''Babes in Toyland'' is an

operetta Operetta is a form of theatre and a genre of light opera. It includes spoken dialogue, songs, and dances. It is lighter than opera in terms of its music, orchestral size, length of the work, and at face value, subject matter. Apart from its s ...

composed by

Victor Herbert Victor August Herbert (February 1, 1859 – May 26, 1924) was an American composer, cellist and conductor of English and Irish ancestry and German training. Although Herbert enjoyed important careers as a cello soloist and conductor, he is be ...

with a libretto by

Glen MacDonough Glen MacDonough (1870 – March 30, 1924) was an American writer, lyricist and librettist. He was the son of theater manager Thomas B. MacDonough and actress/author Laura Don. Glen MacDonough married Margaret Jefferson in 1896 in Buzzard's Bay, ...

, which wove together various characters from

Mother Goose The figure of Mother Goose is the imaginary author of a collection of French fairy tales and later of English nursery rhymes. As a character, she appeared in a song, the first stanza of which often functions now as a nursery rhyme. This, howeve ...

nursery rhymes into a musical extravaganza. Following the extraordinary success of their stage musical '' The Wizard of Oz'', which was produced in New York beginning in January 1903, producer Fred R. Hamlin and director

Julian Mitchell Charles Julian Humphrey Mitchell, FRSL (born 1 May 1935) is an English playwright, screenwriter and occasional novelist. He is best known as the writer of the play and film '' Another Country'', and as a screenwriter for TV, producing many orig ...

hoped to create more family musicals.Bloom and Vlastnik, p. 29 MacDonough had helped Mitchell with revisions to the ''Oz'' libretto by

L. Frank Baum Lyman Frank Baum (; May 15, 1856 – May 6, 1919) was an American author best known for his children's books, particularly ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' and its sequels. He wrote 14 novels in the ''Oz'' series, plus 41 other novels (not includ ...

. Mitchell and MacDonough persuaded Victor Herbert to join the production. ''Babes in Toyland'' features some of Herbert's most famous songs – among them "Toyland", "March of the Toys", "Go to Sleep, Slumber Deep", and "I Can't Do the Sum". The theme song "Toyland", and the most famous instrumental piece from the operetta, "March of the Toys", occasionally show up on Christmas compilations. The original production opened at the Chicago Grand Opera house in June 1903, produced by Hamlin and directed by Mitchell, and toured to several East Coast cities before opening in New York in October 1903 and ran for 192 performances. This was followed by many successful tours and revivals. The piece was so popular that it spawned other "fairy-tale" shows over the next decade.

Productions

After a three-month tryout beginning on June 17, 1903, at the Grand Opera House in Chicago, followed by a tour to several East Coast cities, the original New York production opened on October 13, 1903, at the

Majestic Theatre Majestic Theatre or Majestic Theater may refer to: Australia * Majestic Theatre, Adelaide, former name of a theatre in King William Street, Adelaide, built 1916, now demolished * Majestic Theatre, Launceston, a former cinema in Tasmania designed b ...

Columbus Circle Columbus Circle is a traffic circle and heavily trafficked intersection in the New York City borough of Manhattan, located at the intersection of Eighth Avenue, Broadway, Central Park South ( West 59th Street), and Central Park West, at the so ...

Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...

(where ''The Wizard of Oz'' had played) and closed after 192 performances on March 19, 1904. It was produced by Fred R. Hamlin and directed by

. Large audiences were drawn to the musical by the spectacular settings and opulent sets (e.g., the ''Floral Palace of the Moth Queen'', the ''Garden of Contrary Mary'') of Toyland. The sets were designed by John H. Young and Homer Emens, with costumes designed by Caroline Siedle. In September 1904, two tours went on the road. The first-class one played a three-week return engagement beginning on January 2, 1905, at the Majestic, and then continuing its tour, kept the scenic effects and much of the original cast, making stops in major cities for extended periods of time. The second-class tour with a reduced cast and orchestra was streamlined for short stays on the road. The operetta has been staged nine times at ''

The Muny The St. Louis Municipal Opera Theatre (commonly known as The Muny) is an amphitheater located in St. Louis, Missouri. The theatre seats 11,000 people with about 1,500 free seats in the last nine rows that are available on a first come, first s ...

