Hot Clip of the Day: 42nd Street Commercial Throwback

Last updated August 25th, 2020 by BroadwayBox Staff
Hot Clip of the Day: 42nd Street Commercial Throwback

Each day, the Bbox team trolls YouTube for the hot clip—sometimes it's a brand-new moment and sometimes it's a throwback to an oldie but goodie. No matter what praise hands are shot up, pearls are clutched and the repeat button is hit.

42nd Street Television Commercial (1981 Broadway Cast)


Ulterior Motives: On August 25th of 1980, the curtain rose to a company of tap dancing feet when the original Broadway company of 42nd Street opened on Broadway. The show played three Broadway houses in its original run starting at the Winter Garden, moving a few blocks south to the Majestic and then across the street on West 44th Street to the St. James. This commercial featuring original Broadway cast members features stars Wanda Richert as Peggy Sawyer, Jerry Orbach as Julian Marsh and Lee Roy Reams as Billy Lawlor in the show's new home at the Majestic about 7 months after they opened. The "naughty, bawdy, gaudy, sporty" musical, which was the stage adaptation of the 1933 film starring Ruby Keeler, Warner Baxter and William Powell, was directed and choreographed gloriously by Gower Champion who sadly died on the show's Broadway opening night. 42nd Street went on to run over 8 years on Broadway.

Ultimate 🙌 🙌 moment: It's an unusually early time stamp, but we have to say a good one second into the video when the curtain rises on that entire company tap dancing. There's something so special about that moment that is so fabulously Broadway. #BroadwayWillBeBack