Happy Birthday GRETCHEN WYLER! From Rick McKay's BROADWAY: THE GOLDEN AGE FILM TRILOGY!

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Күн бұрын

Happy Birthday to one of my favorite people in my Broadway: The Golden Age Film Trilogy - GRETCHEN WYLER (1932 - 2007). Gretchen could tell a story like nobody's business and certainly does here in this tale of how she got her first starring role on Broadway in Cole Porter's Silk Stockings. Gretchen (Guys & Dolls, Where's Charley? Silk Stockings, Damn Yankees, Rumple, Bye, Bye, Birdie, Sly Fox), never believed in waiting for your ship to come in or to be in "the right place at the right time." Gretchen also didn't believe in luck - she believed that we all made our own luck. Both Showtime and PBS tried to convince me to cut Gretchen from the film in early meetings and screenings, because, and get ready for this, "she wasn't famous enough" - but I resisted completely. And of course, she proved to be one of the most successful chapters in the film in all of the reviews!
Enjoy this story of how Gretchen made her own luck and how she artfully created the opportunity for her first big break. Gretchen became a great pal and helped promote the first film of the trilogy every chance she got. She did her final interview before her death with me at her home and is a great part of the new film, "Broadway: BEYOND the Golden Age," coming out later this year. And don't ask me how, but riddled with cancer, with minimal make up and wearing a t-shirt and jeans, Gretchen looks even more beautiful in that final interview, and somehow - over 5 years later - looks even younger.
If time permits, I'll be including a wonderful continuation of this story in the new film, as Janis Paige and Gretchen tell the story who got the film version - and how. And if it doesn't make it into the film, count on seeing it in the out-takes on the DVD!
Happy Birthday My Dear Gretchen - I miss you madly!
• Happy Birthday GRETCHE...
From Producer/Director Rick McKay and "Broadway: BEYOND the Golden Age" mega-producers Anne Bernstein, William Nix, Jamie DeRoy, Richard Eric Weigle, Jane Klain, Corey Brunish, Rachel Roark Stange, Fran Bator, Michael Anastasio, Jack Coco and Celia Castevens.
PLEASE SUPPORT OUR BROADWAY FILM TRILOGY BY MAKING A 100% TAX-DEDUCTIBLE DONATION AT: thefield.org/fo...
See the trailer for our the upcoming second installment, "Broadway: BEYOND the Golden Age", of our trilogy at: • Broadway: BEYOND The G...
Or get the award-winning first film of the trilogy, BROADWAY: THE GOLDEN AGE on DVD at: www.amazon.com/...

Пікірлер: 9

@showbuzz2674 4 жыл бұрын

Gretchen was a life saver to me in college. I was cast in the James Coco role in Neil Simon's THE GINGERBREAD LADY which guest starred Gretchen Wyler. The director was a homophobic European born man. The director hounded me in rehearsals mercilously. I was between tears and rage most of the time. He didn't understand the character I was playing and the character was in his 50's and I was 23! Finally Gretchen physically took me by the hand and privately directed me in the part! She got raves in the Miami Herald and I got pretty good notices for my acting command of a role 30-40 years in my future! She was a brilliant actress and a great teacher and a loving mentor! ....and wickedly funny! Oh how I was blessed.....there were lots of funny mishaps during performances...which warm my heart to this day. I feel blessed to celebrate Gretchen Wyler all these years later when I'm really old enough to play Jimmy! Oh how I wish I could thank her personally!

@justinherbert9146 9 ай бұрын

I watched this clip and then looked her up and was amazed she was born and raised in Oklahoma - she sounds and acts more like a hardened tough New Yorker then an Okie - may she RIP

@MrArtTuro 8 жыл бұрын

Loving this!!

@chrisn7259 6 жыл бұрын

Great story thanks for posting. I'm a little surprised that Gretchen thought she could break into the movies. She was attractive--certain;y enough for stage--but she must have known she didn't have movie star looks.