'', beginning in 1920. A Broadway revival opened on December 23, 1929, at Jolson's 59th Street Theatre, closing on January 11, 1930. It was directed by Milton Aborn. Another Broadway revival opened on December 20, 1930, at the

Imperial Theatre The Imperial Theatre is a Broadway theater at 249 West 45th Street (George Abbott Way) in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1923, the Imperial Theatre was designed by Herbert J. Krapp and was constructed fo ...

, closing in January 1931. It was directed by Aborn and choreographed by

Virginie Mauret Virginia Mauret (died January 16, 1983), sometimes seen as Virginie Mauret, was an American musician and dancer. In 1962 she became the founder and director of the Young Artists Opera of New York City. Early life Although she was sometimes addres ...

. A new book and lyrics for the show were written for the off-Broadway

Light Opera of Manhattan Light Opera of Manhattan, known as LOOM, was an off-Broadway repertory theatre company that produced light operas, including the works of Gilbert and Sullivan and European and American operettas, 52 weeks per year, in New York City between 1968 an ...

(LOOM) in 1975 by Alice Hammerstein Mathias (the daughter of

Oscar Hammerstein II Oscar Greeley Clendenning Hammerstein II (; July 12, 1895 – August 23, 1960) was an American lyricist, librettist, theatrical producer, and (usually uncredited) director in the musical theater for almost 40 years. He won eight Ton ...

) and the company's director-producer William Mount-Burke. LOOM played this operetta as a Christmas show for six to eight weeks each year thereafter for 13 seasons with considerable success, and this version of the book and lyrics has since been used by various companies, including Troupe America and others. The ensemble becomes a mechanical militia of toys for the "March of the Toys", and children from the audience are brought up to help "wind-up" the toy dancers. In 2003, in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the operetta,

Hampton, Virginia Hampton () is an independent city (United States), independent city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population was 137,148. It is the List ...

–based Rainbow Puppet Productions created a touring puppet version of the show entitled "Toyland!" The new script was adapted by David Messick Jr. Prerecorded puppet voices were created, featuring

Mickey Rooney Mickey Rooney (born Joseph Yule Jr.; other pseudonym Mickey Maguire; September 23, 1920 – April 6, 2014) was an American actor. In a career spanning nine decades, he appeared in more than 300 films and was among the last surviving stars of the ...

as the Master Toymaker and his wife Jan Rooney as Mother Goose. The program has toured annually since that time. In this version,

Little Bo Peep "Little Bo-Peep" or "Little Bo-Peep has lost her sheep" is a popular English language nursery rhyme. It has a Roud Folk Song Index number of 6487. Lyrics and melody As with most products of oral tradition, there are many variations to the rhy ...

has lost her sheep, and her evil Uncle Barnaby is to blame. She travels through the Spider Forest to seek help from the kind Master Toymaker.

Characters

*Alan, nephew of Barnaby *Jane, his sister *Uncle Barnaby, a rich miser in love with Contrary Mary *The Widow Piper, a widow with 14 children *Tom Tom, her eldest son *Contrary Mary, her eldest daughter *Little Bo-Peep, who is a careless shepherdess *Peter, who has a passion for pumpkin pie *Tommy Tucker, who sings for his supper and everything else *Sallie Waters, who wants to get married *Jack and Jill, Little Miss Muffet, Curly Locks, Red Riding Hood, Bobby Shaftoe, Simple Simon and Boy Blue *Hilda, the Widow Piper's maid *The Master Toymaker, who designs toys of the world *Grumio, apprentice to the Master Toymaker *Gonzorgo and Roderigo, Barnaby's hired ruffians *Inspector Marmaduke, of the Toyland Police *The Spirit of the Pine and the Spirit of the Oak *Gertrude, a peasant *The Moth Queen, the Giant Spider and the Brown Bear Dandies, Flower Girls, French Dolls, Punches, Dutch Dolls, Toy Soldiers, Trumpeters, Drummers, Widows

