Roberta
Opening at the New Amsterdam Theatre in New York on 18 November 1933, this show was based on Alice Duer Miller's novel, GOWNS BY ROBERTA, and set, appropriately enough, in the high fashion capital of the world—Paris. Otto Harbach's book concerned John Kent (Ray Middleton), who used to be an All-American full-back before he inherited an interest in a dress shop named Roberta, which is operated by his Aunt Minnie (Fay Templeton). He takes on a partner, Stephanie (Tamara), who leaves it until they are almost married before revealing that she is a Russian Princess. This was a visually stunning production, the highlight of which was an elegant, lavishly mounted fashion show. Jerome Kern and Otto Harbach's score was pretty spectacular, too. It contained the ravishing trio, Smoke Gets In Your Eyes, The Touch Of Your Hand, and Yesterdays, which was introduced by Fay Templeton who was making her final Broadway appearance in a career that had lasted for 50 years. Most of the laughs were provided by Bob Hope and George Murphy, prior to them both going off to Hollywood. They were involved in Let's Begin (with Tamara), and Hope also had the amusing You're Devastating, and Something Had To Happen, with Ray Middleton and Lyda Roberti. The latter, who was described as ‘a supple, Polish-accented blond’, also registered strongly with I'll Be Hard To Handle (lyric by Bernard Dougall). This was Jerome Kern's last Broadway hit, and although 295 performances was alright, it could have been better The composer who had been the catalyst for what became accepted as America's own popular music, as opposed to the European imported variety, was to spend most of the rest of his life writing music for films, including the lovely Academy Award-winning song, The Way You Look Tonight. Hollywood had two attempts at filming ROBERTA. The first, in 1935, starred Irene Dunne, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, and the second, retitled LOVELY TO LOOK AT, had Howard Keel, Kathryn Grayson and Ann Miller.