Sweeney Todd Original 1979 Broadway Musical Commercial

Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street is a 1979 musical thriller with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and libretto by Hugh Wheeler. The musical is based on the 1973 play Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street by Christopher Bond.
Sweeney Todd opened on Broadway at the Uris Theatre on March 1, 1979 and ran for 557 performances. It was directed by Harold Prince with musical staging by Larry Fuller. It starred Len Cariou as Sweeney Todd and Angela Lansbury as Mrs. Lovett. The musical tells the story of Benjamin Barker, alias Sweeney Todd, who returns to London after 15 years' transportation on false charges. When he learns from his former landlady Mrs. Lovett that his wife poisoned herself after being raped by the judge who wrongly transported him (Judge Turpin by name), he vows revenge.
Tony Awards it took Best Musical, Martin Richards
Best Book of a Musical,Hugh Wheeler
Best Original Score,Stephen Sondheim
Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical, Len Cariou
Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical, Angela Lansbury
Best Direction of a Musical Harold Prince
Best Scenic Design, Eugene Lee
Best Costume Design , Franne Lee
and Ken Jennings played Tobias Ragg and received the 1979 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical.

[@williamneale7238]

A rare shot of the original set on the stage of the Uris Theatre. They dismantled a factory and rebuilt it inside the venue - so the metal work, stained glass, girders etc became part of the set, extending the metaphor of Victorian life turning people into meat further. The tour, and later revivals, use the same design of trucks, bridges and backdrops, but not that original monstrous set.

[@Ayden_B]

See also the 1974 bootleg

[@Ayden_B]

November My bad! It’s actually 1979

[@mandolindleyroadshow706]

The early 1980s Saturday Night Live set used a similar factory type construction. No wonder, both Sweeney and SNL's set designers were Eugene and Franne Lee.

[@hobihope2981]

This is an awesome fact, thank you sm for sharing!!

[@makototakara7025]

Where’s the Uris Theatre?

[@katwil89]

I saw this on Broadway as a college student in 1979. My theater teacher took a bunch of us to New York for spring break and he chose all the shows we saw that week. I had no idea what this show was about before I saw it - only that it was Sondheim. I must say that the shock of it has stayed with me all these forty years - what an amazing, moving theater experience. In my head, I can still see Sweeny and Mrs. Lovett, the last two people to leave the stage turning each other for one last, chilling look, walking off the set, and slamming their respective doors. Chilling, still to this day. After the show, my friend and I got autographs and our pictures taken with Angela Landsbury and Victor Garber. Then we had dinner at Sardi's, because of course we did. That was an unforgettable night for a 19 year old theater major.

[@cindersofcreation]

You might be interested to know there's a 1979 amateur recording from one of those showings that is up on youtube if you search it out, well worth the watch I'm sure it's every bit as good as you remember as I found it to be dumbfoundingly amazing

[@katwil89]

​@@cindersofcreation I will look for it right now! Thank you so much!

[@lynns7262]

Wow! What an awesome experience! And awesome theater teacher. I was a college freshman in 1979 and would have loved to see this show!!!

[@lynns7262]

@@cindersofcreation thanks, I’ll look for it too!!

[@JoeEnglandShow]

Such an experience! I envy you.

[@thecinematicmind]

Rest in Peace Angela Lansbury 1925-2022 Phenomenal Talent.

[@MovieFan1912]

May she and her legacy live on.

[@ghostofthefuture]

This commercial scared the hell out of me when I was a little kid.

[@awllypollyas8292]

Well, it got through pretty well, i suppose

[@AshleySmith-nf4ww]

Angela's laugh at the end! haha perfect!

[@user-xv7pf9jv7c]

0:29 ~ 0:30 That laugh was very perfect! That laughing scene reminds me of Joker from The Batman Series or Pennywise The Clown from Stephen King's IT

[@MovieFan1912]

May she Rest In Peace.

[@sweetpea3134]

Oooohh, I didn't know they did trailers like these for musicals! It's perfect in my opinion, it gives a good hint as to what the show entails without giving a lot away. And if I'm speaking honestly, the camera angles brings back too much nostalgia for me to care!

[@MovieFan1912]

In Loving Memory of Angela Lansbury (1925-2022)

[@dasc0yne]

The commercial was enough to make the intriguing title stick in my brain until I became older and sought out the marvelous Broadway recording. Oh how it would have been wondrous to have witnessed Len Cariou.

