Sources: The Complete Book of 1950s Broadway Musicals

Abstract

According to Dan Deitz’s very entertaining and informative The Complete Book of 1950s Broadway Musicals, things really started with a bang in January of 1950 with Happy as Larry, a cheery musical involving witches, time travel, and murder. Directed by and starring Burgess Meredith, the show included many peppy sounding numbers, such as “Three Old Ladies from Hades” and “The Flatulent Ballad.” Sadly, Happy as Larry was one of the few musicals for which no cast recording was made. Happily, all the entries in The Complete Book of 1950s Broadway Musicals are as detailed and delightful as the first.