West Side Story "Cool" on The Ed Sullivan Show

West Side Story "Cool" clip from The Ed Sullivan Show on September 14th, 1958.
© SOFA Entertainment. All Rights Reserved.

[@mireyagray1905]

I recognized two Jets from the movie. I love when Broadway actors get into their movies.

[@joewhitehead3]

Mireya Gray I noticed them to

[@dancingdog60]

I see David Winters!

[@elizabethmurphy9384]

David Winters, Tony mordante, Carole D’Andrea, Gina trikonis? Gus Trikonis?

[@Snakefan222]

Tucker Smith (Ice) is in this too!

[@litlgrey]

Winters passed away on April 23rd of this year, @@dancingdog60. It was the sort of announcement that, if you blinked, you missed it. But some of us didn't miss it.

[@Mike-dk7wj]

One of the greatest dance sequences not just in West Side Story but of any musical.

[@janethartwig774]

The barn dance scene in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers was glorious and shot in one take. One of these dancers was also in that film.

[@Cablecol]

Also the 'Simon Zealotes' choreography in JCS the movie.

[@StefWriter]

I love how the whole intro he had to explain it, when nowadays that information is so iconic and well known. It's amazing that such a classic musical was brand new at this point.

[@chocolatesouljah]

Yes! So true! And it was never a raging success on Broadway. The movie version changed perceptions about "West Side Story"

[@bdcowboy22]

Stef Sears I didn’t know Ed was so “accessible?”

[@Suchapill]

+Chocolate Souljah It had 17 curtain calls on its opening night. It was raging.

[@chocolatesouljah]

@@Suchapill The audiences who saw it loved it but the Tony award went to the cheerier "Music Man" which ran about a year and a half longer. "West Side Story" spent much of it's last year at 50% off tickets. When it transferred to London. I think 1959 it ran almost twice as long. It was the movie version that sealed it's fate as a classic.

[@juliettealazard6830]

hey, how's it going

[@spoly8139]

That was the first Broadway show I saw with Larry Kert and Carol Lawrence at the Winter Garden Theater. It was a 16th birthday present from my parents and I'll never forget the experience. What music, what dancing, what heartbreak...what a night!!

[@ChrisOnStage2]

And these kids did this 8 days a week on Broadway!! That's NUTS!!

[@suzannechiles4108]

I kept worrying about their knees!

[@loge10]

@@suzannechiles4108 so did they...

[@Marcel_Audubon]

those crazy kids!!!!!!!!

[@waldolydecker8118]

that's Broadway

[@nickbigd]

Ed was and is right. Even in its second year of existence, it was clear this was one of the greatest musicals of all time.

[@stevenhaff7973]

Wow, the energy and commitment of the performers really comes through. West Side Story must have seemed like a hurricane when it opened.

[@marmaly]

This was very well shot considering the limits of television framing. At the time, scenes like this were often done with just one or two cameras. In this case, they really went all out - 4 or 5 cameras (the studio had 6 at one point), complete with a high boom. Obviously a lot of planning and rehearsal went into this. The framing of each shot and the timing of cuts matches the scene perfectly, with a couple exceptions. Especially impressive for a live production. Having seen what was accomplished here, the potential for a film version would have been obvious.

[@swcosmos1]

Robbins. No doubt.

[@felixcasper586]

Those camera men and their director knew their stuff and limits -a well drilled team.

[@jeffkoons001]

One of the great musical numbers in American theatre history. Truly spectacular.

[@karelvandervelden8819]

Here in the Netherlands my father took me to the movie version in 1963. I was eleven and underaged, but he sneaked me in. How cool is that....A year later WSS was the the first LP I bought. I am still in awe about the quality. Thank you for posting. Peace.

[@mothershelper1981]

David Winters and Tony Mordente are so good! And they're so young in this.

[@moimeme6533]

there are several moments in this that are simply mind-blowing, even to this day 🤯 pure genuis of expression in movement and sound

[@ontheground09]

I imagine people watching this on TV and being totally impressed. Great editing and use of the cameras for that time. Best musical ever. This was amazing.

[@KellyODo]

This choreography is outstanding! So exciting and ahead of its time!

[@mkville]

I just found this fantastic gem. This dance in the garage is just a classic !!!

