''Walking Happy'' is a musical with music by

Jimmy Van Heusen James Van Heusen (born Edward Chester Babcock; January 26, 1913 – February 6, 1990) was an American composer. He wrote songs for films, television and theater, and won an Emmy and four Academy Awards for Best Original Song. Life and care ...

, lyrics by

Sammy Cahn Samuel Cohen (June 18, 1913 – January 15, 1993), known professionally as Sammy Cahn, was an American lyricist, songwriter, and musician. He is best known for his romantic lyrics to films and Broadway songs, as well as stand-alone songs premier ...

and book by

Roger O. Hirson Roger Overholt Hirson (May 5, 1926 – May 27, 2019) was an American dramatist and screenwriter best known for his books of the Broadway musicals, ''Pippin'', for which he was nominated for a Tony Award, and '' Walking Happy''. He contributed ex ...

and

Ketti Frings Ketti Frings (28 February 1909 – 11 February 1981) was an American writer, playwright, and screenwriter who won a Pulitzer Prize in 1958. Biography Early years Born Katherine Hartley in Columbus, Ohio, Frings attended Principia College, began ...

. The story is based on the 1916 play ''

Hobson's Choice A Hobson's choice is a free choice in which only one thing is actually offered. The term is often used to describe an illusion that multiple choices are available. The most well known Hobson's choice is "I'll give you a choice: take it or leave ...

'' by

Harold Brighouse Harold Brighouse (26 July 1882 – 25 July 1958) was an English playwright and author whose best known play is '' Hobson's Choice''. He was a prominent member, together with Allan Monkhouse and Stanley Houghton, of a group known as the Manche ...

. The musical was nominated for six

Tony Awards The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual cer ...

, including Best Musical. The title song "Walking Happy" was originally meant to be used in the 1963 film ''

Papa's Delicate Condition ''Papa's Delicate Condition'' is a 1963 American comedy film starring Jackie Gleason and Glynis Johns. It was an adaptation of the Corinne Griffith memoir of the same name, about her father and growing up in Texarkana, Texas. Jimmy Van Heusen (m ...

'', with

Jackie Gleason John Herbert Gleason (February 26, 1916June 24, 1987) was an American actor, comedian, writer, composer, and conductor known affectionately as "The Great One." Developing a style and characters from growing up in Brooklyn, New York, he was know ...

singing it, but it was dropped before the film's release.

Production history

The production opened on

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

at the

Lunt-Fontanne Theatre The Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, originally the Globe Theatre, is a Broadway theater at 205 West 46th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1910, the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre was designed by Carrère and Hasting ...

on November 26, 1966 and ran for 161 performances. Directed by

Cy Feuer Cy Feuer (January 15, 1911 – May 17, 2006) was an American theatre producer, director, composer, musician, and half of the celebrated producing duo Feuer and Martin. He won three competitive Antoinette Perry Awards for Excellence in Theat ...

with choreography by Danny Daniels, the cast included George Rose as Henry Hobson,

Norman Wisdom Sir Norman Joseph Wisdom, (4 February 1915 – 4 October 2010) was an English actor, comedian, musician and singer best known for a series of comedy films produced between 1953 and 1966 featuring a hapless onscreen character often called Norman ...

as Will Mossop, Louise Troy as Maggie Hobson, and

Ed Bakey William Edward Baekey (November 13, 1925 – May 4, 1988) was an American film and television actor. Life and career Bakey was born in Havre de Grace, Maryland, and moved to Baltimore at an early age. He attended Baltimore City College, g ...

as George Beenstock. Conductor

Herbert Grossman Herbert Grossman (September 30, 1926 – September 11, 2010) was an American conductor who was chiefly known for his work within opera and musical theatre. Early life and education Born in New York City, Grossman was the son of a businessman. H ...

served as Music Director. The original cast recording was released by

Angel Records Angel Records was a record label founded by EMI in 1953. It specialised in classical music, but included an occasional operetta or Broadway score. and one Peter Sellers comedy disc. The famous Recording Angel trademark was used by the Gramophon ...

in 1966.

Plot synopsis

Lancashire Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated Lancs) is the name of a historic county, ceremonial county, and non-metropolitan county in North West England. The boundaries of these three areas differ significantly. The non-metropolitan county of Lancashi ...

, England in 1880 the men of the town gather in the local pub, with much drinking. The widower Henry Hobson, owner of a boot shop, has three daughters, and he wishes them to marry. The local leader of the temperance league, George Beenstock, has two sons. The two younger Hobson daughters flirt with the Beenstock sons, while Hobson tells his eldest daughter Maggie that her time has passed. Maggie decides to make a match with Will, a skilled shoemaker, even though Will is engaged to another. Will and Maggie establish their own boot shop. Meanwhile, Hobson's drinking continues, his young daughters try to take Maggie's place at his shop, and Will and Maggie marry. Hobson and Beenstock settle on a dowry for the young ladies. Hobson realizes that he needs Maggie and Will, and they become partners.

Songs

; Act 1 * "Think of Something Else" * "Where Was I" * "How D'ya Talk to a Girl" * "Clog and Grog" * "If I Be Your Best Chance" * "A Joyful Thing" * "What Makes It Happen" * "Use Your Noggin'" ; Act 2 * "You're Right, You're Right" * "I'll Make a Man of the Man" * "Walking Happy" * "I Don't Think I'm In Love" * "Such a Sociable Sort" * "It Might As Well Be Her" * "People Who Are Nice" * "You're Right, You're Right" (reprise) * "I Don't Think I'm In Love" (reprise)

Critical response

Walter Kerr Walter Francis Kerr (July 8, 1913 – October 9, 1996) was an American writer and Broadway theatre critic. He also was the writer, lyricist, and/or director of several Broadway plays and musicals as well as the author of several books, genera ...

reviewed the musical for the ''

New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...

''. He wrote that the musical was "easygoing, unpretentious, minor-league...a light, slight, occasionally charming pastime." The "principal asset" is Norman Wisdom, a "zany original".Kerr, Walter. ''Review'', "New York Times", November 28, 1966, p. 47

Awards and nominations

Original Broadway production

References

External links

* {{ibdb show, 9145
Production information and plot at guidetomusicaltheatre.com
1966 musicals Broadway musicals Musicals based on plays Plays by Roger O. Hirson Plays set in England Works by Ketti Frings Fiction set in 1880