Same Role 30 Years Later?

[Paul W. Thompson]

As Jennifer Holliday is playing Effie in "Dreamgirls" at The Muny this week, 30+ years after her debut in the role on Broadway, I got to wondering. How many people have played a role on Broadway 30 years after debuting in it? I can think of two: Yul Brynner and Carol Channing. Have there been any others? If my math is correct, Rex Harrison and Joel Grey made 20+, but didn't make 30. What do you think?

[FishermanBob]

Here's an obscure one. Rex Everhart was the standby for the role of Benjamin Franklin in the original 1969 B'way production of 1776. When Howard Da Silva had a heart attack during previews, Rex went on for him. was part of the opening night cast and sung on the Cast Album. In 1997, when 1776 had its revival, Rex was again the standby for the role of Benjamin Franklin played by Pat Hingle and then David Huddleston. It's 28 years later but close enough for government work.

[Almira]

Wow Fisherman Bob, great story.

How long has Cathy Rigby been playing Peter Pan?

[yankeefan7]

Saw Ms. Holliday in "Dreamgirls" on Broadway and she was amazing. That being said, don't know how it would go over with her doing that role being 30 yrs older. In the show, she was part of a young group aspiring to become stars and don't see that looking right with a woman of her age now.

[WithoutATrace]

In 1976, George S. Irving played the role of Marlowe in the flop musical SO LONG 174TH STREET.

In 2008, George S. Irving played the same role in ENTER LAUGHING (revised title) at the York Theater Company - and he was fantastic!

[FANtomFollies]

Can't believe no one has mentioned Ted Neeley in Jesus Christ Superstar. Movie in 1973, touring through 2010. That's 37 years later!!!!!!!

[staunchcharacter]

Topol in Fiddler on the Roof.

[g.d.e.l.g.i.]

Can't believe no one has mentioned Ted Neeley in Jesus Christ Superstar. Movie in 1973, touring through 2010. That's 37 years later!!!!!!!

Neeley's full production history:

1971 -- Reporter/Leper, Jesus understudy (Broadway)
1972 -- Jesus (L.A./national tour)
1973 -- Jesus (film)
1976/77 -- Jesus (C.Y.T. production in California)
1992-97 -- Jesus (national tour)
1998 -- Jesus (R.T.C. production in California)
2006-10 -- Jesus (national tour)
2010 -- Jesus (E.T.C. production in Utah)

He has logged upwards of 2,000 performances as the man they called Messiah.

[South Fl Marc]

In opera it's very common to do the same role for 20, 30 or even 40 years.

[CATSNYrevival]

^Rigby first played Peter on Broadway in 1990 so that's 22 years, but before that she also did an arena tour where she played Pater Pan, and I believe other tours and regional productions so if you count that it's probably been close to 30 years.

[givesmevoice]

Didn't Tom Bosley do a production of Fiorello! many years after the original Broadway production?

[3bluenight]

Angela Lansbury Mame 1966/1983

[justoldbill]

When Rex Harrison came back to Broadway in MY FAIR LADY many years after the original production, Cathleen Nesbitt was also again on hand to reprise the role of his mother. It has been said that she was the only woman still alive old enough to do so.

[bdn223]

Ann Reinking as Roxie Hart in Chicago...though I think it may only have been 20 years but for a "young" role being able to play it twice 20 yrs apart is still amazing.

[GavestonPS]

You must be thinking of the movies. Gwen Verdon was in her early 50s when she first played Roxie. (It didn't matter, in case you are wondering.)

[justoldbill]

Even then, she would have been much too old for this message board. She'd probably have been called a troll and worse.

[Paul W. Thompson]

These examples are awesome! Truly they are. However, if you read the question strictly, I still don't think we've come up with any others besides Brynner and Channing who performed the same role in BROADWAY productions 30 years apart. Certainly Holliday and Irving and Topol and Neeley had tremendous longevity, but they come with asterisks, don't they? Just a nod to the purists

[SNAFU]

Who can forget Yul Brynner as the King of Siam in The King and I.

[blaxx]

Adam Pascal and Anthony Rapp

[FishermanBob]

Then maybe there aren't any others Paul. Is there a purpose to this little exercise you've sent us on? What's magical about 30 years rather than 28 or 25 or 22 3/8?

[darquegk]

The two merry murderesses in Chicago are of intentionally ambiguous age- no indication is given of their actual state in life, so they can be played by young hard-edged ingenues all the way up to reigning divas of a certain age, and anywhere in between.

[Paul W. Thompson]

Nothing magical, really. But Holliday's appearance has been called "30th anniversary" in the media, so that's why I worded it that way. 25 would be another reasonable milestone. Harrison would make that, I think, as would Channing's Lorelei, with rewrites and a new title (another asterisk! ).

[DEClarke]

blaxx, you made me LOL! I love them both and I love that show... but you still got me laughing pretty good! Nice work!

[Musicaldudepeter]

Ann Reinking was supposedly much better when she played the role of Roxie at 46. I think the role suits an older woman much better.

[daredevil]

Here's a close one: Arch Johnson, the original Lieutenant Schrank in West Side Story (1957) played the same role in the 1980 revival. So that's 23 years. Also, John Fiedler, who originated the role of the white man who visits the Youngers to talk them out of moving to Clyburne Park, played the role for many years. Robert Coote the original Colonel Pickering in 56, also played the role in the 1976 revival.