[@MrTraderon]

Do others also experience tears of joy watching this?

[@moimeme6533]

no but could understand why: the execution and precision combined with the expression: chills!

[@ALF782]

I just did, my favourite dance sequence of all time that even Michael Jackson was influenced by it

[@barneymiller5488]

Still holds up. Great piece. Great performance. Great music. Great choreography.

[@moimeme6533]

timeless

[@wildsarsaparilla]

And don't forget, one was not mic'd in those days. You had to sing, dance and act for 1,100 people eight times a week with nothing but your talent, costume and your fellow castmates. 😮

[@stephanielisafranklin335]

MY FAVORITE ALL TIME MOVIE. I cried for weeks. Dancing unreal and live here. It's amazingly ahead of its time. The composition structure is avant garde as well.

[@albertnortononymous9020]

One of the very rare times Leonard Bernstein used “twelve-tone composition.”

[@stephie1stephbeyond127]

@@albertnortononymous9020 you must be professional.

[@brianobrien7983]

I am such a maniac when it comes to this show and particularly the original Broadway production. The differences between the play and the movie are interesting and striking. Aside from the fact that this number and “Officer Krupke” switched positions for the film (one of the changes for the better I thought) it’s interesting that Anybody’s is fully Intergrated into the dance here effectively dancing alongside the male Jets while in the movie her character barely dances at all and is completely absent from this number. Also the female Jets are wearing pants here while in the movie they are all wearing skirts and tight skirts at that! I’m sure that’s why in the film the don’t do the same Robbins knee slides as the fellas! The dancing here is superb. How I wish we had a current day Sullivan-type show. So much of what I saw on Sullivan really inspired my love of dance, theater and variety arts.

[@InstructorDriving]

I was Action 6th Grade PS 91 Bronx NY 1976 Still gives me chills

[@waldolydecker8118]

Easy, Action.

[@janiegolden5338]

Real cool boy! Bernstein's hot jazz number was amazing coming from a composer of classical music.

[@moimeme6533]

classical elements throughout, esp. the fugue

[@tomshea8382]

@@moimeme6533 That was kind of his thing. He considered himself the 20th-Century Man, capable of all things musical, so he wrote operas, symphonies, musicals, piano pieces, band pieces, etc.

[@albertnortononymous9020]

@@moimeme6533 more of an invention than a fugue

[@moimeme6533]

@@albertnortononymous9020 perhaps but in the original score the dance sequence within this number is entitled "Fugue"

[@waldolydecker8118]

clearly Bernstein didn't limit himself to just be pigeoned-holed as only a 'composer of classical music.' He was truly a composer of American music, of which jazz (blues) is central.

[@65Broady]

Best film ever of all time

[@luclaborde1204]

My bus driver told me this is how he looked back in that time back in the days like this he was younger teenager young men looked cute he said he was part of jets gang too lol I just smile and laughed.

[@joewhitehead3]

I’m pretty sure at least two of those dancers appeared as Jets in the movie a few years a later

[@dancingdog60]

David Winters being one of them.

[@kaitlync3829]

dancingdog60 I saw David Winters, Tucker a Smith, and Tony Mordente.

[@dancingdog60]

@@kaitlync3829 They're amazing!

[@kaitlync3829]

@@dancingdog60 I know, which kind of makes me annoyed about the remake because it won't have all of my favorite jets and sharks :(

[@CamilleNadia]

I agree. I counted at least three.

[@ruthkidney3582]

I loved watching this show! I remember when the Beatles were on. What a night that was. We didn't realize history was being made.

[@marzblackmann]

Wow! Still amazing after all these years! Thanks for sharing this!

[@chocolatesouljah]

So amazing. My favorite choreography in the show.

[@luclaborde1204]

He plays cool song everyday every early morning get started for us and my friends get ready for school I love the jets gang good performance.

[@nowdid]

Ed Sullivan and West Side Story. Thank you so much. I wasn't born when this aired this is such a treat for me

[@jo-annzinni3511]

I saw several actors from the movie...loved the music, dance and well, basically the whole thing.💓🌷🎶

[@jaylesiger6781]

Amazing clip, where would Broadway have been without the constant support of Ed Sullivan and his Sunday night show? Sadly, the original Riff, the very talented Michael Callan, had been whisked off to Hollywood by this time and is not in the clip.