Musical numbers

;Act 1 *Prologue - Alan, Jane, Uncle Barnaby, Gonzorgo and Roderigo *Don't Cry, Bo-Peep (Never Mind, Bo-Peep, We Will Find Your Sheep) – Bo-Peep, Tom-Tom and Widow Piper's Children *Floretta – Alan and Chorus *Mary Mary – Chorus *Barney O'Flynn – Contrary Mary and Chorus *I Can't Do the Sum – Jane and Widow Piper's Children *Go to Sleep, Slumber Deep – Alan, Jane and Wood Spirits *Birth Of The Butterfly - Orchestra ;Act 2 *Christmas Fair Waltz: Hail to Christmas – Chorus *The Legend of the Castle – Gertrude and Chorus *Song of the Poet (introducing "Rock-a-bye Baby") – Alan and Chorus *March of the Toys – Ensemble *Military Ball – Ensemble *In The Toymakers Workshop – Male Chorus *Toyland – Tom-Tom and Male Chorus *My Rag Doll Girl (Eccentric Dance) – Grumio and Jill *Finale Act II - Master Toymaker, Alan, Uncle Barnaby and Ensemble ;Act 3 *Hang March - Orchestra *An Old-Fashioned Rose – Tom-Tom *Before and After – Alan and Contrary Mary *Jane – Jane, Grumio, Gonzorgo and Chorus *Maybe the Moon Will Help You Out – Bo-Peep ;Cut Numbers (Chicago, 1903) *With Downcast Eye – Tom-Tom and Chorus *The Men – Contrary Mary *The Healthfood Man – Gonzorgo and Roderigo *If I Were a Man Like That – Gonzorgo, Roderigo, Widow Piper *Mignonette – Tom-Tom ;Additional numbers composed 1904–1905 *Beatrice Barefacts – Contrary Mary and Inspector Marmaduke *He Won't Be Happy Till He Gets It – Jane, Grumio, Gonzorgo and Chorus *Our Castle in Spain – Tom-Tom *Don't Be a Villain – Gonzorgo and Roderigo

Plot synopsis

1903 version

Orphans Alan and Jane are the wards of their wicked Uncle Barnaby, who wants to steal their inheritance. He arranges with two sailors, Gonzorgo and Roderigo, for them to be shipwrecked and lost at sea, but they are rescued by gypsies and returned to Contrary Mary's garden. Contrary Mary, the eldest daughter of the Widow Piper, believing her beloved Alan is dead, has run away with her brother, Tom-Tom, rather than agree to marry Barnaby. After a second attempt on their lives, Alan and Jane are abandoned in the Forest of No Return. In the Spider's Den, they are protected by the Moth Queen. Old Mother Hubbard's shoe is threatened with foreclosure by Barnaby. Alan and Jane arrive in Toyland, where they find Contrary Mary and Tom-Tom and seek protection from the Master Toymaker, an evil genius who plots with Barnaby to create toys that kill and maim. The demonically possessed dolls turn on the Toymaker, killing him, and Barnaby uses the information to have Alan sentenced to death. Contrary Mary agrees to marry Barnaby in exchange for Alan's pardon, but after he marries her, Barnaby denounces Alan again. Barnaby dies after drinking a wine glass filled with poison meant for Alan. Tom-Tom reveals that an old law of Toyland permitting marriage between a widow and a condemned man on condition that he supports her may save Alan from the gallows. Alan is now free to marry Contrary Mary.

1970s version

A new version, first produced in 1975 by the

with the support of the Victor Herbert Foundation, is more sentimental than the original. Two unhappy children, Jane and Alan, run away from home. Their parents, who are always putting work and discipline before fun, are too busy for them, so the young siblings set out for a place where they will be understood. The children believe that Toyland, a magical land of spirited toys, will deliver them from their hardships. When they arrive, the kindly Toymaker welcomes them with open arms. He warns them not to become too caught up in the fantasy, but soon the toys of Toyland draw them in with their singing and dancing. The busy parents must find a way to bring the young runaways back home. They send a private eye to search for their children, but this detective sees an opportunity for personal gain in his trip to Toyland; he forces Jane and Alan to help him steal the Toymaker's plans for a new marching toy soldier. When the parents arrive in Toyland via hot air balloon, they too fall under the spell of the mystical land. Arguments break out, toys are wounded, and Jane and Alan get lost and frightened in the dark woods outside of Toyland. As the parents and toys search for the children, the characters and audience alike discover the true meaning of Christmas.

Recordings

Herbert's Victor Herbert Orchestra recorded selections from ''Babes in Toyland'' in 1911–1912 for the

Victor Talking Machine Company The Victor Talking Machine Company was an American recording company and phonograph manufacturer that operated independently from 1901 until 1929, when it was acquired by the Radio Corporation of America and subsequently operated as a subsidia ...

single Single may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Single (music), a song release Songs * "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004 * "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008 * "Single" (William Wei song), 2016 * "Single", by ...

releases, including "March of the Toys", "The Toymaker's Shop" and "The Military Ball".

