The story of Daisy Gamble, a neurotic chain-smoker with ESP, and Dr. Mark Bruckner, a psychiatrist who becomes enamored of one of Daisy's past identities. Certainly not your run-of-the-mill love story. Barbara starred as Daisy. Dr. Bruckner was originally played by Louis Jourdan (above, left) in previews, but Jourdan was unable to do justice to Dr. Bruckner's full-bodied songs and was replaced in Boston by John Cullum (above, right), who went on to play the role on Broadway and is heard on the cast album. Barbara's "A Thousand Clowns" costar William Daniels played Daisy's fiancee Warren. Book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner, music by Burton Lane, directed by Robert Lewis.
BARBARA HARRIS, Daisy Gamble, made her greatest impact on New York theatregoers when she was tapped by director Jerome Robbins for the plum role of the adolescent enchantress for Arthur Kopit's comedy, "Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Mama's Hung You in the Closet and I'm Feelin' So Bad." Miss Harris, born in Evanston, Illinois, grew up in Chicago where she attended Wright Junior College. It was as an apprentice at the Playwrights' Theatre of the U. of Chicago that she made her first professional appearances playing a wide variety of roles in repertory. After acting in some television shows in Hollywood she returned to Chicago where she joined a group of bright and talented young performers. They created a stir at a place called the Compass, a sort of cabaret where they improvised satirical skits and songs. The group included Mike Nichols, Elaine May, Alan Arkin, Paul Sands, and Severn Darden. Eventually impressario Max Liebman helped put together a full length revue and called it "From the Second City." The show first went to Los Angeles and then to Broadway, where it had a brief run. After "Poor Dad," Miss Harris again was tapped by director Robbins for his production of Brecht's "Mother Courage." Since then she appeared on off-Broadway in "Dynamite Tonight" and starring roles in two films yet to be released, "A Thousand Clowns" and her original part in the film version of "Oh Dad."
See below for pictures and a list of songs from the show. (Click on the song title for sound files, where available.)
"Overture" -- Orchestra, Chorus
"Hurry! It's Lovely Up Here" -- Barbara Harris, John Cullum
"Tosy and Cosh" -- Barbara Harris
"On A Clear Day (You Can See Forever)" -- John Cullum
"On the S.S. Bernard Cohn" -- Barbara Harris, Barbara Monte, William Reilly, Gerald M. Teijelo, Jr.
"Don't Tamper With My Sister" -- Clifford David, Byron Webster, Chorus
"She Wasn't You" -- Clifford David
"Melinda" -- John Cullum
"When I'm Being Born Again" -- Titos Vandis
"What Did I Have That I Don't Have?" -- Barbara Harris
"Wait Till We're Sixty-Five" -- William Daniels, Barbara Harris
"Come Back To Me" -- John Cullum
"Finale" -- Entire Cast