[@michaelwilliamybarra2409]

Now you can! kzbin.info/www/bejne/f4TTZqaglrihopI

[@whodatninja439]

wish i could go back in time to see it

[@flatlandfox]

I had family members work on the original production, which made it possible for me to see the show a bunch of times... with both Len & George... I favored Len... probably because I saw it with him first, & that truly felt like "The Way" Sweeney should be played. The pipe organ was stage right on the apron of the stage. The conductors entrance is what you are missing with the 1979 version... its too dark, the organist is playing that dreary piece, as the conductor enters near him stage right, wearing a crazy "Einstein" style wig, a vintage tux with tails, with his conducting baton in hand he takes his place as that steam whistle blows... I should add the original volume of the whistle was cut by 50% because people were so frightened... a few complained of chest pains, or worse... yup... they peed themselves. Just a special show... with genius musical talent all around... book, score, acting, sets... oh yeah, & Hal Prince directs. Every I is dotted, & all t's crossed in this masterpiece.

[@silentsmurf]

That whistle is so loud and unsettling on the cast recording. Can’t imagine how jarring it was to hear in person for the first time, that poor audience!

[@Norsknurse]

BUT…..no video recording!!!!

[@BrettOwen71]

I remember this commercial from when I was a kid!

[@Miller-og8ke]

Awesome

[@foofoola2569]

Brett Owen yes what the hell is she saying ??driving me nuts again after all these years lol

[@dmenor11ification]

@@foofoola2569 It's a part of the lyrics of "God, That's Good!", "Bless my eyes! Fresh supplies!"

[@NewsHistorian]

In the late 70's and early 80's there were several creepy commercials for horror and slasher films aired at night.

[@RosesNightengales]

I've never seen Len Cariou in one of the commercials before. He looks great!

[@monicag4217]

I saw this show with this original cast when I was in HS. Excellent!

[@FansofModernHorrorCCooper2016]

Sweeney Todd Rocks!! been loving it for 20 years!!

[@briankooker2627]

Will always remember my Father saying "holy sh*t" when the blood squirted from the knife....all around heard him even above the loud music/whistle.

[@Ayden_B]

If you listen in the black part before the commercial starts, you can hear a soft “Sweeney Todd” and now that’s all you can hear

[@piecesofme8531]

Lmao, that will legit give me nightmares!!!

[@Panwere36]

There is a double moral to the story. Yes, revenge is a road to hell.. but those who send that person on that road are just as much to blame.

[@joed180]

🤷 Meh, freely flows the blood of those who moralize.

[@Panwere36]

@@joed180 , that is precisely what I just said. There were no heroes in the story except for Anthony and Joanna.

[@stevefreedman470]

I remember that commercial very well...and I also saw Sweeney Todd with Landsbury/Cariou....I have no words...it was that good....I also had a chance to perform in Sweeney Todd some years later. ❤

[@candrew14]

When l was 10 years old, Channel 11, WPIX in New York City used to show this commercial on weekday late afternoons when kids shows were on. WTF were they thinking????

[@pamelatorres156]

I had no idea there WAS a commercial. Awesome!

[@vivalapsych]

Who wouldn’t want to go see this after this commercial?!

[@maxleunig4072]

This honestly looks more like a commercial for a dark comedy. It's still a better ad for Sweeney Todd than the trailers for the movie. That looked more like a Pirates of the Caribbean sequel than a musical.

[@thereefshark]

It is a dark comedy, tho...

[@jenlynchjata8109]

Vance B no it’s a horror musical

[@SRLovesPandas1]

that's fair since it's a revenge tragedy with dark humor

[@rooty_rootz]

@@jenlynchjata8109 It's both

[@Caio0_057]

It has a lot of dark humour tho, like just look at the score, these songs are darkly comedic: Worst pies in London, Pirellis Miracle elixor, The Contest, Green Finch and Linnet bird, Kiss me, Ladies in their sensitivities, A little priest, God that's good, By the sea, Parlor songs, (I think these are all) These are about half the songs in the score (if you count all of the instances of the ballad of sweeney todd as one song, which i kind of do) and the others range from just kind of matter-of-factly to very serious, so I think it's very evenly split between dark comedy and horror.

[@elizabethpower7897]

I have seen multiple productions of this show and just watching this right now freaked me out quite a bit! Yay!

[@metrometheus641]

R.I.P Angela Lansbury. ❤🕊

[@jamesdelornhowlandjr.6516]

RIP 🪦 Angela Lansbury. I saw that commercial when I was 17 years old living in The Bronx New York. I liked the commercial.

[@Fuzzyemu]

I’ve had a 4 or 5 year Sweeney todd hyperfixation, and every time I see this commercial it makes me smile

[@dianetheisen8664]

Never seen this commercial but that could be because I don't live in NYC LOL‼️. But I DID see the original Broadway production with Angela Lansbury and Len Cariou. Absolutely loved it‼️🗡✂️

[@lukegreen5341]

0:18 Angela Lansbury Is Best Known As Mrs Price In Disney's Bedknobs And Broomsticks The Movie In 1971 And She Was Also Played The Voice Of Miss Potts The Teapot In Disney's Beauty And The Beast In 1991. Thanks Mate. X

[@MovieFan1912]

WAS best known for that. Didn’t you hear? She just passed away today.

