Iconic photos of a changing city, and commentary on our Collections & Exhibitions from the crew at MCNY.org
Last Saturday night the crowd gathered around the piano at Marie’s Crisis to sing “The Ladies Who Lunch” from Broadway’s 1970 hit musical, Company, in honor of the dearly departed woman who sang it, Elaine Stritch. Glasses were raised again and again to the line repeated throughout the number, “I’ll drink to that.” In real life Stritch made no bones about being a heavy drinker, or anything else for that matter. She dazzled audiences with her acerbic wit and frank speech on stage and off for over 60 years. She died last week at the age of 89 in her home in Birmingham, Michigan. A long-time resident of the Carlyle Hotel on East 76th Street, Stritch moved back to her home state of Michigan because of declining health and to be closer to family.
Stritch made her debut on the New York stage in the 1944 children’s play Bobino. Two years later she played Pamela Brewster in Loco, and also replaced Jane Middleton as Miss Crowder in Made in Heaven. Critics favorably took note of her in 1947 when she appeared alongside Paul and Grace Hartman in the revue Angel in the Wings.
Vandamm. [“Angel in the Wings” theater still, with Grace Hartman, Paul Hartman, and Elaine Stritch in the sketch “Trailer Trouble”.] 1947. Museum of the City of New York. 68.80.11959
Vandamm. [Hank Ladd and Elaine Stritch in “Angel in the Wings”.] 1947. Museum of the City of New York. 68.80.4222
Photographer unknown. [Elaine Stritch as Mrs. Sally Adams in “Call Me Madam”.] ca. 1952. Museum of the City of New York. 68.80.4786
Photographer unknown. [Elaine Stritch as Mrs. Sally Adams in “Call Me Madam”.] ca. 1952. Museum of the City of New York. 68.80.4789
Zinn Arthur. [Elaine Stritch as Grace Hoylard in “Bus Stop”.] 1955-1956. Museum of the City of New York. 68.80.4605
Zinn Arthur. [Patrick McVey as Carl and Elaine Stritch as Grace Hoylard in “Bus Stop”.] 1955-1956. Museum of the City of New York. 68.80.4607
Friedman-Abeles. [Charles Braswell as Larry and Elaine Stritch as Joanne in “Company”.] 1970. Museum of the City of New York. X2013.42.318
“And, while we are thoroughly aware of Elaine Stritch from the beginning (Miss Stritch has what funny lines George Furth has chosen to write, and she stands alone in the group in making no pretty pretenses about the pleasures of matrimony), we are still not prepared for what happens to us and to the theater when she reaches a left-field snarl, complete with a snappy, snide foot-tap, called “The Ladies Who Lunch.” Miss Stritch spends a good bit of the evening exhaling cigarette smoke; what smoke she exhales during the song I don’t know, but it is hers alone and it is scathing. A great number, perfectly done.”
Friedman-Abeles. [Elaine Stritch as Joanne in “Company”.] 1970. Museum of the City of New York. X2013.42.277
Martha Swope. [Elaine Stritch as Joanne in “Company”.] 1970. Museum of the City of New York. X2013.42.275
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