[@geekthegirl6961]

Riff is dead by this point, no?

[@faithjacqueline3351]

It’s so cool to see some of the cast members in the show went on to be in the movie

[@darkenergyhotep5793]

It stands the test of time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! STILL Bad ASS AND HERE IT IS 2018 LONG LIVE COOL!!!

[@TomBacchus]

Look carefully, and you'll see three of the male actor-dancers who went on to play different and same roles in the film.

[@jaymorgenthal9479]

Thanks for posting this clip. It’s a chance to see the musical that changed Broadway forever in it’s original glory.

[@marikafasola8771]

Amazing!I see Tucker smith here! Immediattely recognized his body and hair.

[@cindiwaters4165]

The music is so wonderful, so beautiful, I heard it first when I was a teenager, saw the stage Broadway production twice, second time went by myself because it was so fabulous, the music makes me tear up it is so beautiful and wonderful.

[@albertnortononymous9020]

Good ol Lenny.

[@Tonithenightowl]

I recognized 4 dancers from the movie. Fabulous jazz choreography. They make it look so easy. I'd be in traction lol

[@eddisonfoncette9103]

Fun fact, David Winters who played "Baby John " in this played "A- rab" in the movie. Tucker Smith, Tony Mordente, who played "Ice" and "Action " respectively in the movie are an unnamed "Jets," in this .

[@kareneastman9695]

Wow. How wonderful.🙂That song is one of the greatest.🙂😀

[@HollyLebed]

Pure brilliance.

[@seventiesmemories5116]

I've never seen anything from the original production, great that at least there is this tidbit. It's so ahead of it's time, and it's the original dancers and the original choreography. Not a recreation in later years.

[@rufus-t415]

Still one of the greatest musicals of all time.

[@martinsorenson1055]

This is sort of hard for me to explain, but I'll try. Somehow, watching this, the choreography seems more like a modern dance - like you would see in a specific dance program from the 60's rather than part of a musical. Whereas, for some reason, in the movie, it looks like it belongs in the movie. I am not sure why this is, or why my brain is interpreting each version this way. But either way, it is one of my favorite dances.

[@choreobantic]

It is the same choreography. Supervised by Robbins himself before he was fired for his perfectionism.

[@SanFranDentist94301]

Theres no exposition. And the garage seems a bit more natural than a street corner. It makes sense to goof around like "Officer Krupke" out in the open. But "Cool" is a bit more personally emotive. Which is why the film differs from the play.

[@jadezee6316]

@@SanFranDentist94301 if you accept the premiss..which i dont

[@moimeme6533]

@@SanFranDentist94301 also they reversed the order in the film, moving this sequence to a more pivotal moment in the story.

[@Marcel_Audubon]

It's because it's out of context on the Sullivan show. If you saw it in a theater or in the movie, you get the whole dramatic buildup, acting and musical, to this point.

[@TrajanaFortis]

At the end Sullivan said he was about to interview Jerome Robbins, I would have liked to see that.

[@stevenhaff3332]

Wow! really impressive, the movement quality of those dancers/singers was sharp, energetic, and evocative. Loved the almost schizophrenic style. So different from the movie, which was much more lyric and stylized. Original cast? Looking at that video I could see what a shock that show must have been for an audience considering the type of shows you would have seen on Broadway during those years.

[@peninakeenspinka8429]

I saw west side story before it came to Broadway. It showed in Albany, NY in 1956 I think. It might have been the same cast. It was unforgettable.

[@EricMontreal22]

Not original cast. FOr example that's Hank Brunjes as Riff.

[@mikewebber2637]

WSS had already been running for about a year at the time of this telecast.

[@pattibrooks1907]

I watched west Side Story movie when I was about 6 in 1962 read the book in 10th grade too ! Love West Side Story !

[@annamariaformichelli2165]

first time I've seen the Jet girls wearing jeans, most shows I see it's skirts and dresses.

[@hirokokueh3541]

there is also a Jet girl wears jeans in Gee Officer Krupke, maybe she is the sister who wears mustache

[@Suchapill]

+Hiroko Kaku She's "Anybody's".

[@karenryan6654]

@@hirokokueh3541 That's Anybody's.

