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The Fool on the Stage

10/4/2013

I've saved perhaps the best for last. (And yes, this is the last. Well, okay, for the time being...)

When Anthony Newley hosted the Hollywood Palace TV show back in 1969. at the very end of the broadcast, he did something special: he recreated his role as Littlechap, the performance that made him a star in Stop the World, I Want to Get Off. Not only does he sing the iconic song from the show, “What Kind of Fool Am I?”, but he does so in full costume and clown makeup. (Applying the makeup live, to make the transformation.)

As an an amusing side note, he seems so intent on getting this important number right while focusing on getting the makeup correct, he screws up the introduction -- repeatedly. Not to worry, he finally gets it right.

As far as I've been able to find, this is the only footage available of Anthony Newley performing Littlechap.

Here 'tis.

3 Comments

Carolyn

10/4/2013 11:37:16 am

For those who don't know the story, this is a good site:

http://users.bestweb.net/~foosie/stop.htm

Robert Elisberg

10/4/2013 04:33:13 pm

Thanks for that link. It's an interesting, well-informed article. The only thing that she has somewhat wrong is her timeline about the 1966 movie. That was likely filmed in 1965 at the earliest. She says that Newley didn't star in the film because he was still doing the show -- but the show closed in February, 1964. What I suspect is that Newley *was,* in fact, doing one of his shows on Broadway, but it was probably "Roar of the Greasepaint," which opened in 1965. That fits her timeline.

For what it's worth, I have a copy of the original London cast album, and I agree with her comments. It's a bit more subdued recording, compared to the splashier Broadway version, and there are more British political references.

Douglass Abramson

10/4/2013 02:08:25 pm

That's the cleanest footage that I've seen from Hollywood Palace. Even the Crosby Christmas show that was syndicated to PBS stations looked this good. If more quality footage exists, it would be nice if METV or one of its competitors would broadcast it.

The Fool on the Stage

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