Decca Records Decca Records is a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis (Decca), Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934 by Lewis, Jack Kapp, American Decca's first president, and Milton Rackmil, who later became American ...

recorded ten selections from the score (on five 10-inch 78-RPM records) in 1944. The recording featured Kenny Baker and Karen Kemple with a chorus and orchestra conducted by

Alexander Smallens Alexander Smallens (January 1, 1889 – November 24, 1972) was a Russian Empire-born American conductor and music director. Biography Smallens was born in Saint Petersburg, Russia, and emigrated to the United States as a child, becoming an ...

. This album was reissued on a 10-inch LP in 1949, and by reducing the selections from ten to six, Decca re-released it on one side of a 12-inch LP (''

The Red Mill ''The Red Mill'' is an operetta written by Victor Herbert, with a libretto by Henry Blossom. The farcical story concerns two American vaudevillians who wreak havoc at an inn in Holland, interfering with two marriages; but all ends well. The musica ...

'' was on the reverse) in 1957.

Decca Broadway Decca Broadway is an American record label specializing in musical theater recordings founded in 1999 by Decca Records and is a unit of Universal Music Group. Decca Broadway issued both new original cast albums as well as reissues of classic mus ...

reissued the complete album on CD (again paired with ''The Red Mill'') in 2002. The Walt Disney film version, released in 1961, was given two recordings released in the same year. The first was a

cover version In popular music, a cover version, cover song, remake, revival, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording by a musician other than the original performer or composer of the song. Originally, it referred to a version of a song release ...

featuring only

Ed Wynn Isaiah Edwin Leopold (November 9, 1886 – June 19, 1966), better known as Ed Wynn, was an American actor and comedian. He was noted for his ''Perfect Fool'' comedy character, his pioneering radio show of the 1930s, and his later career as a d ...

and

Ann Jillian Ann Jillian (born Ann Jura Nauseda; January 29, 1950) is a retired American actress and singer whose career began as a child actress in 1960. She is best known for her role as the sultry Cassie Cranston on the 1980s sitcom ''It's a Living''. Ea ...

from the film, supported by a cast of singers unidentified on the album. This version was released by

Disneyland Records Walt Disney Records is an American record label of the Disney Music Group. The label releases soundtrack albums from The Walt Disney Company's motion picture studios, television series, theme parks, and traditional studio albums produced by its ...

. The second used the original vocal tracks from the

soundtrack A soundtrack is recorded music accompanying and synchronised to the images of a motion picture, drama, book, television program, radio program, or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack o ...

of the film; however, the musical accompaniments and choral arrangements were not those heard in the film, but those heard on the cover version. This album was released on

Buena Vista Records Disney Music Group (DMG) is the music recording arm of Disney Platform Distribution, a division of The Walt Disney Company. It is located at the studio's headquarters in Burbank, California. The division's subsidiaries consist of two owned record ...

and features Wynn, Jillian,

Ray Bolger Raymond Wallace Bolger (January 10, 1904 – January 15, 1987) was an American actor, dancer, singer, vaudevillian and stage performer (particularly musical theatre) who started in the silent-film era. Bolger was a major Broadway performer in ...

, Henry Calvin, Kevin Corcoran,

Annette Funicello Annette Joanne Funicello (October 22, 1942 – April 8, 2013) was an American actress and singer. Funicello began her professional career as a child performer at the age of twelve. She was one of the most popular Mouseketeers on the orig ...

and

Tommy Sands Thomas Adrian Sands (born August 27, 1937) is an American pop music singer and actor. Working in show business as a child, Sands became an overnight sensation and instant teen idol when he appeared on ''Kraft Television Theater'' in January 19 ...

. Neither one of these albums has been issued on CD. A stereo recording was made by

Reader's Digest ''Reader's Digest'' is an American general-interest family magazine, published ten times a year. Formerly based in Chappaqua, New York, it is now headquartered in midtown Manhattan. The magazine was founded in 1922 by DeWitt Wallace and his wi ...

for their 1962 album ''Treasury of Great Operettas''. Each of the 24 operettas in the set is condensed to fill one LP side. The recording was conducted by

Lehman Engel A. Lehman Engel (born September 14, 1910, Jackson, Mississippi - died August 29, 1982, New York City) was an American composer and conductor of Broadway musicals, television and film. Work in theatre, television and films Engel worked in a variety ...

