York.
I should be feeling down right now, but instead I'm elated.I am reminded of Dr. Malmö's description of manic depression.This is a part of the brain that is extremely manic and depressive, leading to emotional ups and downs.There are 30,000 suicides in the country every year, and this type of situation accounts for the majority of them.I rejoiced and felt that something good was about to happen. Sure enough, good things came through a phone call. "Sidney Sheldon, please." "I am." "I'm Robert Furier." is a very successful Broadway producer. "Hello, Mr. Forrell." "Dorothy Fields and Herbert Fields asked me to call you. They're writing me a musical called The Redhead and they want to know if you'd be interested in doing it with them. Cooperation. Are you interested?" Am I interested in working with Dorothy Fields and Herbert Fields again?Of course there is!I said as calmly as possible, "Yes, I'm very interested." "That would be great. When can you come to New York? We want to start as soon as possible." Two weeks later, Joa, Mary, and I moved into an apartment we rented in Manhattan.It is a pity that Laura cannot accompany her.I paid her all the wages I owed her, plus a large bonus.It was sad to say goodbye to Laura. "I can't leave my family, Mr. Shelton. I will miss you and I will pray for you." This is our Laura.
Robert Forrell was in his forties, handsome, elegantly dressed, and passionate about theater.We went to meet him at his office on Forty-fifth Street. "The Redhead will be a great musical." His words were full of enthusiasm. "It's a pleasure to have you work with us." "I'm happy too. Tell me about the show." "Dorothy is writing the lyrics, the music is by Albert Harger, and you and Herbert are writing the script. Set in turn-of-the-century London, the main character is a young woman who works in a wax museum on a horror production. The statue in the hall. A serial killer is free and left no clues. When he killed the last victim, the heroine saw him and made a wax statue of him. So she became the killer's next Goal. It’s a musical with mystery and suspense.” "fantastic."
We meet her at Dorothy's house. After exchanging greetings, Dorothy said, "Let's get to work." The idea of Dorothy and Herbert is perfect.I haven't seen them since "Flying Swallow and Golden Spear" and it's a pleasure to work with them again. The Fields introduced me to the composer Albert Harger, who had composed music for six Broadway plays and was an accomplished musician. Haag later rose to fame as Mr. Benjamin Sjorowski on the television series Fame. The original idea of the Fields couple was very exciting, so the script was written very smoothly.Herbert and Dorothy worked during office hours, and we worked every day from nine in the morning to six in the evening, and then we all went to our respective houses.I think back to those crazy days with Ben Roberts, we were writing multiple scripts at the same time, working until the wee hours of the morning. Joa and I got Mary a babysitter, and when I wasn't working, we were walking around New York.We go to the theater, we go to museums, we go to restaurants to enjoy good food.The first restaurant I took Joya to was Satie's, and Vincent Satie is still there, as enthusiastic as ever.We had a wonderful meal there with a fabulous bottle of champagne.
Herbert and I wrote the first draft of the script, and Dorothy and Albert wrote the lyrics. We met in Robert Forrell's office to review the script and the lyrics. "Very well," said Furier. "Everything is going my way. Now it's time to think about the actors. Who's going to play the female lead?" We need a leading lady who is attractive, compassionate, can sing, and can do comedy.Such a collection is really not easy to find.We rummaged through the list of actresses and finally came across a name we all wanted: Bee Lilly.She is a stage comedy star from the UK, good at singing and dancing. "She's the right person," Furier said. "I'll show her the script and the lyrics, and then we'll just cross our fingers." Five days later, we were back in Forrell's office.He was very happy, "Bill Lily likes this show very much. She agreed to play." "That's great." "We still need a choreographer now, and then we can start work." As a result, it still couldn't work.Billy Lilly wants her boyfriend to be the director. We continue to look for the right heroine. "Wait," said Dorothy, "how's Gwen Foden?" The atmosphere in the room suddenly became active. "Why didn't I think of her before? She's perfect, she's so beautiful, she's so talented—and she's redheaded. I'm bringing her the script this afternoon." This time we only had to wait two days. Robert Forrell said, "She'd love to," and he sighed, "but there's a catch." We all stared at him, "Oh?" "She wants her boyfriend to be the director." "Who is her boyfriend?" "Bob Fosse." Bob Fosse is an excellent choreographer.He just took on the choreography of two hit shows: The Pajama Game and Lost Souls. I asked, "What works has he directed before?" "No, but he's very talented. If you all agree, I'm willing to take the risk." I said, "I don't want to miss Gwen Verden." "Then let's not miss her," said Dorothy, looking at Robert Forrell. "Let's talk to Bob Fosse." Bob Fosse, in his early thirties, was an ebullient little man who danced and acted in a number of Hollywood films.He later became a choreographer, and he choreographed dances in a uniquely moving style.His trademark is wearing a hat and gloves when dancing.He wears a hat to cover his head, which is beginning to bald, and gloves, it is said, because he doesn't like his hands. We had a meeting in a rehearsal studio on Broadway.Bob Fosse had very clear expectations for our show.He was full of great ideas and after the meeting we were all happy to have him on board.He's dual-tasking, choreographer and director. We brought in Richard Keeley and Leonard Stone, and rehearsals began. Problems followed. Bob Fosse, like all good choreographers, was very authoritarian.He has his own opinion about the play.We had the script written, the sets built, the costumes ordered, but Fox wasn't happy with any of that.He's assertive, stubborn, and drives us all to our nerves.The reason why we put up with all this is simple: he is a genius.His choreography is so exquisite that the whole play is beautiful because of it.But when Fox wanted to rewrite the script, I intervened, and Herbert agreed with me.We decided to send him to another screenwriter, David Sean.
