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Andy Murcia |
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An Affectionate Memoir By Her Friends & Colleagues Ann Miller died Jan. 22 of lung cancer at age 81 |
 Ann Miller in 'Sugar Babies' days |
Remembering the woman
behind those dancing feet
with ANDY MURCIA
of TheColumnists.com
My husband,
Andy, and I have a million funny Ann Miller stories to tell but
as we mourn her passing, perhaps just an overview is in order.
We want to tell our readers how she was off stage. Ours was a
friendship that began some 27 years ago and endured time and
some pretty wild backstage politics of the Broadway stage.
We first met Ann in 1979. Andy and I were in New York City for
the rehearsals of a brand new Broadway musical titled "Sugar
Babies." The show was a musical/comedy tribute to
the old burlesque era. It poked wholesome fun at "burlesque"
and offered a history lesson as well.
Mickey Rooney was the lead "baggy pants comic" and
Ann Miller would be the "leading lady" or "diva"
(as the script referred to her). As for me, I would co-star as
the "soubrette" (that's what they called the young
leading lady in burlesque shows.) The music was delightful and
timeless, but the original cast members of this show were the
reason it was a hit. They brought magic to every role.
We put the show together in a rehearsal hall at 18th and Broadway
in four weeks. After the rehearsals, we would take it on "the
road" for a six month pre-Broadway tour. We would play six
and eight-week stands in most major cities west of NYC. Our opening
night would be at the Curran Theater in San Francisco. During
this time Andy and I would get to know Ann Miller better. We
had already worked with Mickey Rooney in Chicago and Andy and
I considered him a dear friend.
Rehearsals in NYC were pretty focused and we would pass each
other "on the run" as we changed rehearsal rooms. But
that was pretty much all we had time for there. Once, Ann was
going to use the room where I had just rehearsed my "dove"
number. This was a ballad called "Warm and Willing,"
that I sang while a dozen white fantail pigeons landed on my
body.
 Ann Jillian with Mickey Rooney in "Sugar Babies" |
 "messages" that made Ann Miller shriek |
Ann and I said our quick "hello's," then she promptly began to feverishly tap her famous feet while the birdkeeper, equally feverishly, tried to clear away all the birds, feathers, and, well...everything.
Suddenly, we heard Ann
let out this high pitched, horrified squeal: "Oh, that poor
girl!"
She was referring to the "accidents" the birds were
occasionally known to have while doing their thing. (You know
I really wanted to sing that ballad! Mickey said it was good
luck if a bird gave you a 'souvenir.') I laughed every time I
thought of her squeal. I'd get to know a lot more of this wonderful,
campy lady.
Ernie Flatt and Rudy Tronto directed and choreographed the entire
production. Early into rehearsals, Ann made it clear she didn't
want to learn any new dance routines. So Ernie gave me the numbers
that Ann Miller had turned down. Of course, I was, indeed grateful
to her. Toward the end of rehearsals, we performed a run-through
of the show for the media and some invited guests. Everyone got
to see all the numbers.
We opened in San Francisco to rave reviews on May 14, 1979. The
Variety reviewer "Herb" raved about Mickey Rooney
and the show, said it was a "showcase" for his many
talents. The reviewer said Ann Miller's name definitely would
help the box office and she was "fine tapping her way into
the hearts of the audience as if she stepped out of a 1940's
film musical."
The Variety reviewer
went on to say, "the best second banana work surprisingly
comes from a young lady named Ann Jillian. Her warbling is impressive
and her comedy style versatile. In fact, she has more numbers
than Miller and much more breadth."
Oops! Andy read that review and was elated. I read it and
nearly got sick! I knew from my years in show business that the
last line of my review could mean the "kiss of death"
from the senior-leading lady for any young leading lady she might
think the critics liked better. I went to work that night in
the show. We were all busy, so I had no time to see Ann for a
private chat.
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Andy recalls, "The San Francisco audiences loved our show! They stamped their feet at one point for one of Ann Jillian's numbers called 'Cute Fruit.' They literally would not let the show go on until she was sent out for a second curtain call. As I watched from the wings, I saw Ann Miller giving my Ann a look-see. I took this as a compliment, but my Ann was concerned. I soon found out why: The producers cut the 'Cute Fruit' number long before we opened on Broadway."
Here's Andy's view of the aftermath:
"As the show wound
it's way through Los Angeles, Chicago, Detroit and Philadelphia
on it's pre-Broadway tour, Ann and I did become friends with
Ann Miller. She liked to go to dinner after the show each evening
so, I would find the theatre restaurant that wanted Ann Miller
dining with them. I was on a leave of absence from the Chicago
Police Department and a good cop can always find a good meal
for a great price. They always "comped" the meal if
Ann Miller would sign some autographs for their after- theatre
customers. She would graciously sign autographs after we
all ate.
"At dinner, Ann Miller always would start with a cocktail.
Then we knew the belly laughs would soon begin. She was
most funny when she was being her naturally humorous self. Her
asides about her ill-fated marriages and legendary Hollywood
stories were real knee slappers. After dinner, the restaurant
owner would escort us out to our waiting cab and as we waved
our goodbyes, Miller would always belt out a line from an old
song having to do with 'gratitude.'"
