Fade Out-Fade In
OPENING: May 26, 1964
CLOSING: April 17, 1965
Seen: June 1964
LOCATION: Mark Hellinger
As I’ve been writing these entries, I wonder about the Playbills that didn’t make it into The Box. When I attempted to interview my dad about Funny Girl, he told me he couldn’t remember Sydney Chaplin at all, though he saw him on Broadway more than once. None of Chaplin’s other shows made it into The Box, but my aunt has confirmed that they did indeed see Subways are For Sleeping (She remembers them miming holding onto subway straps). Dad also claims that he saw Phantom of the Opera three times, but there is no evidence. I understand why Noises Off and Torch Song Trilogy are not there, but are there others that he actually enjoyed?
Whatever the rhyme or reason for whichever ones made The Box, the collection is still extensive with some long-forgotten gems. Such is the case with my dad’s next show, Fade Out-Fade In.
The plot to Fade Out-Fade In was simple: A 1930’s movie usher (Hope) is accidentally given the lead in a film, the son of the studio head finds out that it was a mistake but keeps his silence about it, and by the end of the show they were riding into sunset together. It was an admittedly weak script and the critics were quick to point this out. However, Fade Out-Fade In was never meant to have fantastic writing. It was meant as a vehicle to showcase Carol Burnett.
Carol Burnett was not a classic beauty. Nor was she a conventional performer. In fact, in many ways she was very much like Fanny Brice. Carol got her start in night clubs, where she was noticed by talent agents and after a few stints on Jack Paar and Ed Sullivan, she won the role of Princess Winnifred in Once Upon a Mattress in 1959. Five years later, after working on the Gary Moore Show, Fade Out-Fade In opened.
While the plot of Fade Out-Fade In is neither groundbreaking nor particularly innovative, the show had many moments for Carol to use her natural gift for comedy. The critics particularly enjoyed a Shirley Temple impersonation she whipped out. When the Carol Burnett show aired in 1967, she debuted a character named “Shirley Dimple”. I don’t believe that this is a coincidence.
But despite being a vehicle for her natural comedic talents, Carol openly harbored disdain for the show. Whether it was the weak plot, the cliché characterizations, or something backstage I don’t know. Whatever it was, Carol was not quiet in expressing her displeasure with the entire experience. Her fans agreed; many said that the all-star team behind Fade Out-Fade In did not give it their A-Game.
Matters became more complicated when Carol was involved in a taxi accident in October of 1964. Forced to enter the hospital with back and neck injuries, the production team was unable to find a replacement for her. When Carol was released from the hospital and missed more performances due to residual pain, the producers had no choice but to shut the production down in November. They took their frustrations out by bringing breach of contract charges against Carol to Actors Equity. Carol fought the suit and agreed to return to the show in February of 1965. But the show closed prematurely again in April after Carol found out that she was pregnant and put on bedrest.
Was her return and then abrupt second departure out of spite, or just bad timing? Sixty years later only Carol could tell us for certain and I respect her too much to speculate. Several years later, the Carol Burnett show hit the airwaves for the first time and Carol became the household name we now know so well. Would the opportunity have arisen if Fade Out-Fade In hadn’t been such a trainwreck? Only the Theater Gods know that.
May we all have such fortune.
CAST: ORIGINAL
BYRON PRONG: Jack Cassidy
TEENAGERS: Jodi Perselle, Judy Newman
Woman: Diana Ede
MAN: Darrell J. Askey
AUTOGRAPH KIDS: Roger Allan Raby, Charlene Mehl
HELGA SIXTREES: Judy Cassmore
POPS: Frank Tweddell
Rosco: Bob Neukum
BILLY VESPERS: Glenn Kezer
LYMAN: John Dorrin
HOPE SPRINGFIELD: Carol Burnett
REX: Darrell J. Askey
Chauffeur: William Louther
1st GIRL: Wendy Taylor
1st COYBOY EXTRA: Stephen Elmore
2nd COWBOY EXTRA: Fred Cline
GANGSTER EXTRA: Gene Varrone
RALPH GOVERNOR: Mitchell Jason
RUDOLF GOVERNOR: Dick Patterson
GEORGE GOVERNOR: Howard Kahl
FRANK GOVERNOR: John Dorrin
HAROLD GOVERNOR: Gene Varrone
ARNOLD GOVERNOR: STEPHEN ELMORE
WAITERS: Fred Cline, Richard Frisch, Roger Allan Raby
PUBLICITY MAN: Sean Allen, Darrell J. Askey
CONVICTS: Gene Kelton, William Louther, Ed Pfeiffer, James Von Weiss
MYRA MAY MELROSE: Virginia Payne
SEAMSTRESS: Diane Arnold
MISS MALLORY: Jo Tract
CUSTER CORKLEY: Dan Resin
APPROVAL: Smaxie
PHOTOGRAPHER: Sean Allan
MAX WELCH: Richard Frisch
LOU WILLIAMS: Tiger Haynes
DORA DAILEY: Aileen Poe
LIONEL Z. GOVERNOR: Lou Jacobi
DR. ANTON TRAURIG: Reuben Singer
GLORIA CURRIE: Tina Louise
MADAME BARRYMORE: Penny Egelston
SINGING ENSEMBLE: Sean Allan, Jackie Alloway, Darrell J. Aksey, Fred Cline, John Dorrin, Trish Dwelley, Stephen Elmore, Richard Frisch, Howard Kahl, Carolyn Kemp, Betty Kent, Glenn Kezer, Mari Nettum, Bob Neukum, Roger Allan Raby, Jo Tract, Gene Varrone
DANCING ENSEMBLE: Virginia Allen, Diane Arnold, Judy Cassmore, Diane Ede, Ernie Horvath, Gene Kelton, William Louther, Charlene Mehl, Judy Newman, Jodi Perselle, Ed Pfeiffer, Carolsue Shaer, Patricia Sigris, Roy Smith, Bill Stanton, Wendy Taylor, James Von Weiss
LEAD DANCER: Don Crichton
Bordman, Gerald. “American Musical Theatre: A Chronicle.” New York: Oxford University Press, Inc., 1978.
Gardner, Paul. “Fade In On A Fractious Girl”. New York Times, January 16, 1965. https://www.nytimes.com/1965/01/17/archives/fadein-on-a-fractious-girl.html?searchResultPosition=1
Taubman, Howard “Theater: ‘Fade Out-Fade In’ Opens” New York Times, May 27, 1964. https://www.nytimes.com/1964/05/27/archives/theater-fade-outfade-in-opens-carol-burnett-stars-in-musical-at.html?searchResultPosition=1
Tony Awards. www.tonyawards.com. Accessed September 2022.
Zolotow, Sam. “’Fade Out-Fade In’ May Be Reopened”. New York Times; January 25, 1965. https://www.nytimes.com/1965/01/25/archives/fade-outfade-in-may-be-reopened-miss-burnett-would-resume-the-role.html?searchResultPosition=1