[@nyanhialkur1256]

Thou Swell not antbodys ya dumbass

[@nyanhialkur1256]

anybodys is the one wit the striped shirt

[@michaellazzeri2069]

Be it on B'Way or the big screen, IMO, " Cool " is THE greatest ensemble dance sequence of all-time . -----Note, in this performance, 2 of the dancers who were in the film, are here onstage. They are David Winters here, as " Baby John " , while in the film he was A-Rab, & Elliott Field was " Baby John " . Also here, is Tony Manente, who was then, married to Chita Rivera, who played " Anita " in this production. For the film, he was " Action " , & much more. Manente was also Jerome Robbins assistant choreographer . When Robbins " resigned " / " was let go " , the " dance at the gym " scene , had yet to be filmed , so it fell to Manente to set it up, & choreograph that entire, pivotal scene. Because he knew what Robbins had in mind, Manente created the moves for The Jets, & the very different moves for the Sharks , molding the 2 groups into a seamless whole, as Tony & Maria meet, dance together, & kiss. After filming was complete, Robert Wise talked about how Manente got the dancers to enjoy what they were doing, bringing out the youthful exuberance that made " WSS " the Classic, it is today. ---------MJL, 76 y/o

[@joelweisberg]

Tony Mordente, not Manente.

[@mozwildeful]

I think I saw Tucker Smith(Ice in the movie version) as a Jet in the background dancing.

[@daverosado1750]

Wasn't he Tony Mordente ?

[@dreamy_mary]

OMG! So glad I've found this video! Thank you!!! so cool to see Tucker Smith and other actors from the movie)

[@albertdiner]

great that it was filmed

[@busywl69]

oh wow. what a treat!

[@cindchan]

Wow! Cool to see how much was kept for the movie. Though I wish we got to see Anybody's dancing with the guys. Loved seeing Winters and Mordente!

[@mjc5509]

Great ensemble piece noone is front centre..BRAVO...! (WHERE ARE THESE DANCERS TODAY IN 2021)??

[@CincinnatiRon]

Thank you so much for posting, love seeing it in its original form, what incredible dance

[@bh5606]

So good.

[@Wolfsky9]

This music is played much faster than the film was; & the film dance was much longer. It's still the coolest, sexiest, dancing ever put on film, or on the stage! ------------------WolfSky9

[@albertnortononymous9020]

Probably to save time for television

[@arthurboehm]

Still the best performance of the number. And why not? It's the original one.

[@moimeme6533]

best dance scene anyway

[@waynebrasler]

Still utterly brilliant.

[@Sharoney]

Laugh at his lack of polish before a camera, but what lot of people don't realize is that Ed Sullivan started out as a reporter, so he was intrinsically interested in whatever was the best in entertainment. Hosting this show was part of his mission as a journalist.

[@joelweisberg]

Well said!!!!!

[@peacecrewproducts]

The 1957 stage and the 1961 film choreography is way better that 2021. Spoilers elert son!

[@jackienaiditch7965]

Absolutely amazing!

[@recordguy4321]

"Kid Gangs" Ed you are too much, but this clip is really Crazy cool!!!

[@waldolydecker8118]

Yeah, Ed should have referred to them as "Youngster Gangs"...at least that way, he'd be consistent..." all you youngsters out there..."

[@d.martin7692]

Some of these dancers were also in the movie.

[@calvinbealer7264]

Great 😃👍 Play. Great 😃👍 Movie 🍿🎥🍿🎥🎥

[@tiffsaver]

Decades after this was seen on Ed Sullivan's show, I met the gentleman who played the part of "Cool," both dancing in this scene and on the screen. I asked him why I had never seen him again in anything else, and his answer was burned into my mind forever. Evidently most of the dancers in WSS were gay, but "back in the day" it was absolute suicide to ever "come out" and admit that you were. He was ahead of his time, and was neither ashamed of his sexuality or closeted. But when he publicly came out, it was the end of his career and that's why we never saw him again. I shared my sorrow about what had happened to him, and thanked God that I was born in a generation that would finally accept different lifestyles with more openness and compassion.

[@retisonic]

Incredible

[@torresinfesta643]

What a time! Nostalgia

[@BettinaBalser]

a time when television was intelligent, for intelligent people

[@ndogg20]

Yeah, these days you get a load of fluff like Breaking Bad, The Wire, Sopranos etc. Back then we had more intellectual programming like My Mother The Car, My Favorite Martian and F Troop!

