THE MARVELOUS MR. MERRICK
In the season 3 finale of Amazon’s THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL “A Jewish Girl Walked Into the Apollo” (S3;E8), set during spring or early summer of 1960, Midge’s father Abe (Tony Shalhoub) is walking through the Broadway theatre district when he is suddenly pelted with tomatoes by an unseen assailant.
Before the attack, he is walking past the Imperial Theatre, where the musical DESTRY RIDES AGAIN is playing. The musical opened on April 23, 1959 and closed on June 18, 1960. It starred Dolores Gray and Andy Griffith, who had just taken some time away from the show to film a TV pilot for what would become “The Andy Griffith Show.”
Although the scene is set in front of the Imperial, it was actually shot across the street in front of the Gerald Schoenfeld (above, today), known as the Plymouth Theatre in 1960.
During the attack, Abe stands in front of three show posters. The one on the left is for the musical DO-RE-MI starring Phil Silvers, which gave us the song “Make Someone Happy.” Here “Mrs. Maisel”’s timeline gets creative, as the musical didn’t open at the St. James Theatre till December 26, 1960.
In the center, the theatre’s exit doors are covered in advertisements for the musical THE UNSINKABLE MOLLY BROWN starring Tammy Grimes, which opened at the Winter Garden on November 3, 1960.
On the extreme right, and only partly visible on camera, is a poster for AN EVENING WITH MIKE NICHOLS AND ELAINE MAY at the Golden Theatre. This show opened on October 6, 1960. Although it is not impossible that a show’s advertising would appear so far in advance, it is unlikely.
When Abe arrives home covered in bruises and tomato pulp, he proudly and excitedly tells his wife Rose (Marin Hinkle) that it was David Merrick who pelted him with tomatoes.
The joke rings true for those who know of the infamous producer’s legendary temperament and headline-grabbing stunts. An unauthorized biography by Howard Kissel is titled David Merrick: The Abominable Showman. Not coincidentally, both DESTRY RIDES AGAIN and DO-RE-MI were both David Merrick productions! It is only conjecture, but perhaps THE UNSINKABLE MOLLY BROWN was chosen as analogy to the indomitable spirit of Miriam Maisel herself. It is also possible that comedienne Elaine May was one of the inspirations for the title character of the series, explaining the selection of the other poster. Either way, it is a vivid picture of the 1960 theatre season on Broadway!