Friday, December 13, 2024

Roy Orbison’s “Pretty Woman” is Finally Being Added to Broadway Musical of Same Name, on Its 55th Anniversary

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First of all, it’s hard to believe “Pretty Woman” is still playing on Broadway. It got no Tony nods at all. Nothing. Not for Andy Karl or Samantha Barks, and not for the music by Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance.

And still, it’s playing. This month marks its first anniversary of when it started previews.

So this coincides with the 55th anniversary of the song “Pretty Woman,” aka “Oh Pretty Woman” by the late great Roy Orbison. It was released August 1, 1964. The song was indeed included on the soundtrack for the Garry Marshall movie, but didn’t make the musical.

So now I guess Andy Karl will get sing it, which will be great, and Roy — one of the inventors of rock and roll– will be further immortalized. This news may also have something to do with licensing, and the musical’s producers being able to afford it.

I never knew Roy Orbison, but I was quite friendly with his widow, the late great Barbara Orbison. She was so beloved, and died so tragically from cancer at age 61 in December 2011. All her pals miss her. This is as much a tribute to her as it to Roy. I hope they’re having fun in heaven!

Roger Friedman
Roger Friedmanhttps://www.showbiz411.com
Roger Friedman began his Showbiz411 column in April 2009 after 10 years with Fox News, where he created the Fox411 column. His movie reviews are carried by Rotten Tomatoes, and he is a member of both the movie and TV branches of the Critics Choice Awards. His articles have appeared in dozens of publications over the years including New York Magazine, where he wrote the Intelligencer column in the mid 90s and covered the OJ Simpson trial, and Fox News (when it wasn't so crazy) where he covered Michael Jackson. He is also the writer and co-producer of "Only the Strong Survive," a selection of the Cannes, Sundance, and Telluride Film festivals, directed by DA Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus.

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