A Comedy Starring Abe Vigoda, John Amos & Carl Reiner= Biggest Broadway Flop!? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Brian Damage · 03-16-2010, 11:08 AM

If the 76ers' management had done a little more homework before it hired Roy Rubin in 1972-73, it might have had second thoughts.
That's because the little-known coach who guided the 76ers to a 4-47 record before getting fired had just six weeks earlier coproduced a Broadway flop that featured a piece of casting almost as unlikely as his own in Philadelphia:

Abe Vigoda as Abe Lincoln.

No one is quite sure how Tough to Get Help, a contemporary suburban comedy about '70s racial attitudes, managed to include the 16th president, but it might help explain why the show closed on May 4, 1972, after just one performance at New York's Royale Theater.

Rubin, a New York native who was then coaching Long Island University's basketball team, had invested in plays before, according to Jules Love, a longtime friend.

He lost money on several that were produced by Sandy Farber, Love said. Rubin, 84 now and living in Florida, had become friends with Farber while they were playing college basketball together at Louisville in the late 1940s.

Farber went from there to Broadway, where he would produce a number of shows, including several that Rubin invested in. A year earlier, Rubin had put money into a another short-lived Farber venture, a failed musical called Frank Merriwell.

Then in 1972, Farber got a promising script from a young comedy writer named Steve Gordon.

"It was funny," said Love, a native Philadelphian who along with Rubin is listed as an associate producer for Farber. "We had Carl Reiner directing and John Amos starring. Sandy told Roy about it and Roy put up some money, not a lot. But we all thought we had a hit."

Gordon, who died at 44 in 1982, was a talented writer. He would go on to author several TV sitcoms and the successful Dudley Moore movie Arthur.

Vigoda, whose TV and screen roles have hardly been Lincolnesque, had just hit it big as Salvatore Tessio in The Godfather, which was released in March 1972.

With Reiner directing, and Amos, coming off a successful run as the weatherman on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, in the lead, it looked like a sure bet to the moneymen. But it bombed with the critics.

"The previews were great," said Love, who now lives in New York. "After the opening, Roy and I and the rest went across the street to a restaurant. When the papers came out and we saw the first reviews, we knew we were done. It closed right then and there."

Rubin, according to Love, invested in several plays that Farber backed, invariably losing his money.

"But the one huge hit Sandy had, Man of La Mancha, Roy didn't invest a dime," Love said. "I guess that says something about his luck."

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/world_us/87745187.html

catlover79 · 03-16-2010, 06:47 PM

Interesting!!

Marvo301 · 03-16-2010, 08:06 PM

This show obviously didn't flop because of a lack of talent! Carl Reiner, John Amos, and Abe Vigoda are all very talented.

Brian Damage · 03-16-2010, 09:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marvo301

This show obviously didn't flop because of a lack of talent! Carl Reiner, John Amos, and Abe Vigoda are all very talented.

Very true, plus, you had the guy who wrote the movie "Arthur" wring the script. I guess people didn't want to see Abe Vigoda as Abe Lincoln???

I'd love to see this play actually. lol

03-16-2010, 11:08 AM	#1
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,107	A Comedy Starring Abe Vigoda, John Amos & Carl Reiner= Biggest Broadway Flop!? If the 76ers' management had done a little more homework before it hired Roy Rubin in 1972-73, it might have had second thoughts. That's because the little-known coach who guided the 76ers to a 4-47 record before getting fired had just six weeks earlier coproduced a Broadway flop that featured a piece of casting almost as unlikely as his own in Philadelphia: Abe Vigoda as Abe Lincoln. No one is quite sure how Tough to Get Help, a contemporary suburban comedy about '70s racial attitudes, managed to include the 16th president, but it might help explain why the show closed on May 4, 1972, after just one performance at New York's Royale Theater. Rubin, a New York native who was then coaching Long Island University's basketball team, had invested in plays before, according to Jules Love, a longtime friend. He lost money on several that were produced by Sandy Farber, Love said. Rubin, 84 now and living in Florida, had become friends with Farber while they were playing college basketball together at Louisville in the late 1940s. Farber went from there to Broadway, where he would produce a number of shows, including several that Rubin invested in. A year earlier, Rubin had put money into a another short-lived Farber venture, a failed musical called Frank Merriwell. Then in 1972, Farber got a promising script from a young comedy writer named Steve Gordon. "It was funny," said Love, a native Philadelphian who along with Rubin is listed as an associate producer for Farber. "We had Carl Reiner directing and John Amos starring. Sandy told Roy about it and Roy put up some money, not a lot. But we all thought we had a hit." Gordon, who died at 44 in 1982, was a talented writer. He would go on to author several TV sitcoms and the successful Dudley Moore movie Arthur. Vigoda, whose TV and screen roles have hardly been Lincolnesque, had just hit it big as Salvatore Tessio in The Godfather, which was released in March 1972. With Reiner directing, and Amos, coming off a successful run as the weatherman on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, in the lead, it looked like a sure bet to the moneymen. But it bombed with the critics. "The previews were great," said Love, who now lives in New York. "After the opening, Roy and I and the rest went across the street to a restaurant. When the papers came out and we saw the first reviews, we knew we were done. It closed right then and there." Rubin, according to Love, invested in several plays that Farber backed, invariably losing his money. "But the one huge hit Sandy had, Man of La Mancha, Roy didn't invest a dime," Love said. "I guess that says something about his luck." http://www.philly.com/inquirer/world_us/87745187.html
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03-16-2010, 06:47 PM	#2
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,382	Interesting!!
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03-16-2010, 08:06 PM	#3
Marvo301 I'm NOT a Blockhead! Forum Celebrity Join Date: May 17, 2002 Location: The Great White North Posts: 21,456	This show obviously didn't flop because of a lack of talent! Carl Reiner, John Amos, and Abe Vigoda are all very talented.
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