Frank Loesser - Guys & Dolls: A Decca Broadway Original Cast Recording (1950 Original Broadway Cast)

The original 1950 production of this classic played the mythical Damon Runyon world of New York City gamblers a lot straighter than the 1992 Broadway revival did. In fact, 1950 reviewers called this the "South Pacific of crapshooters." Alas, Guys and Dolls plays a lot better as a cartoon-like "fable" in the 1990s--which is why the revival is probably the definitive recording while this one is more a historical artifact. Still, it's a gas to hear Robert Alda (Alan's dad!) and Sam Levene originate the roles of Sky Masterson and Nathan Detroit, while both Vivian Blaine and Stubby Kaye (who actually gets most of the showstoppers) would repeat their roles in the otherwise dreadful 1955 Brando/Sinatra film version. And the Frank Loesser music is always great. --Bill Holdship Amazon.com

Great!

One of the greatest American musicals of all time. Sadly, this recording is difficult to listen to due to the recording techniques of the period. Still, it has the incomparable Vivian Blaine as Adelaide and Stubby Kaye singing Sit Down Your Rockin the Boat. But get the Nathan Lane revival, terrific performances all around, and sounds infinetly better than this original. November 18, 2007

Perfect rehearsal help!

I am a local actor and purchased this to help with rehearsing a local production of the musical. It is VERY close to the material you rent from the licensor (the new revived version is WAY off). Although the sound quality is VERY tinny for today's standards, it is a good rendition of the ORIGINAL version of the musical. Wish the ensemble was a little stronger, though. (The added few BONUS tracks from the movie version are cute, but you have to wonder "why?"...) July 12, 2007

great musical......classic entertainment............

I attempted to watch GUYS & DOLLS, with Marlon Brando and Frank Sinatra, and I couldn't bare it. I'll tell you why. My mind kept drifting back to the Original Broadway Cast recording. For me, it was like watching stand-ins for the real thing. The problem was, the "real thing" never arrived in the film.

GUYS & DOLLS is the story of petty criminals and gamblers, and the women who love them. While Skye Masterson (Robert Alda) is a high roller with a penchant for playing craps games, Nathan Detroit (Sam Levene) runs an illegal "floating craps game" and has been engaged to his fiancee, Miss Adelaide (the wonderful Vivian Blaine) for fourteen years. Adelaide is a burlesque dancer at the Cat Trap (I think the name is self-explanatory). Skye makes a deal with Nathan to snag a "doll" and take her to Havana, the craps game. He finds Sarah Brown (Isabel Bigley), sargaent of the Save-A-Soul mission, and agrees to bring her a dozen sinners, in exchange for a date.

Some of the best music by Frank Loesser is here. My personal favorite songs include "I'll Know," "A Bushel and Peck," "Adelaide's Lament," and "Luck Be a Lady." The cast is marvelous and charismatic. Vivian Blaine is hilarious as the long-suffering fiancee. She plays Adelaide as a beautiful, wonderfully comedic pin-up girl to the hilt. You hear anyone else playing this role, and you just can't shake Blaine's incomparable performance. The singing is strong and the story is filled with shenanigans that will definitely hold your attention through to the end of the album. Classic! June 9, 2007

Guys and Dolls: Great cd

I bought this because I wanted to get the soundtrack from the movie with Marlon Brando, and Jean Simmons. This cd was the closest thing I could find; it has the broadway version but also some songs from the movie. The music is wonderful, and the cd is great! May 21, 2007

One of the All Time Greats

What a pleasure to hear the original Broadway cast recording of this musical comedy classic! The CD contains what they call "Bonus Tracks" taken from the movie version. I heartily recommend skipping these altogether - why listen to Marlon Brando whisper his way through "Luck Be a Lady" when you can hear Robert Alda deliver it the way it was meant to sung? April 7, 2007

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