[@andrewtodaro2874]

Love the art direction in this commercial! Nice and spooky! ❤

[@planetpihl660]

what a musical thriller!

[@GrantTarredus]

WOW! What a treat! Thanks for sharing this, very much!

[@FionaJaneWeston]

Brilliant!

[@bikefixer]

Finally! I've been looking for this commercial for years. LasVegasReview, you rock!

[@Chishannicon]

This is awesome!

[@rcbrammer]

Sweeney Todd is my favorite musical of all time! The Broadway version is the only way to see this play with either Len Cariou or George Hearn in the title role. The recent movie with Johnny Depp really sucked and was a major disappointment. Fortunately, the Angela Lansbury-George Hearn version is available on DVD, so I would recommend this to those who, like me, love this great musical.

[@wylier]

I would also recommned the original cast album, on RCA. Its actually the only way to hear Len's take on the role - the definitive one, if you ask me!

[@henryanderson6752]

rcbrammer I’d also recommend the 2001 concert with Patti LuPone and George Hearn. Patti gives a different interpretation from Angela, but one that is equally thrilling and brilliant!

[@JorgeGomez-hx5uu]

To each is their own. I think the 2007 one and the others are great

[@RukoHanaji]

I remember this ad! It stuck in my head for years.

[@ryebread9299]

Scary trailer love this

[@CatherineLopez-fp4ox]

I Will Miss Angela Lansbury She’s The Voice Of Mrs.Potts In The Beauty And The Beast She Has Many Role’s Of Her Character’s

[@carlang4793]

i love this

[@BooBop1987]

Cool!

[@tearoses9940]

I love it, but I gotta say it: what is even with these camera angles in this ad?

[@drsunshine1959]

"What is even" is that a camera can capture many more angles than can be seen from a seat in a theater. Camera angles can create mood, close in on details, accentuate and minimize, distort - and the result is an entirely different experience than one would find by attending a live performance. In a 30 second commercial you need to grab and immerse the viewers into the spirit and mood of what the show's about. Thirty seconds from a stationary camera positioned at 5th row center would not do this; in fact it would be dull as dishwater.

[@onnapnewo]

@@drsunshine1959 I don't think that's what TeaRoses was getting at. I think they're asking why that particular camera angle, when a close-up at the actors' eye level would have accomplished the same effect without that distortion.

[@Brentman56]

For those of you that live around NYC do they still make commercials for plays like this? This was great.

[@mkaplan1383]

How did I come across this Dunkin Doughnut commercial?

[@robertkees6048]

I remember this commercial, and also the show Gemini where the lady says "I'm not hungry I'll just pick." I remember seeing a few Broadway shows as a kid at that time; Grease, Your Arms Are Too Short To Box With God, and, The Magic Show after Doug Henning had left. When I saw the magic show it starred a guy named Mel.

[@DamienTepps]

I wonder if all you people bashing the Burton film know that Sondheim collaborated closely with the director so "faithfully" recreate the production for the big screen. Which songs and scenes should be shown/omitted. So while nothing compares to the original, there was nothing wrong with the film and in saying so is to say that Sondheim himself didn't know what he was doing.

[@SDoesNotKnow]

There are a lot things wrong with the film. Sondheim may have consulted with Burton but had no real control over the final decisions and how the film turned out. They massacred the source material.

[@americapluss]

For though's of you who say Len is brilliant, Angela is the great one but Hearn (George hearn) is the brilliant serial killer of sweeney!

[@coll912]

You should look at the OBC bootleg. You see Len make sweet love to that title role as he commands that stage as the role he originated. I adore both, but take a look at Len's incredible performance in that bootleg.

[@wylier]

My thoughts? Len created the role, made it his. To this day, one of the finest live performances I have ever seen!

[@ashareeoo]

@@coll912 it's true! I always glorified Hearn, but that bootleg of Len has made them equals for sure!

[@drsunshine1959]

Hearn bellowed and screamed his way through the part...he really doesn't have a lot of depth as an actor and he tries to compensate for it by simply being over the top. Cariou, a far superior actor, was as chilling as ice, a living corpse, terrifying in his quiet moments as he was in the larger ones...and he sang every note correctly. Sang, not yelled.

[@highbaritone]

drsunshine1959 I agree totally.

[@cjdebord7310]

Hard to believe this is the old man on Blue Bloods lol

[@perpetual61]

Before they were JB Fletcher & Michael Hagarty on " Murder She wrote " They were Nellie Lovett & Sweeney Todd.

[@ZidaneWarner]

So did they really have an organist in the orginal Broadway production?

[@abby_someone_77]

Dang where can i watch this in full and clear

[@CLD-ru6oo]

RiP Angela Lansbury 😢

[@MovieFan1912]

As long as she remains in our hearts, her tale really will be as old time.