. A 1963 recording of several of the songs was released together with numbers from ''The Wizard of Oz'' (1963 MGM Studio Cast). A compilation album was released on CD in 1997. The ''Reader's Digest'' recording was released on CD in 2012. A recording of the complete score, with the original orchestrations restored and conducted by

John McGlinn John Alexander McGlinn III (September 18, 1953 – February 14, 2009) was an American conductor and musical theatre archivist. He was one of the principal proponents of authentic studio cast recordings of Broadway musicals, using original ...

with the

London Sinfonietta The London Sinfonietta is an English contemporary chamber orchestra founded in 1968 and based in London. The ensemble has headquarters at Kings Place and is Resident Orchestra at the Southbank Centre. Since its inaugural concert in 1968—givi ...

and the

London Voices London Voices is a London-based choral ensemble founded by Terry Edwards (1939-2022) in 1973. In its early years, it also incorporated the London Opera Chorus and London Sinfonietta Voices and Chorus. In 2004, Ben Parry, became co-director of th ...

, was made in 2001. It featured

Hugh Panaro Hugh Panaro (born February 19, 1964) is an American actor and singer known for his work on Broadway. Early life Panaro was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and resided in the East Oak Lane section of the city with his family. As a schoolchild, ...

as Alan,

Korliss Uecker Korliss Uecker is an American operatic soprano from Hettinger, North Dakota. With a Masters of Music from the Juilliard School, she performed over 100 times at the Metropolitan Opera singing roles such as Susanna in ''Le nozze di Figaro'' and Pap ...

as Jane,

Ian Richardson Ian William Richardson (7 April 19349 February 2007) was a Scottish actor. He portrayed the Machiavellian Tory politician Francis Urquhart in the BBC's '' House of Cards'' (1990–1995) television trilogy. Richardson was also a leading S ...

as Barnaby, Valerian Ruminski as Gonzorgo,

Elizabeth Futral Susan Elizabeth Futral (born September 27, 1963 in Johnston County, North Carolina) is an American coloratura soprano who has won acclaim (as both singer and actress) throughout the United States as well as in Europe, South America, and Japan. ...

as Contrary Mary,

Rebecca Caine Rebecca Caine (born 25 November 1959) is a Canadian soprano, and musical theatre performer. Life and career Caine was born in Toronto, Ontario and studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. She is the daughter of Australian s ...

as Tom-Tom and

Ian McKellen Sir Ian Murray McKellen (born 25 May 1939) is an English actor. His career spans seven decades, having performed in genres ranging from Shakespearean and modern theatre to popular fantasy and science fiction. Regarded as a British cultural i ...

as the Master Toymaker. It has never been released. A cast recording of the 2003 production of "Toyland!" was released in 2007, featuring the voice of

as the Master Toymaker. His wife, Jan Rooney, plays Mother Goose.

Adaptations

Children's book

A 1904 children's book of the same name by

and

Anna Alice Chapin Anna Alice Chapin (December 16, 1880 – February 26, 1920) was an American author and playwright. She wrote novels, short stories, fairy tales and books on music, but is perhaps best remembered for her 1904 collaboration with Glen MacDonough ...

, with illustrations by Ethel Franklin Betts, is based on the operetta.

Films

Laurel and Hardy Laurel and Hardy were a British-American Double act, comedy duo act during the early Classical Hollywood cinema, Classical Hollywood era of American cinema, consisting of Englishman Stan Laurel (1890–1965) and American Oliver Hardy (1892–19 ...

's 1934 film version of ''Babes in Toyland'' (reissued as ''March of the Wooden Soldiers'') includes only five of Herbert's songs and almost none of the original book. It does include many of the original characters, although Laurel and Hardy's were new to the story. It features

Felix Knight William Felix Knight (stage name: Felix Knight, November 1, 1908 – June 18, 1998), was an American tenor, actor, and vocal teacher, best known for his role as Tom-Tom in the 1934 Laurel and Hardy holiday musical film '' Babes in Toyland''. ...

as Tom-Tom,

Charlotte Henry Charlotte Virginia Henry (March 3, 1914 – April 11, 1980) was an American actress who is best remembered for her roles in '' Alice in Wonderland'' (1933) and '' Babes in Toyland'' (1934). She also starred in the Frank Buck serial ''Jun ...

as Little Bo-Peep and Henry Brandon as Silas Barnaby. It does not interpolate songs by any other composers.

