The original Broadway production of “My Fair Lady” in 1956 starred Julie Andrews, a frequent visitor to the Hamptons and the mother of one of the founders of Bay Street Theater, Emma Walton Hamilton.

How old was Julie Andrews in My Fair Lady?

The musical adaptation called for a versatile young actress who was also an accomplished singer. Although a number of established stars coveted the part, Lerner, Loewe and director Moss Hart decided to take a chance on the 20-year-old Julie Andrews, who had never before acted in such a demanding role.

How long did Julie Andrews play in My Fair Lady?

At just nineteen years old she landed the role of Eliza Doolittle and worked on the show for over three years.

Was Julie Andrews in My Fair Lady?

Sadly, Julie Andrews wasn't chosen to play Eliza Doolittle in the movie adaptation of My Fair Lady. The person they chose made the singing part of the role a little challenging. Find out why Andrews wouldn't have made the movie the same way as Audrey Hepburn.

Why was Julie Andrews Not in My Fair Lady film?

The role of Eliza Doolittle was originally played on Broadway by Julie Andrews, who was not cast in the film because producers didn't think she was famous enough. Shirley Jones, Shirley MacLaine, Connie Stevens and Elizabeth Taylor were also considered for the role of Eliza.

Wouldn’t It Be Loverly (Ed Sullivan Show, 1961) - Julie Andrews

41 related questions found

How old was Audrey Hepburn when she died?

One of America's most beloved actresses, Audrey Hepburn, dies on January 20, 1993, near her home in Lausanne, Switzerland. The 63-year-old Hepburn had undergone surgery for colon cancer the previous November.

Who sang for Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady movie?

Nixon was often referred to as “the ghost singer” because it was her voice in three of the most popular film musicals of all time when she sang for Deborah Kerr in The King And I, Natalie Wood in West Side Story and, most famously, for Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady.

Why was Audrey Hepburn cast in My Fair Lady?

Audrey Hepburn got the part; because her voice could not carry the songs, the impeccable Marni Nixon dubbed the singing, as was common then. Ms. Andrews went on to star and sing that same year, 1964, as Mary Poppins in the movie of the same name.

How old was Rex Harrison in My Fair Lady movie?

Love Won Out. At first Warner thought that Rex Harrison, who turned 56 in 1964, looked too old to be the love interest of the 19-year-old Eliza Doolittle character.

Did Julie Andrews audition for My Fair Lady?

Although it's become one of her most iconic roles, Hepburn was a controversial choice for the role of Eliza Doolittle in “My Fair Lady.” Producer Jack Warner (reluctantly) kept much of the Broadway cast for the film version, but opted not to cast stage star Andrews, who originated the role of Eliza.

Does Eliza marry Higgins?

She is therefore guided by her instinct in the matter. Eliza's instinct tells her not to marry Higgins. It does not tell her to give him up. It is not in the slightest doubt as to his remaining one of the strongest personal interests in her life.

Did Julie Andrews thank Jack Warner?

When she won a Golden Globe for her role, she said at the end of her speech: “Finally, my thanks to a man who made a wonderful movie who made all this possible in the first place… Jack Warner.”

What does Eliza Doolittle do for a living?

Eliza sells flowers on the streets of east London, Pickering is a linguist and retired soldier, and Higgins is a linguistic scientist and professor of phonetics. But this doesn't really tell us all that we need to know in a play that is an exploration and critique of the British class system.

Did Julie Andrews really sing in Mary Poppins?

After this hard-to-top one-two punch, Andrews went on to star in films including “Thoroughly Modern Millie” and in her husband Blake Edwards' “Victor/Victoria.” Though she damaged her singing voice while performing onstage in “Victor/Victoria,” she came back into the spotlight with the children of the original “Mary ...

Does Eliza Love Henry Higgins?

Henry Higgins did remain in Eliza Doolittle's life, but Shaw was insistent on the fact that they were no match romantically, that they remained purely friends who saw each other as sparring partners in wit and cleverness.

Did Rex Harrison hate Julie Andrews?

However Harrison was not impressed by his co-star Julie Andrews who was cast as Eliza Doolittle, his Cockney protégée. ... One of the numbers included the line, “I've grown accustomed to your face”, but Harrison is said to have refused to sing it to Andrews whom he despised because she initially struggled with the role.

Did Audrey Hepburn sing any songs in My Fair Lady?

Although her singing was dubbed by Marni Nixon, Audrey Hepburn's singing does actually appear in the form of the first verse of "Just You Wait, Henry Higgins," However, when the song heads into the soprano range (one minute and sixteen seconds in), Nixon takes over vocals.

Did Audrey Hepburn and Julie Andrews get along?

The two actresses met at the 1964 Academy Awards, when Andrews won Best Actress for Mary Poppins. ... She remembers Hepburn saying to her, “Julie, you should have done it, but I didn't have the guts to turn it down.” “We were friends from then on,” Andrews said.

Did Jeremy Brett do his own singing in My Fair Lady?

His highest profile film appearance was as Freddy Eynsford-Hill in My Fair Lady (1964), again with Audrey Hepburn. Although Brett sang well, as he later demonstrated when he played Danilo in a BBC Television broadcast of The Merry Widow (Christmas Day 1968), his singing in My Fair Lady was dubbed by Bill Shirley.

How old was Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's?

Holly Golightly is supposed to be just nineteen years old when she meets with Paul. Audrey Hepburn was thirty-one years old when playing Holly.

Did Yul Brynner do his own singing in The King and I?

Maureen O'Hara, who had a pleasant soprano voice, was originally cast, but Richard Rodgers did not agree to the casting. It was Yul Brynner who pressed for Deborah Kerr to play the role. ... Nixon and Kerr worked side-by-side in the recording studio for songs which combined speaking and singing.

Did Rita Moreno do her own singing in West Side Story?

Very little of the singing in the finished film and on the soundtrack album was contributed by the on-screen stars of the film; while George Chakiris did all of his own singing for the few solo lines of his character Bernardo, Jim Bryant entirely dubbed the singing role of Tony for Richard Beymer, and Rita Moreno's ...

Was Liz Taylor in My Fair Lady?

Set in 1912 London, the premise of “My Fair Lady” is Eliza Doolittle (Audrey Hepburn), a Cockney flower girl, who wishes to pass as a lady. ... However, when studio executives informed her that Elizabeth Taylor would play Eliza Doolittle if she didn't accept it, Hepburn decided to take the job.