Headed off to work just as that was ending. I was one minute late...but that was the worst thing that happened all day. Spent the entire day outside pushing carts and gathering trash, and despite the strong winds and chilly weather, I wouldn't have wanted to be anywhere else. For one thing, we were mobbed almost the entire afternoon. The lines were down the aisles when I went inside for my break and to use the bathroom. It's the beginning of the month, and some folks can't shop any other time.
Went straight home after work. Worked on the early blog entry I wasn't able to get to last night while the cast album from the stage Aladdin was on. This one made a lot of changes in order to make it workable for the stage. Abu the monkey is replaced by Aladdin's three buddies Kassim, Omar, and Babkak, and Jasmine now has three handmaidens who listen to her complaints about being stuck in the castle. Iago is human rather than a very annoying parrot. Aladdin gets himself trapped in the Cave of Wonders, rather than Abu trying to grab something. As far as I can tell, Aladdin and the guys aren't sent away after Jafar takes over - it just goes right into Aladdin tricking Jafar.
A great cast - Johnathan Freeman reprises his Jafar, Clifton Davies is the Sultan, and James Monroe Iglehart has a blast as the Genie - sings the heck out of both old and new Alan Menken songs. One ballad for Aladdin, "Proud of Your Boy," was written for the original animated film, but cut when they dropped the character of Aladdin's mother. In the stage version, Aladdin sings it as he recalls his promise to his dying mother that he would never steal. A heavily revised "Friend Like Me" parodies other Disney musicals, including the animated Aladdin.
Though it can come off as something of a pastiche, the music is still good enough that I can understand why this continues to run at the New Amsterdam Theater in New York at press time. One of Disney's better theatrical cast albums is highly recommended for fans of the animated film or the cast.
Finished the night with the second half of that Match Game in 1976 marathon. The show just kept rolling on with great moments as the year drew to a close. Sitcom starlet Debralee Scott, then appearing in the soap opera spoof Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, was a welcome addition near the middle of the year. Country star Bill Anderson also made his first appearance during the second half of 1976. He was so enamored of Debralee during the week they were on together, he wrote a song for her. Charles and Brett provided back-up dressed as cowpokes. Scoey Mitchilll happily flirted with a pretty young woman, while Brett eyed him. The panel went up at arms over the Audience Match "Women's __," with Brett shouting the obvious answer for the time. Gene did a soft-shoe to "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" on Dodgers pitcher (and later announcer for the Atlanta Braves) Don Sutton's first episode.
There were even more memorable contestants. Mary was a policeman's wife whose endless energy terrified the panel, especially Gene. She clung to Gene after she won, and kissed Richard even when she didn't win the Head-to-Head. It got so out-of-hand, Gene grabbed Roz Kelly for a kiss, and Betty and Johnny Olsen ended up in each other's arms. A charming young man who resembled John Ritter had no problems discussing his dogs with the panel, but missed the obvious answer to a question involving dogs. An older lady with pinkish hair insisted on a new kid on the block kiss from Gene.
Brianne Leary, who would later appear on the first season of CHIPs, won enough money during her run to launch her acting career. She became the only former contestant to appear as a panelist when she sat in the 4th "ingenue" seat for two weeks in 1979. Sweet soap star Lynn Deerfield recalled her (now lost, alas) win on the original 60's Match Game, with a then-unknown Bert Reynolds as her captain.
The year ended with the episodes featuring George, a dear young man with the most gorgeous smile who planned to give his winnings to the church and to his parents for them to have a vacation. At one point on his second episode, Gene attacked a cameraman who missed his cue! George played an adorable twinkly-eyed older lady whom Fannie said looked like Mrs. Claus on New Year's Eve. Match Game celebrated its change to 1977 with a very ugly bird dropping a paper-mache egg into Charles' arms and a heartfelt speech from Mark Goodson honoring everyone who had contributed to making the show the top-rated program in daytime.
Party on in the bicentennial year with some of the show's best moments!