[@bdcowboy22]

ndogg20 They did Breaking Bad live? No question we live in a TV Golden Age of some type but we don’t have anything like this. The Beatles, West Side live??? We have the Super Bowl Halftime Show once a year and it usually sucks.

[@ndogg20]

No Breaking Bad wasn't live , that's why its crap. That and the main character dispenses drugs! When I want top of the line drama about a drug dispenser I just take out the old VCR and watch Marcus Welby MD, thank you.

[@Suchapill]

+ndogg20 Hey, I see what you did here. lol

[@loge10]

@@ndogg20 to your point, Deadwood is an unqualified masterpiece, but I couldn't handle Breaking Bad. I didn't even get through the first season. But the sixties also had incredible shows, especially some of the sitcoms like The Addams Family and Green Acres. Plus the shows you mention are all HBO what you have to pay extra for. General TV programming has been brain-dead for quite a while. And the 50s had shows like Omnibus, and many others , again just part of the regular broadcast week.

[@elizabethramirezsierra3700]

Fact: David Winters who played Baby John played the role of A-rab in the 1961 film.

[@ECKohns]

If you look closely you’ll also see Tony Mordente as A-Rab who played Action in the film. And Tucker Smith as Diesel (Ice in the film).

[@kchrules775]

I know that several songs were played much faster(such as Cool) than intended or sped up to fit on the original vinyl album. But I had no idea they actually performed Cool this fast in the show, amazing. I wish the whole original show was filmed.

[@monique0096]

Looks like George Chakiris (Bernardo/Shark in movie) in this video as a Jet. “George Chakiris, who won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his portrayal of Bernardo in West Side Story, still considers it to be one of the most remarkable and defining projects of his career. The actor, who is of Greek descent, first played Jets gang leader Riff in the London West End stage production of West Side Story before scoring an audition for the 1961 film and switching sides to lead the Puerto Rican Sharks, as Bernardo, brother to Natalie Wood’s Maria and partner to Rita Moreno’s Anita.”

[@waldolydecker8118]

You sure this is George Chakiris is in this 1958 NY Sullivan performance? You are correct on Chakiris as Riff in London, but seems odd they would have inserted Chakiris here, as he was not in the original NY cast and the character he would later play in London, "Riff," is already murdered when this number is performed, so Riff wouldn't even be in it. Doesn't seem to make sense.

[@Nataloff]

Fantastic, and unusually good camera coverage. Thanks, Andy.

[@2034916]

This is ‘Cool,’ not Spielberg’s version.

[@orianakorkosz4692]

Grover Dale is also in this, he went on to do The Unsinkable Molly Brown and Half A Sixpence.

[@christopheranderson4605]

As great as that number is, it one of the times that the movie improved upon the effectiveness and drama of the scene in the movie when it was sequenced after the rumble instead of before.

[@carlesgil4388]

I like version the first film.

[@rebeccarivera238]

This aired just a few weeks after I was born! The lead performer went onto to play Michael in Boys in the Band. Didn't know he was a singer/dancer as well. And one of the dancers behind him played his part in the movie.

[@chrishaines1677]

Rebecca Rivera Michael was played by Kenneth Nelson. He was the lead in “The Fantastics”. I don’t believe he was ever in W.S.S.

[@luclaborde1204]

He cool bus driver he is funny too

[@Wolfsky9]

The younger David Winters & Tony Mordente. -----This is classic. Winters was A-Rab in the film, Mordente was Action, & it was Tony Mordente who choreographed the entire Gym Sequence ---the Mambo scene & slow ballet-----after Jerome Robbins was either fired or quit the film. ---------------What a time capsule. -----------------------------------WolfSky9

[@haineshisway]

Um, Tony Mordente didn't "choreograph" anything for B'way OR film. The Dance at the Gym sequence was mostly choreographed by Peter Gennaro. Mr. Mordente may have helped rehearse it but he did not choreograph one STEP of it. It's really not hard to find this stuff out, you know.

[@llc9721]

@@haineshisway Gennaro choreographed for the Sharks, Robbins for the Jets.

