Friday Flashback: Ann Reinking, Donna McKechnie & Chita Rivera perform "Let Me Entertain You"

From the 1987 TV special "Broadway Sings: The Music of Jule Styne" - Tony Award winners Ann Reinking, Donna McKechnie and Chita Rivera, perform "Let Me Entertain You" from Gypsy.

I've been a fan of all three practically my whole life. It still amazes me I worked with all three.

Vintage Video Footage Of GYPSY With Ethel Merman

GYPSY - 1959. Pro-shot photo-call reel as rehearsals were starting. It seems that all of the creative geniuses were on hand except for David Merrick and maybe Leland Hayward, who I wouldn't recognize..

Merman, Robbins, Klugman, Sondheim, Styne (at keyboard), Church, Laurents . . . Jacqueline Mayro, Gerald Freedman, various performers and stage managers and even Gypsy Rose Lee. Klugman looks great, and the rapport between he and Merman is evident.

For a soundtrack - audio working-tapes of Ethel Merman and pianist, including many lyrics that were deleted or changed during rehearsals and tryouts.

At the finish is a smattering of amateur color film of the original production out of town, including a glimpse of the "Christmas" number that was cut before the NY opening.

This is all just film snippets, apparently in no particular order. I'm sorry the camera fidelity isn't better - as you see, the original source is spotty to begin with. A good friend in the legal profession has assured me that this film is now in the 'public domain'.Some parts of the audio were apparently added separately and volume levels may have to be adjusted while you listen.
Posted by Stephen B. Crowley on Wednesday, July 8, 2015

GYPSY - 1959. Pro-shot photo-call reel as rehearsals were starting. It seems that all of the creative geniuses were on hand except for David Merrick and maybe Leland Hayward, who I wouldn't recognize..

Merman, Robbins, Klugman, Sondheim, Styne (at keyboard), Church, Laurents . . . Jacqueline Mayro, Gerald Freedman, various performers and stage managers and even Gypsy Rose Lee. Klugman looks great, and the rapport between he and Merman is evident.

For a soundtrack - audio working-tapes of Ethel Merman and pianist, including many lyrics that were deleted or changed during rehearsals and tryouts.

At the finish is a smattering of amateur color film of the original production out of town, including a glimpse of the "Christmas" number that was cut before the NY opening.