When it came to staying in hotels, Ann Miller was fearful of
being attacked. She liked the idea that Andy was a Chicago cop,
and she asked that we stay at the same hotel with her.
She traveled with a personal assistant, "Debbie," who
was a tiny doll-faced young lady--and nothing like a bodyguard.
So, when Andy and I could afford the same hotel, we obliged her.
On a couple of occasions Ann Miller thought she heard a suspicious
noise in her suite and called our room for Andy to check it out.
That meant Andy was one of the very few men who ever saw Ann
Miller without her trademark hair wigs and makeup. Andy said
she always had the window shades duct-taped to the window frame
to make sure no light could get in and no "peeping toms"
could see her in her bedroom. Andy checked all the rooms in the
suite, then kidded her, saying, "Ann, you're on the 18th
floor. The only guy who could peep in your window would either
need a helicopter or be named "Peter Pan!" Once he
had her laughing, her fears were relieved.
I'm sure you're wondering if Ann Miller ever got angry with me
for that review. I've kept you in suspense long enough.
My answer is "no." She didn't blame me for the reviews.
She was always professional and very nice to me on a personal
level.
On the other hand, the publicity-hungry producers did their best
to manufacture a feud between us. For fuel, they utilized the
"aging star, and the upcoming star" bit. Through their
press agents, they used the then very influential Broadway columnist
Earl Wilson and some other lesser-known columnists in the New
York media. (This was during the years when a case of booze could
guarantee ink for your pet turtle.)
In one of Earl Wilson's
columns, he alleged that Ann Miller and the show's producer had
a feud going with Ann Jillian and her "cop husband."
This was pure imagination. Ann Miller, Andy, Debbie and I were
all warm friends. The show merely wanted publicity and
the press agents did their duty. Andy and I were without funds
to hire a press agent or buy a case of booze, so the allegations
went, for the most part, unchallenged.
On a professional level Ann Miller always protected her territory,
and we understood that was just part of the business. During
the pre-Broadway tour, I did have more numbers than her and,
yes, by the time we hit Broadway some of my better numbers were
taken away from me and some were given back to Ann Miller. The
producer told me that this was at Ms. Miller's order. I did not
believe it then and to this day I feel all those changes were
made solely by the producers on their own.
Why would they do this? By this time, the producers knew I wanted
out of the show so I could accept a great offer from ABC-TV.
They didn't want to let me out of my contract. It was Ann Miller
who told Andy that he should get me into the TV deal and be fast
about it. I felt she was in our corner and, with her vast experience,
knew that TV was where the big money was.
Some time later I bumped into Ann Miller long after "Sugar Babies" had ended its multi-year run. We hugged and she called me "Annie" just like she always did. She waved her finger in Andy's face and said, "I told you that she'd be a big star on television."
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of Ann Jillian's publicity photos |
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I'm proud to say we all remained friends in spite of the show's executive producer, who would stoop low to attract publicity. We could write a book about just this one show. The inner workings in getting a multi-million dollar musical production up and running is nothing short of mind boggling! The politics behind the scenes alone could make all the democratic hopefuls and Pres. Bush look like boy scouts!
Ann Miller told us that "Sugar Babies" was the first time in her career that she truly felt like she was the leading lady of the show. She told us that she always felt like a "second banana" during her film career in musicals.
Along with her leading
man, Mickey Rooney, she was now, indeed, the star. Together she
and Mickey hit the heights in "Sugar Babies" because
it was a wonderful showcase for their multiple talents. Andy
and I are honored to have met Ann Miller and to have socialized
with her for that year. I truly believe she never intentionally
hurt me or my career. We respected each other enormously.
We had things in common. Ann Miller was brought to Hollywood
from Texas by her mother as a youngster. My mother brought me
to Hollywood from Cambridge, Mass. We both had loving mothers,
not "pushy" stage moms. We each had one child.
(She had a girl, "Mary," who, sadly, lived only a few
hours). I went to St. Mel's School and Church in Woodland Hills,
CA. and Ann Miller's funeral Mass was held there on Jan. 28.
Those gathered there gave Ann Miller her last standing ovation
and the Priest who was with her when she passed on stated, "...she
must have danced through the pearly gates on her way to Heaven!"
Ann Miller was a kind, funny, and graceful star and that's how
I remember her. One of our favorite days off spent with Ann and
Debbie, her assistant, was when we went to New Hope, PA, to sightsee
and dine. At dinner that evening Ann made a toast to us.
"While all my marriages were a bust, to say the least," she said, "it gives my heart joy to see you, Annie, and you, Andy so in love--and with each other! God bless you both."
Well, Ann Miller, for the
joy you brought to our hearts, and for the good times, we pray
that God will bless you too. Thanks for the use of the hall.
Tap, tap, tap.
©2004 by Ann Jillian Murcia and Andy Murcia. The caricatures
of Ann and Andy are ©2000 and 2003 by Jim Hummel. The photos
are from the authors' private collection. All rights reserved.
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