The Helen Morgan Page

… in 1932, Helen Morgan played her final Broadway performance as Julie in Show Boat. With the exception of a few concerts and benefits, October 22, 1932 marked Morgan’s final performance in a Broadway house.

When Ziegfeld’s original production shuttered on Broadway in May 1929, it was the 6th longest-running musical in Broadway history, having amassed 572 performances on the Main Stem.

Three years later, Flo revived it with the original sets and costumes (and most of its original cast) for an additional 181 performances. Following the closing performance at Broadway’s Casino Theater on October 22, 1932, the production went on tour for an additional four months.

With the exception of a few missed performances in late 1928 and early 1929, Helen Morgan played the entirety of both Broadway runs. If one combines the pre-Broadway tour in 1927, both Broadway runs, and both post-Broadway tours, Helen Morgan played Julie over 900 times. Add in the four weeks in early 1933 that Show Boat played as a tab unit, and Morgan crossed the 1,000-performance mark, likely a singular achievement in American musicals up to that time.

©2023 Christopher S. Connelly

This site serves as a companion to Helen Morgan: The Original Torch Singer and Ziegfeld’s Last Star. Ask your local independent bookseller to stock it today!