Now that I think of it, how many actors who have won acclaim and/or awards for their performances in musical theater did so without being able to sing? I can think of a few people who created their roles in original Broadway productions, yet their singing ability was not technically good. They depended more on their ability to sell the song as a part of the characters they portrayed.
1. Carol Channing comes to mind. She played Dolly in "Hello Dolly, as did
2. Pearl Bailey. Those of you who remember her might disagree, but, while she could project, I'm not sure her voice was all that good. But she had the ability to infuse her energy into a song.
3. Zero Mostel in Fiddler and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.
4. Yul Brynner in the King and I.
5. Richard Burton in Camelot.
6. Rex Harrison in My Fair Lady.
7. Mel Ferrer in Man of La Mancha.
8. Peter O'Toole in the film version of Man of La Mancha. I know they dubbed another singer into that one, but he couldn't sing either.
10. Sophia Loren in the same film. She wasn't dubbed, but who cares?
Maybe those last three don't really count. But I needed at least ten to feel complete.
6 comments:
Anthony Newly. ick.
Liza Minnelli
Robert Preston
Lotte Lenya
Burt Convey. Actually, he was a pretty good singer. I just wanted to type his name.
Bea Arthur or most anybody in Threepenny Opera. Bad singing was probably a prerequisite.
Rauol Julia
Anybody who ever played Pa Carnes.
HeeHee!
Then there are the producers who decide a stars name is valued more highly than the music:
Kelsey Grammer in Sweeny Todd. *shudder*
Christine Applegate in Chicago. Speaking of which, that seems to be the most popular show to rotate hollywood actors in and out of roles.
I have a theory: If you played a tape of Anthony Newly and David Bowie one after the other, you would see that they have the same vocal stylings.
The farmer and the cowman SHOULD be friends.
Michael Charles
Roseanne Barr.
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