How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying – BROADWAY CAST****

Overture/How To/Happy To Keep His Dinner Warm/Coffee Break/The Company Way/The Company Way (Reprise)/A Secretary Is Not A Toy/Been A Long Day/Grand Old Ivy/Paris Original/Rosemary/Finaletto Act One/Cinderella Darling/Love From A Heart Of Gold/I Believe In You/Brotherhood Of Man/Finale

The Broadway musical How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying starred Robert Morse, Rudy Vallee and Bonnie Scott. It opened at the 46th Street Theatre in October 1961 and ran for 1417 performances. Plot involves an ambitious young man who rises from window cleaner to become chairman of the board. Music and lyrics on this Grammy winning soundtrack are by Frank Loesser. (US:19)

“Every time I listen to this, it makes me smile. The songs are all likable and get stuck in your head without being irritating. This is among the best original cast recordings because of the music. It has a great cast with excellent performances. The songs are great and the script is hilarious. This is one of my favourite albums.”

“Many people have come into contact with and grown to love Frank Loesser's work through his most famous musical, the wonderful Guys & Dolls, but in my opinion this is infinitely superior and no Broadway collection can be complete without it. The music, while catchy and fun to listen to, is not extraordinary and, although Loesser's lyrics are clever and creative, he is certainly not my favourite lyricist. The cast is excellent and perfectly suited to the piece, and yet, despite not being overwhelmed by it, I could not stop listening to it. At length, I concluded that it is the story and the nonchalant, carefree feeling of the piece that captivated me.”

“Its perennial cleverness, which is reminiscent of nothing quite so much as Gilbert and Sullivan's better satirical operettas, has been testified to by the many revivals and influences. But this original Broadway recording has a special quality that deserves consideration all on its own, if only for the definitive rendition of its hero, by Robert Morse, its memorable performance in the heroine's part by Bonnie Scott and its stunning orchestrations.”

“The score is filled with plenty of catchy songs, and the basic idea itself is great. Dancing chairmen, singing secretaries, its wonderful. This is one of, if not the funniest musical, to ever grace the stage. The music is great and the content is a plus. Frank Loesser has done a wonderful job.”