[@emmastraub6842]

I think we just found out who chips dad is 😳

[@rocioreyes6695]

😱😱😱😱

[@timrauser8201]

Does anyone know if that's Duane Morris playing the organ at the very beginning?

[@KIYOCHING]

oh god! where i can buy this dvd?

[@adfl7790]

KIYO CHEUNG You can get it on eBay or at CEX.

[@songthief9560]

+Juan Salinas This may be old news, but I don't think Burton's collaboration with Sondheim can be called close. Sondheim wasn't even allowed on the set during filming to offer input. The cheesy gore was insisted in on by Burton, and Burton stacked the deck with celebrities he liked, including his girlfriend, whether they could sing or not. Burton stipulated he wouldn't even do the movie if he couldn't put Depp in it. Sondheim bowed to Burton's choices, but that doesn't mean they were the choices he would have made independently. That movie smells exactly like Burton's usual overwrought sense of style, and little of Sondheim. I think Sondheim comes across as a reluctant figure in all of this, but even if it was his vision... that doesn't means "there's nothing wrong with it." Its a really bad film. An artist creat a great painting, and also make a bad one. I personally think this is Burton's painting and not Sondheim's, but at the end of the day, whoever is responsible-- it was a disaster.

[@sebastiangreco6482]

Song Thief Hi, i dont know if you know this. I know that Sweeney Todd is a play from the 1800 in victorian England (based or not in a real person) and that had a few adaptations over the years. But i dont know why it say that Sondheim worte the lyrics and wheeler the libretto, and they based "their play" on Bond play. For what i know all they did was a musical version for Bond play, and that is Bond who "created" (adapted) the Sweeney Todd that every one uses now (as Sondheim and Wheeler did) What are the major difference between Sondheim and Bond versions, to call Sondheim a version of his own and not just a music version of Bond play? Im not from USA (english is not even my mother language as you can tell, and sorry for that the mistakes in my writting) and i cant find information about it. All i can find point to add music to Bond play and MAYBE a few words here and there. Even i found people saying that the "moderm Sweeney Todd" was created by Sondheim (and some people that the story was created by him, but, well, what to say about that haahaha).So, if you can tell me what are those major difference THANKS!!!! I always love the character (i couldn find a book of Sweeney Todd from the Victorian Era yet) and all the moderm interpretation i found, Sondheim including, are from Bond. Am i wrong?

[@jasminelededma2427]

what do you think of into the woods? sondheim helped a lot with that

[@meninohulk4289]

Song Thief I honestly don't care how much input Sondheim had or not, the movie was absolutely terrible.

[@MidnightIsolde]

+Sebastian Greco You won't find a book on Sweeney Todd as such because he is not a real person. There is speculation that real or similar characters may have inspired him. It is similar the the Scottish legend Sawney Bean (inspiration for The Hills Have Eyes btw) which has been adopted in Scotland as a 'real' legendary figure of theirs, but the truth is the first mentions of him are in the early 19th century in penny bloods - serialized lurid fictions. What you will find for Sweeney Todd is the 1847 penny dreadful 'The String of Pearls; or The Demon Barber of Fleet Street' by James Rymer and/or Thomas Prest. The modern interpretations are from Bond's 1973 play, yes. Except the 1930s film and many theatre portrayals by Tod Slaughter, who is very melodramatic and a deliciously villainous character as Sweeney just as he is in the original serial.

[@sebastiangreco6482]

MidnightIsolde I know, i said that on my comment. What i mean was about "creating". If you put music and add a few things here and there, you do not CREATE something, you just made a version of. That is what is wrong, Thats all. And i would LOVE to see the original Victorian play :) :)

[@JustSomeCanadianGuy]

Not sure why it took them so long to make a movie.

[@kamdan2011]

It’s a musical and not exactly an upper.

[@AwesomeSaucePictures]

Glenn's chin though lol

[@ianluetkehans7822]

Is the soundtrack available to own

[@zackstark24601]

Yes Amazon and also music streaming services

[@oluhamilton2121]

Music was killer...haha

[@maxleunig4072]

Who's the organist?

[@timrauser8201]

I believe it may be Duane Morris. I'd really like to know for sure, though.

[@ImALombax]

i didnt see anything

[@taylorkirkland62]

Len looks so weird with that face paint xD

[@Ayden_B]

Honestly, I prefer George Hearn in the role.

[@bigkuyac2224]

Hearn seemed to chanel the true anger and vengeance of Sweeney

[@drsunshine1959]

Hearn stank.

[@Norsknurse]

Why is there no dvd of the best version of Sweeney Todd w Len Cariou???

[@amyclarke41]

better than hbc😊

[@WyrdSpooky]

my issue isnt what was gotten rid of or what stayed but the casting choices. and yeah Sondhiem can make mistakes.

[@ShipsHaveSailed]

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