[@hcrsa1]

this vid on the ed Sullivan show is awesome and so is the musical west side story is also awesome and amazing but I want to know something the guy singing this song is he Danny Kaye or someone else because I'm confused of who it is and two thumbs up cast of west side story of 1957 and the cast of 1961 awesome job wss

[@brianobrien7983]

Look at the difference in the costumes for the play. In the movie they were in ties! This show what kids living on the streets, so to speak, would have worn. Also I notice that Anybodys is part of the gang and dances like she’s one of the boys.

[@Bobbybabybobbybubbie]

They weren't in ties for "Cool". Also, in the movie "Cool" was moved to a different part of the story, after the rumble.

[@folioio]

I was pleased at seeing Anybody’s dancing the men’s part. I wish they’d kept that in the movie.

[@maryrutkowski7195]

Exactly in movie they put the girls in skirts... and Anybody's is way more on outskirts always trying to break into the gang. In my opinion that character is least analyzed and honored in show... clearly she is one of the first non-binary and/or lesbian characters in a musical. She is gender defying character. Maybe I should write about her.

[@zeppo2240]

@@Bobbybabybobbybubbie which is exactly where I think it belongs for full effect

[@moimeme6533]

@@folioio & she was one hell of a good dancer in this!

[@Reneebenson]

Love the movie and book I want to see the play

[@michaelg3074]

Wow, Ed's director did a pitch perfect shot-for-shot reproduction. I recognized Arab and Action from the film.

[@Camop-iz9kt]

This was several years BEFORE the film

[@mothershelper1981]

@@Camop-iz9kt yes but those characters were in the film as well as the Broadway play.

[@JohnHoulgate]

I could swear I see Jay Norman, who played Pepe, a Shark in the movie. At 1:35 he comes to the front alongside Tony Mordente snapping his fingers before doing a wicked spin.

[@johnkelly3549]

Same wirey build. The same performer steps out towards the end at 4:04 but I'm not sure.

[@prophet6219]

Interesting how some of the camera angles and shots in this presentation are very similar to the shots in the film which came out a few years later. Wonder if they used this as a guide.

[@nhpbob]

I thought the exact same thing. Minus the cramped parking garage set, many angles and cuts were possibly copied by the editors and cinematographer of the film.

[@nos-porai]

Maybe Robbins himself helped direct this performance for TV. And he was the one who directed this scene for the movie as well

[@kristineburbey4710]

great

[@billthehat6973]

This musical was far ahead of it's time...a revolution. It is all to relevant in today's America where people are fighting in the streets over who is or isn't an "American".

[@joewhitehead3]

Bill Thehat Not all of it is relevant. Like the Romeo & Juliet scenario

[@MNBluestater]

Fun listening to the studio orchestra. Couldn’t keep up with the intricacies of Bernstein’s composition…. !

[@ihbarddx]

The dancing worked in WSS. There was a lot of this kind of dancing back then, and most of it... didn't work. I'm glad it's gone.

[@jonnarobinson7541]

I so enjoyed watching this clip. The choreography is very similar to the movie. Yes, several of the dancers were in the movie. The surprise was "Anybodys" (the girl wanna be Jet) being featured in the number. She was not in "Cool" in the movie.

[@albertnortononymous9020]

They were both choreographed by the same Jerome Robbins

[@folioio]

The girl who played Anybodys in the movie, Susan Oakes, was only 17 and not a dancer. She’s great, but she probably couldn’t have managed the choreography on the men’s part here. Not exactly entry-level dancing.

[@HoracioLaresdivito]

😂el programa de esta noche fue grandioso!,verlos a Jimmy durante con Perry como,a mel Brooks muy emocionado,al presidente Obama riendo😂y al ballet de uno,con Mijaíl barisnikov 😅y a mi idolo el gran Freed aistaire muchas gracis😂❤😅😊

[@gregkuehle4722]

cutting edge stuff - back in the day...

[@elizabethramirezsierra3700]

Will this be on DVD?

[@elizabethramirezsierra3700]

I would wish to see the full footage of the original 1957 broadway play

[@susanmema7738]

Beats the new WSS BY A MILE

[@barbarahourigan8462]

❤️

[@XFiorentti]

Unbelievable dancing...just asif it wS choreographed by the great Gene Kelly

[@hopemueller2658]

DANG! They're like freaking ninjas