T

the mother's protection of her
daughter and the father's try-
ing to free his wife from some
of her stubbornness. He loves
his wife, and he just wants to
make everybody happy.
"All the concern about fam-
ily values makes Show Boat
particularly timely. I think
that was the intention behind
Hal Prince's decision to
mount this production again.
He felt there were certain as-
pects that could relate to to-
day."
Bosley's enthusiasm for the
stage is as strong today as
when he first stepped into the
spotlight during the '50s by
accepting stock company roles
com.
"The problem stayed with in Chicago.
A move to New York and
us through the last week we
were here, and our union acting studies with Lee Stras-
wouldn't let us go on the final berg resulted in off-Broadway
Saturday night unless we had parts and later the lead —
the money. I was the union and a Tony Award — in the
deputy and received it all just musical Fiorello.
Broadway casting, inter-
before curtain time.
rupted by feature
"I really didn't
Tom Bosley:
film
and TV work,
know where to put it, Left:
From Mr.
most recently placed
so I stuffed my pock- Cunningh am to
him in Beauty and
ets and went on Cap'n An dy.
the Beast.
stage. I was kind of
"I always felt that
scared."
Below: To m Bosley
I would be what we
Even though that enjoys pla ying
tour had a happy Cap'n An dy: "All the call in the industry
`a working actor,'"
ending, Bosley now concern a bout
said Bosley, 69. "Not
is having a much family val ues
makes Sh ow Boat
only
have I enjoyed
happier and more re- particular
ly timely."
that goal, but I also
laxed experience in
think that my
the Motor City — on
stature over the years was
stage and off.
"Show Boat is a classic, and raised to a higher level than
the music was something that I probably would have ex-
I heard in my house when I pected.
"An experience like 'Happy
was a kid," he said. "The
songs have stood up for so Days' really comes along once
many years because once you in a lifetime for most actors.
hear them, you never forget All of us on the show were very
close, and we experienced the
them.
"I think my role is wonder- same kinds of things with our
ful, and I enjoy that this is re- co-workers that we did with
ally a story about a family — our own families.

om Bosley, who stars
as Cap'n Andy in
S
Boat at the
Masonic Temple
Theatre, once performed in
Michigan with $40,000 hidden
in his pockets.
That's right, $40,000, and
it had nothing to do with the
plot of the play.
"I was in Gentlemen Prefer
Blondes at a tent theater, and
there was a constant question
about whether the producer
had the money to pay us," re-
called Bosley, best-known to
television audiences as Mr.
Cunningham in the 11-year-
running "Happy Days" sit-

ruise
ontr

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LLJ

C/3

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CC

Veteran actor
Tom Bosley
Mr. Cunningham
of "Happy Days"
— is Show Boat's
Cap'n Andy at the
Masonic.

LU

SUZANNE CHESSLER

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