''Funny Face'' is a 1927

musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the characters are interwo ...

composed by

George Gershwin George Gershwin (; born Jacob Gershwine; September 26, 1898 – July 11, 1937) was an American composer and pianist whose compositions spanned popular, jazz and classical genres. Among his best-known works are the orchestral compositions ' ...

, with lyrics by

Ira Gershwin Ira Gershwin (born Israel Gershovitz; December 6, 1896 – August 17, 1983) was an American lyricist who collaborated with his younger brother, composer George Gershwin, to create some of the most memorable songs in the English language of the 2 ...

, and book by

Fred Thompson Freddie Dalton Thompson (August 19, 1942 – November 1, 2015) was an American politician, attorney, lobbyist, columnist, actor, and radio personality. A member of the Republican Party, he served as a United States Senator from Tennessee fr ...

and

Paul Gerard Smith Paul Gerard Smith (September 14, 1894 – April 4, 1968) was an American screenwriter. He wrote for 90 films between 1926 and 1955. Biography Born in 1894, Smith started writing musical revues at the age of ten. He joined the Marines fo ...

. When it opened on Broadway on November 22, 1927, as the first show performed in the newly built

Alvin Theatre The Neil Simon Theatre, originally the Alvin Theatre, is a Broadway theater at 250 West 52nd Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1927, the theater was designed by Herbert J. Krapp and was built for ...

, it starred

Fred Astaire Fred Astaire (born Frederick Austerlitz; May 10, 1899 – June 22, 1987) was an American dancer, choreographer, actor, and singer. He is often called the greatest dancer in Hollywood film history. Astaire's career in stage, film, and tele ...

and his sister

Adele Astaire Adele Astaire Douglass (born Adele Marie Austerlitz, later known as Lady Charles Cavendish; September 10, 1896 – January 25, 1981), was an American dancer, stage actress, and singer. After beginning work as a dancer and vaudeville perfor ...

. It was in this show that Astaire first danced in evening clothes and a top hat.The Oxford Companion to American Theatre: ''Funny Face'' (1927)
Linked 2013-05-18 Originally called ''Smarty'', it first opened in Philadelphia on October 11, 1927, to poor reviews. This led to major rewrites and caused critic-humorist

Robert Benchley Robert Charles Benchley (September 15, 1889 – November 21, 1945) was an American humorist best known for his work as a newspaper columnist and film actor. From his beginnings at '' The Harvard Lampoon'' while attending Harvard University, thr ...

, who had contributed to the script, to walk out. The rewrites and changes continued as the musical moved from Philadelphia to Washington D.C. (October 31); to Atlantic City (November 7); to Wilmington (November 14);Howard Pollack: ''George Gershwin: His Life and Work'', pages 406–09
Linked 2013-05-18. before reaching Broadway and the Alvin Theatre on November 22, now renamed ''Funny Face''. It became a major Broadway hit, and after 244 performances, the whole company transferred it to London, where Fred and Adele Astaire had had a successful run of '' Lady, Be Good!'' just before starting the rehearsals of ''Smarty'' in Philadelphia.Talkin' Broadway Regional News & Reviews: San Francisco - "Woman in Black" and "Funny Face" - 5/22/00
/ref> The London production opened at

Princes Theatre The Shaftesbury Theatre is a West End theatre, located on Shaftesbury Avenue, in the London Borough of Camden. Opened in 1911 as the New Prince's Theatre, it was the last theatre to be built in Shaftesbury Avenue. History The theatre was d ...

on November 8, 1928, and ran there until January 29, 1929. After a short tour of the UK provinces, the musical re-opened at the

Winter Garden Theatre The Winter Garden Theatre is a Broadway theatre at 1634 Broadway in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. It opened in 1911 under designs by architect William Albert Swasey. The Winter Garden's current design dates to 1922, when ...

in London on March 11, 1929, where it ran until June 1929,Theatre Programme: "Funny Face" Winter Gardens Theatre, London, dated "June 17" and "last weeks". chalking up a total of 263 performances.

Leslie Henson Leslie Lincoln Henson (3 August 1891 – 2 December 1957) was an English comedian, actor, producer for films and theatre, and film director. He initially worked in silent films and Edwardian musical comedy and became a popular music hall comed ...

shared top billing with Fred and Adele Astaire.

Plot

Jimmy Reeve is the legal guardian of three pretty sisters, Dora, June and Frankie, whose prize belongings he keeps in his safe. June's pearl necklace is locked in there, and so is Frankie's diary, after having been confiscated by Jimmy. However, the diary contains very incriminating things, so Frankie convinces the aviator Peter Thurston to steal it from the safe. But somehow he manages to steal the pearls instead, setting off a merry chase that takes the cast to the Atlantic City pier. And to make matters even more complicated, two bumbling burglars, Herbert and Dugsie, also try to break into the safe and are swept along in the chase. At one point, they have a falling out, but Herbert is unable to shoot Dugsie as he has forgotten to get a shooting license.

