Beginning in the late 1940s, Lang moved from ballet to musical theater. He made his Broadway debut in the short-lived Mr. Strauss Goes to Boston (1945), then had more success as a soloist in Three to Make Ready (1946) and Look, Ma, I'm Dancin'! (1948). Lang's first major role, however, was as Bill Calhoun/Lucentio in the original production of Kiss Me, Kate (1948) — although he did not always get along with composer Cole Porter.[1] His second major Broadway rôle was Joey in the 1952 revival of Pal Joey.
In the long-running Kiss Me, Kate, Lang (as Bill) performed his showstopping solo number, "Bianca", and also performed "We Open in Venice" (as Lucentio) with Alfred Drake (as Petruchio), Patricia Morison (as Katharine) and Lisa Kirk (as Bianca). Lang also performed "Tom, Dick or Harry" (as Lucentio) with Edwin Clay (as Gremio), Charles Wood (as Hortensio) and Lisa Kirk (as Bianca).
Although he appeared on television in the early 1950s, Lang made no commercial films. It was reported 20th Century-Fox wanted him for the role of Vera-Ellen's character's boyfriend Mike in Three Little Girls in Blue (1946) but he had to refuse because of a stage commitment in Three to Make Ready (1946).
The New York Public Library has archival films of Lang's work in Fancy Free and Interplay. He portrayed John Sappington Marmaduke "Bubber" Dinwiddie, the brother of Martha Dinwiddie Butterfield in the Patrick Dennis mock-bio First Lady. Lang is included in Ben Bagley's 'Jerome Kern Revisited' album, singing four songs. Both Arthur Laurents and Gore Vidal reported having affairs with Lang.[2]
The Decline and Fall of the Entire World as Seen Through the Eyes of Cole Porter Revisited (1965) (Off-Broadway)
The Gershwin Years (1973) (national tour)
Referencesedit
Notes
^William McBrien, Cole Porter (New York: Vintage, 2000), p. 310.
^Arthur Laurents, Original Story by: A Memoir of Broadway and Hollywood (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2000), 47 ff., 233; Gore Vidal, Palimpsest (New York: Penguin, 1995), pp. 130–32.
^Timeline, harold-lang.com. Accessed July 15, 2023.
Further reading
Bayles-Yeager, Danni (ndg) Harold Lang: If He Asked Me, I Could Write a Book. Canada: Trafford Publishing. ISBN1-4120-7135-6
harold, lang, dancer, confused, with, harold, lang, british, actor, harold, lang, december, 1920, july, 1985, american, dancer, singer, actor, harold, lang, contents, life, career, stage, appearances, references, external, linkslife, career, editthis, section,. Not to be confused with Harold Lang British actor Harold Lang December 21 1920 July 26 1985 was an American dancer singer and actor Harold Lang Contents 1 Life and career 2 Stage appearances 3 References 4 External linksLife and career editThis section needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources in this section Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Harold Lang dancer news newspapers books scholar JSTOR July 2023 Learn how and when to remove this template message Lang began his professional career as a ballet dancer making his professional debut with the San Francisco Ballet in 1938 and then going on to perform with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo two years later and American Ballet Theatre then called Ballet Theatre in 1943 While at ABT he originated roles in Jerome Robbins Fancy Free and Interplay in addition to performing in ballets by George Balanchine David Lichine Leonide Massine and Antony Tudor Beginning in the late 1940s Lang moved from ballet to musical theater He made his Broadway debut in the short lived Mr Strauss Goes to Boston 1945 then had more success as a soloist in Three to Make Ready 1946 and Look Ma I m Dancin 1948 Lang s first major role however was as Bill Calhoun Lucentio in the original production of Kiss Me Kate 1948 although he did not always get along with composer Cole Porter 1 His second major Broadway role was Joey in the 1952 revival of Pal Joey Other Broadway appearances included Make a Wish 1951 Shangri La 1956 Ziegfeld Follies of 1957 and I Can Get It for You Wholesale 1962 Lang also toured as the Jester in Once Upon a Mattress In the long running Kiss Me Kate Lang as Bill performed his showstopping solo number Bianca and also performed We Open in Venice as Lucentio with Alfred Drake as Petruchio Patricia Morison as Katharine and Lisa Kirk as Bianca Lang also performed Tom Dick or Harry as Lucentio with Edwin Clay as Gremio Charles Wood as Hortensio and Lisa Kirk as Bianca Although he appeared on television in the early 1950s Lang made no commercial films It was reported 20th Century Fox wanted him for the role of Vera Ellen s character s boyfriend Mike in Three Little Girls in Blue 1946 but he had to refuse because of a stage commitment in Three to Make Ready 1946 The New York Public Library has archival films of Lang s work in Fancy Free and Interplay He portrayed John Sappington Marmaduke Bubber Dinwiddie the brother of Martha Dinwiddie Butterfield in the Patrick Dennis mock bio First Lady Lang is included in Ben Bagley s Jerome Kern Revisited album singing four songs Both Arthur Laurents and Gore Vidal reported having affairs with Lang 2 From 1970 until his death in 1985 aged 64 from pancreatic cancer in Chico California Lang was a professor of dance at California State University Chico 3 Stage appearances editFancy Free April 18 1944 Metropolitan Opera House Mr Strauss Goes to Boston September 6 15 1945 Broadway Three to Make Ready March 7 December 14 1946 Broadway Look Ma I m Dancin January 29 July 10 1948 Broadway Kiss Me Kate cast member from December 30 1948 July 28 1950 replaced by understudy Danny Daniels when show moved to Shubert Theatre Broadway Make a Wish April 18 July 14 1951 Broadway Pal Joey January 3 1952 April 18 1953 1954 Broadway national tour and London The Time of Your Life January 19 30 1955 Broadway Shangri La June 13 30 1956 Broadway Ziegfeld Follies of 1957 March 1 June 15 1957 Broadway On the Town January 15 March 15 1959 Off Broadway revival Carnegie Hall Playhouse as Gabey Oklahoma 1959 Dayton Ohio as Will Parker Once Upon a Mattress 1960 1961 national tour I Can Get It for You Wholesale March 22 December 8 1962 Broadway Song of Norway 1963 Warren Ohio Show Boat 1963 Milwaukee as Frank Schultz Little Me 1964 Gaithersburg Maryland No Strings 1964 Gaithersburg Maryland The Decline and Fall of the Entire World as Seen Through the Eyes of Cole Porter Revisited 1965 Off Broadway The Gershwin Years 1973 national tour References editNotes William McBrien Cole Porter New York Vintage 2000 p 310 Arthur Laurents Original Story by A Memoir of Broadway and Hollywood New York Alfred A Knopf 2000 47 ff 233 Gore Vidal Palimpsest New York Penguin 1995 pp 130 32 Timeline harold lang com Accessed July 15 2023 Further reading Bayles Yeager Danni ndg Harold Lang If He Asked Me I Could Write a Book Canada Trafford Publishing ISBN 1 4120 7135 6External links editOfficial website Harold Lang at the Internet Broadway Database nbsp Harold Lang at IMDb Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Harold Lang dancer amp oldid 1187060500, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
