MY FAVORITE BROADWAY STARS

 

Julie Andrews, 2013

JULIE ANDREWS – Dame Julie Andrews was born in 1935 in Walton-on-Thames, England. She is an accomplished actress, singer, dancer and author. A child actress who provided the voice of Princess Zeila in the Italian animated film The Singing Princess in 1952, she made her Broadway debut in The Boy Friend in 1954. She began to be noticed as a Broadway musical professional after My Fair Lady (1956) and as Lady Guinevere in Camelot (1960).

In 1957 Andrews starred in the premiere of Rodger and Hammerstein's television musical Cinderella. Andrews won the Academy Award for Best Actress in the Disney film Mary Poppins in 1964. In 1965 she won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress for her performance in The Sound of Music. She narrated the 2004 documentary series that won an Emmy – Broadway: The American Musical.

In 2000, Andrews was made a Dame by Queen Elizabeth II for her services to the performing arts. In 2002 she was ranked #59 in the BBC's poll of the 100 Greatest Britons. In 2003 she returned to Broadway as a stage director for The Boy Friend. 

In 2020 she turned 85.

BERNADETTE PETERS – Born in a Sicilian-American family in Ozone Park, New York in 1948. At age 13 she appeared as one of the “Hollywood Blondes” in the national tour of Gypsy. The conductor on the tour commented, “God that's a big voice out of that little girl”. After graduation from high school, she started working steadily and appeared in Off-Broadway musicals like The Penny Friend (1966) and Curley McDimple (1967) and as a standby on Broadway in The Girl in the Freudian Slip (1967). She made her Broadway debut in Johnny No-Trump in 1967 and appeared in George M! (1968).

She made an appearance in two Steve Martin films – The Jerk (1979) and Pennies from Heaven (1981). Her performance in the latter gained praise from critics for her dance numbers. In 1982 Peters returned to the New York stage Off-Broadway and in 1984 she received her third Tony Award for Sunday in the Park with George. Her next role was Emma in Song and Dance on Broadway in 1985. In Into the Woods (1987) she created the role of the Witch. In 2003, Peters starred as Mama Rose in the Broadway revival of Gypsy that earned her another Tony nomination. IN 2010 she starred in the Broadway revival of A Little Night Music, replacing Catherine Zeta-Jones role. The New York Times review wrote:

“[F]or theater lovers there can be no greater current pleasure than to witness Bernadette Peters perform the show's signature number, "Send In the Clowns," with an emotional transparency and musical delicacy that turns this celebrated song into an occasion of transporting artistry. I'm not sure I've ever experienced with such palpable force – or such prominent goose bumps – the sense of being present at an indelible moment in the history of musical theater.”

Peters played her final performance was in Before the Parade Passes By in 2018. Peters made several television appearances like The Muppet Show (1977), The Tonight Show (1979), Tim Conway Show (1980) and a children's special Bobbie's Girl (2002). She appeared on variety shows such as Sonny and Cher and hosted Saturday Night Live in November 1981. She made 11 guest appearances on The Carol Burnett Show and co-starred with Burnett in television version of Once Upon a Mattress and 1982 film Annie. She also performed at the Kennedy Center Honors ceremony for Burnett in 2003.

Peters made guest appearances on Will & Grace, Law & Order, Grey's Anatomy and Boston Legal (2007).

Peters has recorded six solo albums and several singles. Three of her albums were nominated for the Grammy Award. She has graced concerts at Carnegie Hall in NYC, in London, and Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in Miami as well as symphony orchestras like Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Dallas Symphony, and Los Angeles Philharmonic at Walt Disney Hall.

Peters serves on the Board of Trustees of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and participates in the annual Broadway Flea Market and Grand Auction.

Peters and Steve Martin had a relationship from 1977-1981. She appeared on the cover of Playboy Magazine in December 1981 issue, posing in lingerie designed by Bob Mackie.

Peters married Michael Wittenberg, an investment adviser, in 1996, at the home of Mary Tyler Moore, a long-time friend. Her husband died at age 43 in a helicopter crash. Peters has a mixed-breed dog named Charlie. She has adopted all of her dogs from shelters. Her impressive career spanned 50 years.

Carol Burnett, 1974

CAROL BURNETT – Born in 1933 in San Antonio, Texas, Burnett is an actress, comedian, singer and writer, her career spanning 70 years. She is best known for her comedy variety show – The Carol Burnett Show, one of the first of its kind to be hosted by a woman. In early years after studying theater and musical comedy at UCLA, she performed in night clubs in New York City and on Broadway in 1959 in Once Upon a Mattress, for which she received a Tony Award nomination. A regular on The Garry Moore Show she won her first Emmy Award in 1962.

In 1959, Lucille Ball became a friend and mentor to Burnett after appearing on The Lucy Show. The two remained close friends until Ball's death in 1989. Ball sent flowers every year on Burnett's birthday, on the morning of her 56^th birthday, Burnett discovered from the morning news that Ball had died. Later that afternoon, flowers arrived at Burnett's house with a note reading - “Happy Birthday, Kid. Love, Lucy.”

The Carol Burnett Show ran from 1967 to 1978. The cast regulars included Tim Conway, Harvey Korman, Lyle Waggoner, and Vicki Lawrence, whom Burnett discovered and mentored. She is a close friend to Julie Andrews (they performed together more than once) and Betty White. Burnett has been an acting mentor to Vicki Lawrence and have a close friendship.