Walt Disney Walter Elias Disney (; December 5, 1901December 15, 1966) was an American animator, film producer and entrepreneur. A pioneer of the American animation industry, he introduced several developments in the production of cartoons. As a film p ...

Technicolor Technicolor is a series of Color motion picture film, color motion picture processes, the first version dating back to 1916, and followed by improved versions over several decades. Definitive Technicolor movies using three black and white films ...

1961 film production starred Bolger, Sands, Funicello, Jillian, Calvin,

Gene Sheldon Gene Sheldon (born Eugene Hume; February 1, 1908 – May 1, 1982) was an American actor, mime artist, and musician. He is remembered as the mute servant Bernardo in Walt Disney's live-action Spanish Western series ''Zorro'' (1957-1959). Biograph ...

and Ed Wynn. This had a heavily revised plot and new lyrics, but much of the Herbert music was included, although often in altered tempi, and many of the original characters still appeared in the story. A stage version of ''Babes in Toyland'', with a plotline similar to the Disney film has a book by Rebecca Ryland and music and lyrics by Bill Francoeur. An animated film version, with a new plot and only one of the original songs, was released in 1997 by

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by amazon (company), Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded o ...

featuring the voices of

Christopher Plummer Arthur Christopher Orme Plummer (December 13, 1929 – February 5, 2021) was a Canadian actor. His career spanned seven decades, gaining him recognition for his performances in film, stage, and television. He received multiple accolades, inc ...

James Belushi James Adam Belushi (; born June 15, 1954) is an American actor. He is best known for the role of Jim on the sitcom ''According to Jim'' (2001–2009). His other television roles include ''Saturday Night Live'' (1983–1985), '' Total Security'' ...

Bronson Pinchot Bronson Alcott Pinchot (; born May 20, 1959) is an American actor. He is best known for playing Balki Bartokomous on the ABC sitcom '' Perfect Strangers'' (1986–93). He also performed in films, such as ''Risky Business'' (1983), ''Beverly Hill ...

and

Lacey Chabert Lacey Nicole Chabert ( ; born September 30, 1982) is an American actress. One of her first roles was playing Erica Kane's daughter on ''All My Children''. She was the third actress to play Bianca Montgomery, playing the part from 1992 until 1993. ...

Television

Between 1950 and 1960, there were at least three television versions of ''Babes in Toyland'', all broadcast during the Christmas season. A 1950 version starred

Edith Fellows Edith Marilyn Fellows (May 20, 1923 – June 26, 2011) was an American actress who became a child star in the 1930s. Best known for playing orphans and street urchins, Fellows was an expressive actress with a good singing voice. She made her ...

, James Gregory and

Robert Weede Robert Weede (February 22, 1903 – July 9, 1972) was an American operatic baritone. Life and career Born Robert Wiedefeld in Baltimore, Maryland, Weede studied voice at the Eastman School of Music and in Milan. He made his Metropolitan Op ...

;

Dennis King Dennis King (born Dennis Pratt, 2 November 1897 – 21 May 1971) was an English actor and singer. Early years Born on 2 November 1897 in Coventry, Warwickshire, or Birmingham, England, King was the son of John and Elizabeth King Pratt. He ...

played a new villain called Dr. Electron. A 1954 adaptation, restaged in 1955, starred

Jo Sullivan Elizabeth Josephine Sullivan Loesser (née Sullivan; August 28, 1927 – April 28, 2019) was an American actress and high lyric soprano singer. She became a musical theatre star with her performance in the original production of '' The Most Happ ...

(1954) and

Barbara Cook Barbara Cook (October 25, 1927 – August 8, 2017) was an American actress and singer who first came to prominence in the 1950s as the lead in the original Broadway musicals ''Plain and Fancy'' (1955), ''Candide'' (1956) and ''The Music Man'' (19 ...

