BROADWAY UNDERCOVER

 If you enjoy some inside dish on what it was like behind the scenes during Broadway’s golden age, you should pick up Julie Andrews’ new book “Home: A Memoir of My Early Years.”  While the book covers her difficult upbringing in war-torn Britain, it’s her stage tales that make for a fun read.

She discusses the audition and rehearsal process for My Fair Lady in great detail, and readily admits that playing the role of Eliza Doolittle did not come easy to her at first.  Rex Harrison, who famously played Henry Higgins, seemed to grow increasingly impatient.  She writes that during the rehearsal process, “I got the feeling from Rex’s cold and ungenerous attitude that I wasn’t making inroads with him and that he was, quite rightly, making a stink about this silly little English girl who couldn’t manage the role.  Apparently, he once said something like, ‘If you don’t get rid of that c___, you won’t have a show.’  Thank God, it was many years before I knew of that remark.” 

Director Moss Hart, who Andrews obviously adored, later told her that at the time he said to his wife, Kitty Carlisle, “You know, if this were the old days, I’d have taken her to the penthouse at the Plaza Hotel, locked the door, made passionate love to her all weekend, and she’d have emerged Monday morning – a STAR!”  Kitty apparently replied, “Well, darling, we know we love each other.  If you think it’ll do any good – go ahead.” 

Moss instead decided to work solely with Andrews for a forty-eight hour stretch.  “By the end of the forty-eight hours, that good man had stripped my feelings bare, and disposed of my girlish inadequacy; he had molded, kneaded, and helped me become the character of Eliza.  He made her part of my soul.  We were both exhausted.”   

She eventually developed a nice relationship with Harrison.  She writes, “In spite of the difficulties I’d had with Rex, he was so charismatic, such a brilliantly faceted diamond, and so fascinating to watch, that when he left the company, I missed him very much.  He lived his life in the grand manner; he oozed style.  I missed his power, his presence, and of course, he always kept me on my toes.”  Edward Mulhare took over the role.  Though Andrews said he did a good job, she never really got to know him.  “Rex had been so flamboyant; Mulhare was more guarded and private.”

Andrews also speaks lovingly of Roddy McDowall, her costar in Camelot, and how he loved big soirees at his apartment.  He had always wanted a piano, so a party was arranged for him and every “chum” contributed $25 to buy him a lovely little upright.  Andrews describes that party…and oh would that have been a fabulous wall for a lucky fly! 

She writes, “We all arrived early: Judy Garland, Noel Coward, Richard and Syb [Burton], Tony [Walton} and me, [Robert] Goulet, Tammy Grimes, Anthony Perkins, and so many other people who loved Roddy.  He was just bowled over.  There was a pianist for the evening, so everyone sang something.  We sat around on the floor, having been sated with food and wine, and at some point, Judy got up to sing.  I’ll never forget it.  In that quiet setting, she was mesmerizing.”

Other Camelot stories detail some of the off color antics of a very charming Richard Burton.  “Im grateful that Richard remained professional with me, and didn’t press his luck until much later in the run,” she writes.  “In all honesty, had he turned his considerable charms on me early in rehearsals, I do not know what my reaction would have been.  He was that attractive.”

This book reads like a part one of her illustrious career.  In fact, the book ends with Andrews venturing into the world of Disney and movies – which will surely be fodder for a follow up.

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