Description :

Sixteen Historic Booklets – Broadway, Film & Music Legends

An Collection of Original Programs, Souvenir Editions & Sheet Music from Broadway, Hollywood & American Stage History

This curated auction lot features 16 authentic vintage booklets, each a standalone artifact from the golden age of American entertainment. These are not reproductions or touring versions—they are original releases tied to specific productions, performances, or musical recordings. Each piece is rich with historical detail, featuring credited casts, directors, producers, and creative teams. Here's a breakdown of the highlights:

Finian’s Rainbow – 1947 Broadway Original Production

Produced by Lee Sabinson and William R. Katzell, directed by Bretaigne Windust, with choreography by Michael Kidd. Music by Burton Lane, lyrics by E.Y. Harburg, book by Harburg and Fred Saidy. Cast includes Ella Logan, Albert Sharpe, Donald Richards, David Wayne, and Royal Dano. Scenic design by Jo Mielziner, costumes by Eleanor Goldsmith, orchestrations by Robert Russell Bennett and Don Walker, vocal arrangements by Lyn Murray, conducted by Milton Rosenstock2.

Near You – 1947 Sheet Music

Lyrics by Kermit Goell, music by Francis Craig, recorded by Larry Green and His Orchestra on Victor Records. Published by Supreme Music Corporation. A top-charting hit in 1947, this edition features the original arrangement that reached #3 on the Billboard charts5.

No Time for Sergeants – 1955 Broadway Original

Presented by Maurice Evans in association with Emmett Rogers, directed by Morton Da Costa, written by Ira Levin, adapted from the novel by Mac Hyman. Cast includes Andy Griffith, Roddy McDowall, Don Knotts, Myron McCormick, and Floyd Buckley. Scenic design by Peter Larkin, costumes by Noel Taylor, lighting by Peggy Clark8.

The Madwoman of Chaillot – 1950 Ford’s Theatre Production

Presented by Alfred De Liagre Jr., starring Martita Hunt, adapted by Maurice Valency from Jean Giraudoux’s original. Directed by De Liagre, with costumes and settings by Christian Bérard, lighting by Samuel Leve. Supporting cast includes John Carradine, Estelle Winwood, Nydia Westman, and Eleonora Mendelssohn10.

Billy Rose’s Diamond Horseshoe – Original Nightclub Program

Entire production staged and lighted by John Murray Anderson, with costumes and settings by Raoul Pene Du Bois, music by Dana Suesse, lyrics by Billy Rose, and dances by Marjery Fielding. This 1938–1951 Times Square nightclub program includes appearances by Mae Murray, Joe Howard, Gilda Gray, and Nita Naldi12.

The Unsinkable Molly Brown – 1960 Broadway Original

Music and lyrics by Meredith Willson, book by Richard Morris, directed by Dore Schary, choreographed by Peter Gennaro. Cast includes Tammy Grimes, Harve Presnell, and Jack Harrold. A rags-to-riches musical based on Titanic survivor Margaret Brown.

I Wonder Who’s Kissing Her Now – 1947 Technicolor Film Program

20th Century Fox production starring June Haver, Mark Stevens, and Martha Stewart, directed by Lloyd Bacon, produced by George Jessel. A musical biopic of songwriter Joseph E. Howard, featuring songs like “Hello! Ma Baby” and “Goodbye, My Lady Love”15.

Medea – 1949 Broadway Production

Presented by Guthrie McClintic, starring Judith Anderson, adapted by Robinson Jeffers from Euripides. Cast includes Henry Brandon, Hilda Vaughn, Mary Servoss, and Bruce Gordon. A landmark classical revival staged at City Center17.

Three Daring Daughters – 1948 MGM Technicolor Film Program

Starring Jeanette MacDonald, José Iturbi, Jane Powell, Edward Arnold, and Harry Davenport. Directed by Fred M. Wilcox, produced by Joe Pasternak, music by Herbert Stothart. Features the charming “Dickey-Bird Song”19.

The Best Things in Life Are Free – 1947 MGM Sheet Music

Performed by June Allyson, Peter Lawford, Patricia Marshall, Joan McCracken, Ray McDonald, and Mel Tormé. Directed by Charles Walters, produced by Arthur Freed, with music by Lennie Hayton21.

Curran Theatre – Best of Broadway Magazine

An Arts & Leisure Publication from 1977–1978 featuring productions like Bubbling Brown Sugar and Shenandoah, with cast bios and vintage advertisements23.

ACT – American Conservatory Theatre

San Francisco’s premier nonprofit theatre company founded in 1965 by William Ball. Includes productions at the Toni Rembe Theater and Strand Theater, with training programs like Studio ACT and Young Conservatory25.

Harvey – Touring Production Featuring Shirley Booth & Gig Young

Directed by Stephen Porter, starring Gig Young, Shirley Booth, Jesse White, with Don Fenwick as stage manager and Gintaire Sileika as company manager. A revival of Mary Chase’s Pulitzer-winning play.

Beg Your Pardon – 1947 Sheet Music

Words and music by Francis Craig and Beasley Smith, featured by Morton Downey, published by Robbins Music Corporation. Recorded by Francis Craig, Frankie Carle, and Larry Green, charting at #3 in 194828.

This auction lot is a treasure trove for collectors of theatrical memorabilia, music historians, and vintage ephemera enthusiasts. Each booklet is a portal into a specific moment in American cultural history—rich with artistry, legacy, and performance magic.

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