(1955) as Jane, and featured

Wally Cox Wallace Maynard Cox (December 6, 1924 – February 15, 1973) was an American actor. He began his career as a standup comedian and then became the title character of the popular early U.S. television series ''Mister Peepers'' from 1952 to 19 ...

as Grumio,

Dave Garroway David Cunningham Garroway (July 13, 1913 – July 21, 1982) was an American television personality. He was the founding host and anchor of NBC's ''Today'' from 1952 to 1961. His easygoing and relaxing style belied a lifelong battle with depressi ...

as Santa,

Dennis Day Dennis Day (born Owen Patrick Eugene McNulty; May 21, 1916 – June 22, 1988) was an American actor, comedian, and singer. He was of Irish descent. Early life Day was born and raised in the Throggs Neck section of the Bronx, New York City, the ...

as Tommy,

Karin Wolfe Karin Wolfe (born April 6, 1944, in Dallas, Texas) is an American actress. She is probably best known for her role of Mary Anderson on the soap opera '' Days of Our Lives''. Wolfe played the title role in the original Broadway production of the ...

as Ann (Jane's little sister) and

Jack E. Leonard Jack E. Leonard (born Leonard Lebitsky; April 24, 1910 – May 10, 1973) was an American comedian and actor who made frequent appearances on television variety and game shows. Biography Leonard was born Leonard Lebitsky on April 24, 1910, in ...

as Barnaby. Bambi Linn was a featured dancer, and the production incorporated the

Bil Baird William Britton "Bil" Baird (August 15, 1904 – March 18, 1987) was an American puppeteer of the mid- and late 20th century. In a career that spanned over 60 years, he and his puppets performed for millions of adults and children. One of his be ...

marionettes. A 1960 adaptation for television featured

Shirley Temple Shirley Temple Black (born Shirley Jane Temple;While Temple occasionally used "Jane" as a middle name, her birth certificate reads "Shirley Temple". Her birth certificate was altered to prolong her babyhood shortly after she signed with Fox in ...

as the old gypsy Floretta,

Angela Cartwright Angela Margaret Cartwright (born September 9, 1952) is a British actress primarily known for her roles in movies and television. On television, she played Linda Williams, the stepdaughter of Danny Williams (played by Danny Thomas) in the long ...

as Jane, and

Jonathan Winters Jonathan Harshman Winters III (November 11, 1925 – April 11, 2013) was an American comedian, actor, author, television host, and artist. Beginning in 1960, Winters recorded many classic comedy albums for the Verve Records label. He also h ...

as Barnaby. It was shown as an episode on the anthology series ''

The Shirley Temple Show ''Shirley Temple's Storybook'' is a 1958-1961 American children's anthology series hosted and narrated by actress Shirley Temple. The series features adaptations of fairy tales like Mother Goose and other family-oriented stories performed by well ...

''."Shirley Temple Theatre: Babes in Toyland"
IMDB.com, accessed June 8, 2011 It is the only screen or television version that retained the operetta's primary plot (the orphans' escape from their cruel uncle), but it omits the secondary plot involving the nursery-rhyme characters. Barnaby and the Toymaker survive at the end, although Barnaby (who is more a comic villain than the dangerous original character) is punished by the law. The Toymaker is portrayed as a kindly old man, and Floretta ends up helping the children and turning against Barnaby. A 1986 made for television version featured

Drew Barrymore Drew Blythe Barrymore (born February 22, 1975) is an American actress, director, producer, talk show host and author. A member of the Barrymore family of actors, she is the recipient of several accolades, including a Golden Globe Award and a ...

Pat Morita Noriyuki "Pat" Morita (June 28, 1932 – November 24, 2005) was an American actor and comedian. He was known for his roles as Matsuo "Arnold" Takahashi on ''Happy Days'', Mr. Miyagi in ''The Karate Kid'' film series, Captain Sam Pak on the sitco ...

and

Keanu Reeves Keanu Charles Reeves ( ; born September 2, 1964) is a Canadian actor. Born in Beirut and raised in Toronto, Reeves began acting in theatre productions and in television films before making his feature film debut in '' Youngblood'' (1986). ...

, only two songs from the Victor Herbert score, a new plot, and many new songs by

Leslie Bricusse Leslie Bricusse OBE (; 29 January 1931 – 19 October 2021) was a British composer, lyricist, and playwright who worked on theatre musicals and wrote theme music for films. He was best known for writing the music and lyrics for the films ''Do ...

Notes

Sources

* Bloom, Ken and Vlastnik, Frank. ''Broadway Musicals: The 101 Greatest Shows of All Time''. Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers, New York, 2004.

External links

Tams-Witmark listing for production and summary

Original 1903 script and vocal score

''Babes in Toyland'' at the IBDB database

Numerous photos from ''Babes in Toyland''

Musical of the Month: "Babes in Toyland"

{{Authority control 1903 musicals 1903 operas Broadway musicals Christmas operas English-language operas English-language operettas Operas adapted into films Operas by Victor Herbert Operas Sentient toys in fiction