The rehearsal was fantastic.Gwen's performance can be described as radiant.The dance is gorgeous and dazzling, and the whole play is like a dream.I held my breath, waiting for the unexpected to happen. Natalie and Martin came to New York for the premiere, and Richard and his wife, Joan, flew in as well.They sat in the audience with Joya and me.This time, I did not disappoint them. The premiere was held at the Forty-sixth Street Theater in New York on February 5, 1959, and was unanimously affirmed by the critics.They fell in love with Gwen, liked the arrangement of song and dance, and the script was to their liking. Watts, New York Post: "Best musical comedy of the season..." New York Telegraph & Sun, Aston: "A huge success this year, maybe years..." McKay, NYJ: "Best musical of the season so far! …" New York News, Chapman: "A musical as good as it gets!" Winchell: "Big hit drama!..." New York Herald Tribune's Kerr: "A fantastic musical..." "Redhead" was nominated for seven Tony Awards that year and won five.Needless to say, we were all excited. Three months later, Gwen Verden and Bob Fosse tied the knot. The elevator went up to the top again.I think it's time to go back to Hollywood.I'm not going to wait for the studios to hire me, I'm going to write my own scripts and sell them. Writing a hit Broadway musical was a piece of cake.I've always been interested in extrasensory perception, and movies and plays about the subject are very serious.I decided to write a romantic comedy with a beautiful young psychic as the main character, and I thought it would be fun.I wrote the script and called it "Roman Candlelight".My agent gave the script to various studios and Broadway producers, and four Broadway producers approached us. Top Broadway director Moss Hart wants to direct the script.Moss Hart's most recent work is the Broadway hit "My Fair Lady".He wanted his partner, producer Hermann Levine, to produce Candlelight in Rome.Sam Spiegel is also interested. My agent at the time was Audrey Wood, a small but dynamic woman who was one of the preeminent script agents on Broadway.Working with her husband, Bill Ribering, she represented some of the top playwrights, including Tennessee Williams and William Inge. Audrey said: "This show will definitely be a hit. Sam Spiegel is calling again and he wants to sign us. He is a friend of Moss Hart and Moss will help him directed." I'm so excited, it's best not to. Audrey called again: "I have something to inform you. William Wyler has read your script and wants to direct this film." William Wyler is one of the best directors in Hollywood. He has directed a large number of classic works, including "House of Valor", "Ben-Hur", "Roman Holiday", and so on.He was working for United Artists at the time, and United Artists was going to make the film and also wanted to invest in the Broadway musical.I now have to choose between Sam and Moss Hart and William Wyler and United Artists. I told Audrey, "Since Moss wants to direct a musical, why not have Sam Spiegel make a musical, let Moss direct, and give William Wyler and United Artists the film rights?" Audrey shook her head: "I doubt if Sam is willing to make a musical if he can't get the film copyright." I said, "Go and try." The next day she gave me an answer: "As I expected, Spiegel still wants the film rights. However, I can recommend a very suitable producer candidate. The recent blockbuster "Candide" is From her pen, her name is Ethel Lindell Rainer." I went to see Ethel Lindell Rainer.She was in her fifties, with gray hair and an aggressive demeanor."I absolutely love your script. We're sure to hit it big," she said. I've heard that Alan Lerner and Frederick Lowe have also written a Broadway play about extrasensory perception, which they've been planning to put into production, but because of Candlelight in Rome, they've put it on hold.The success of a film or TV production is followed quickly by imitators, and on Broadway, originality is the key to success.Lerner and Lowe didn't want to do another show with the same ESP theme after someone else had just done it.They waited for the performance of "Roman Candlelight". I got to know Allen when I was with MGM and I liked him as a person.Both he and Frederick Lowe are extremely talented, and I feel very sorry that they wasted their time and talent on a musical that will never be produced. Everyone said we were on the verge of success.Had Moss Hart been able to direct, "Candlelight in Rome" would have been a hit. I said to Audrey, "Can you call Moss and tell him we're starting?" "Of course we can, the faster we progress the better," she said. The next day, I had a meeting with Audrey and Ethel Lindell Rainer. Audrey said, "Moss sent me a telegram." Then she read the telegram aloud: "Dear Audrey, I have received your ultimatum, but I am currently writing an autobiography called "The First Act", and it will take six months for me to finish writing before I have time to direct Sid Ni's script." She looked up at me, "We have to find another Xianming." At this time, I should express my opinion.There is no better director on Broadway than Moss Hart.We don't need to rush to rehearse, we have to wait for him.But I'm not a person who likes to contradict others.When I was a kid I used to hear Natalie and Otto arguing violently, and I've hated arguments ever since.So, I nodded and said, "It's up to you." This is one of the biggest mistakes I've ever made in my life.I later found out that Ethel Lindell Rainer was a half-baked guy who didn't know enough about Broadway or Hollywood.When I introduced William Wyler, who was going to direct the film version of Candlelight in Rome, she said, "I love "Sunset Boulevard." Wilder's masterpiece.