Original Broadway production

The show opened at the

on November 22, 1927, and ran for 244 performances. It was directed by

Edgar MacGregor Edgar is a commonly used English given name, from an Anglo-Saxon name ''Eadgar'' (composed of '' ead'' "rich, prosperous" and ''gar'' "spear"). Like most Anglo-Saxon names, it fell out of use by the later medieval period; it was, however, rev ...

, with choreography by

Bobby Connolly William Harold "Bobby" Connolly (July 4, 1897 – February 29, 1944) was an American choreographer and director, first for Broadway musicals and then for films. Connolly was nominated for four Academy Awards for Best Dance Direction, for his wo ...

.IBDB: ''Funny Face'', Alvin Theatre 1927-1928
Linked 2013-05-18 ;Main cast *

as ''Jimmy Reeve'' *

as ''Frankie'' *Gertrude McDonald as ''June'' *

Betty Compton Betty Compton (born Violet Halling Compton; May 13, 1904 – July 12, 1944), was an English actress and singer, who married New York City mayor Jimmy Walker in 1933. Compton was born Violet Halling Compton in Sandown, Isle of Wight. She move ...

as ''Dora'' *

Allen Kearns Allen Kearns (14 August 1894 – 20 April 1956) was a Canadian-born singer and actor. He was born in Brockville, Ontario, Canada and died in Albany, New York. He played the romantic lead role in several Broadway musicals and is especially rememb ...

as ''Peter Thurston'' *

William Kent William Kent (c. 1685 – 12 April 1748) was an English architect, landscape architect, painter and furniture designer of the early 18th century. He began his career as a painter, and became Principal Painter in Ordinary or court painter, bu ...

as ''Dugsie Gibbs'' *

Victor Moore Victor Fred Moore (February 24, 1876 – July 23, 1962) was an American actor of stage and screen, a major Broadway star from the late 1920s through the 1930s. He was also a writer and director, but is best remembered today as a comedian, play ...

as ''Herbert''

Songs

;Act 1 * "Birthday Party" - Dora, June and Guests * "Once" - Dugsie Gibbs, Dora and Ensemble * "

Funny Face ''Funny Face'' is a 1957 American musical romantic comedy film directed by Stanley Donen and written by Leonard Gershe, containing assorted songs by George and Ira Gershwin. Although having the same title as the 1927 Broadway musical ''Funny ...

" - Frankie and Jimmy Reeve * "High Hat" - Jimmy Reeve and Boys * "

'S Wonderful "S Wonderful" is a 1927 popular song composed by George Gershwin, with lyrics written by Ira Gershwin. It was introduced in the Broadway musical '' Funny Face'' (1927) by Adele Astaire and Allen Kearns. The song is considered a standard and has ...

" - Frankie and Peter Thurston * "Let's Kiss and Make Up" - Frankie, Jimmy Reeve and Ensemble * "Come Along, Let's Gamble" - Entire Company ;Act 2 * "In the Swim" - Girls * "

He Loves and She Loves "He Loves and She Loves" is a 1927 song composed by George Gershwin, with lyrics written by Ira Gershwin. It replaced the song " How Long Has This Been Going On?" in the Broadway musical ''Funny Face''. It was introduced by Adele Astaire and Allen ...

" - Frankie and Peter Thurston * "Tell the Doc" - Dugsie Gibbs and Girls * " My One and Only (What Am I Going To Do?)" - Jimmy Reeve, June, Dora and Girls * "Sing a Little Song" - Pianists, Ritz Quartette, and Boys * "My One and Only (What Am I Going to Do?)" (Reprise) - Dora, June and Chorus * "The Babbitt and the Bromide" - Frankie and Jimmy Reeve

Adaptions and inspirations

* The plot of 1936 British film ''

She Knew What She Wanted ''She Knew What She Wanted'' is a 1936 British musical comedy film directed by Thomas Bentley and starring Albert Burdon, Claude Dampier and Googie Withers. It was based on the stage musical '' Funny Face''. Premise An amoral young dancer falls ...

'' is loosely based on the musical, but doesn't contain any of the music. * The 1957 film musical ''

'', which also starred

, featured just four songs from the stage musical, and the plot was totally different. * The 1983 Broadway musical '' My One and Only'' was claimed to be a revival of the original musical, but contained only some of the songs and had a very different plot.

References

Website with extensive description of the show, with reprints from ''The Oxford Companion to American Theatre'' and various books

External links

* *
Poster for the show with the original title, ''Smarty''Poster for the show with the new title, ''Funny Face''
{{Authority control 1927 musicals Musicals by George and Ira Gershwin Broadway musicals Musicals set in the Roaring Twenties Musicals by Fred Thompson (writer)