We start casting.She cast the young, beautiful Inle Stevens, who had been in several TV series, and Robert Sterling and Julia Myard.The director is David Pressman, who has little directing experience.As a playwright, I have the right to express my opinion on the selection of actors and directors, but I don't want to stir up disputes.Then, after Ingle Stevens and Robert Sterling flew in to New York, rehearsals began. William Wyler called: "Sidney, there's a question." I took a deep breath, "What's wrong?" "Audrey Hepburn and Shirley MacLaine both wanted to play your script after reading it." "Wyler - I wish there were more questions like this!" The show opens with a young, beautiful psychic who arrives in New York after seeing a photo of her future husband-in-law, a scientist, about to marry a senator's daughter on the cover of Time magazine. marry.That's where the plot unfolds, because the military doesn't want to see their scientists have anything to do with a woman who claims to be a psychic. The rehearsal went well.The musical was played elsewhere and I almost doubt that those comments were written by Natalie. Philadelphia: "Sidney Sheldon's light-hearted sarcasm is hilariously hilarious..." New Haven: "Last night at the Hubert Theater there was a lot of laughter because Sidney Sheldon's Candlelight in Rome..." Evening Post, Wilmington, Delaware: "After Military Music, Candlelight in Rome is the funniest comedy about troops..." John Chapman: "Candlelight in Rome is a lighthearted comedy featuring soldiers and a beautiful psychic." In every theater we went to, the audience burst into laughter. Audrey said: "This play will go on forever." I tried to suppress my ecstasy.In every town we went to, we received rave reviews.I kept revising the script to make the lines more refined and sharper.Every scene is beautiful.We're getting ready to go back to New York.There's a lot of confidence in everybody, and it's not blind because the audience loves our show like crazy. It's finally going to be staged in Manhattan.The venue was the Cotter Theatre, a perfect venue.The glowing words of praise from out of town had reached New York before we even played.The entertainment pages of New York newspapers were filled with photos of the crew and articles proclaiming our success.Congratulatory messages from family and my friends on Broadway and Hollywood poured in.We were all very excited, and we started betting. "I bet it goes on for two years," the producer said. Audrey Wood said: "Three years, maybe four years, plus touring." Then they all looked at me.I've had too many hard lessons to say, "I abstain." The premiere went well, and the response from the audience was also very good.We saw the first comments that evening. The New York Times: "Not as exciting as a six-day bike race." Variety: "The characters are surprisingly boring." "New York Herald Tribune": "I don't want you to think that "Candlelight in Rome" is useless, and that's not enough. It's just a lukewarm, insignificant, mediocre play." Q Magazine: "Cotter Theater Comes to Life with Performances, Not Scripts." New York Daily News: "'Candlelight in Rome' moves forward most of the time, but not all of the time." A pundit has said that critics are a bunch of guys waiting in the wings, and when someone hapless shows up, they swarm to rub salt in your wounds. After five performances, Candlelight in Rome was discontinued. Not long after we closed, Lerner and Lowe began rehearsing their play about psychics, called "The Way We Live." The play was a huge success.
My agent called from Hollywood: "I regret the fate of this musical." "me too." "I'm afraid I have some bad news for you." "I thought what you just said was bad news." "More than that. William Wyler has decided not to direct the film." This is the final fatal blow. It's easy to pull off a ostensibly successful Broadway musical.