Larry Kert - The Original Broadway Faggot : Doomed Because He Was Gay or Just Not Very Good

[quote]Jerome Robbins frequently clashed with Kert, and....

...and basically every other person he ever worked with.

He looked like he was cute back then, at least from OPs wiki link.

He kept getting cast in flops like Breakfast at Tiffany’s and La Strada.

He had his best luck after WSS as a replacement, but even that ended with Legs Diamond, another flop.

Who did he fuck to get into Company? (it would be the same person to get out of Company as the joke goes)

He was good looking when he was younger. His sister is tragic. She had such a great voice and such horrible stage fright that she could never perform in public and that cost her a career.

Jerome Robbins was a genius, but also a nasty bit of work.

Larry Kert was by far not first nor last to be very badly served by Mr. Robbins. OTOH because Jerome Robbins was such a genius people wanted to work with or for him, thus had to take rough with smooth.

OP your premise that Larry Kert' s career was somehow "doomed" because he was gay (and out) is just silly.

Broadway/musical theatre/performing arts then, before and still today is full of gays. It *might* be a problem for certain gay males for a particular role or something, but largely it's pretty much live and let live.

Tony Perkins only began getting heat about his proclivities when Hollywood beckoned with plans to make TP into a film star/heart throb.

Larry Kert was very talented, but success in the business is often various measures of talent and luck.

Larry Kert lucked out with two great roles; West Side Story and Company, that's more than a good number of actors ever get.

In his prime ....

Those old mid-century Broadway maestros like Jerome Robbins were such nasty pieces of work. I can see how they could hurt someone's career if they didn't like them personally, but that's always the risk you take in almost any profession if you want to rise to the top. But Robbins's homophobia (prompted by self-loathing) would have seemed particularly unfair.

I am astonished Larry Kert was "livid" he was not cast in the film of WSS. Almost no one in those days from the original Broadway productions were cast in the later film adaptations unless they were already proven movie stars like Ethel Merman or Rex Harrison--and Jack Warner even wanted originally to replace Harrison in the film version "MFL" with Jimmy Cagney, which is hard to imagine.

Kert had a beautiful voice right up until the end. You can find some videos of him on YouTube. Here's one of him singing Tonight from WSS with Judy Kuhn.

I think Larry just didn't have star quality. He was a terrific singer and a serviceable actor, but he wasn't a star. But he worked a lot and had a career many would envy. I'm sure he was frustrated at what he perceived his lack of success, but he had nothing to be ashamed of.

Later on...

Oh shoot, I totally forgot to post the video @ R10. Sorry!

He had "singing gay voice" on the WSS cast album. Not a very convincing heterosexual Tony, sadly.

R10

Spot on!

Larry Kert was primarily a musical theater actor and had vocal chops to back that up in spades.

LK was still a beautiful young 25 year old man when he landed role of "Tony" in WSS. His next big role wouldn't come until 1970 as "Bobby" in Company, by then he was about 40. By this time LK was aging into a gay daddy. Hot and still attractive, but maturity doesn't always lead to being cast in great roles.

Larry Kert on "What's My Line?" in 1970.

Kert had a terrific career cut short by HIV. The original Broadway faggot? Are you the original DL troll OP?

Robbins abused lots of people, everyone in fact, not just Kert.

Larry Kert is so handsome and hunky at r15. That's when he was at his peak.

Doing an act with Chita at El Morocco in 1966 (maybe this was what he picked up when Breakfast at Tiffany's crashed that same year?).

r15

Dyed black hair and a hairline arranged to emphasize it's receding.

I saw him on B'way in a musical review with John Raitt, Tammy Grimes , Lillian Gish (!) and Dick Shawn.

He really didn't have much of a star quality presence compared to Raitt and Shawn but he was a B'way legend all the same, originating the role of Tony.

I recall from Arthur Laurents' autobiography (speaking of nasty pieces of work) that Robbins was trying to do a number of Method-ish tactics with the WSS cast (e.g. actors playing members of the Jets and Sharks were told not to socialize with each other) but that he also had a lot of difficulty explaining what he wanted from individual actors in terms of their dramatic performances, so he would get frustrated and lash out.

Kert wasn't exactly the butchest performer to begin with so perhaps Robbins wanted to "tear him down to build him up", which is something he was known to do as a choreographer. Not saying that was the best approach, but there's always been a level of ruthlessness with many directors.

[quote]Not saying that was the best approach, but there's always been a level of ruthlessness with many directors.

They were geniuses and they could never work in today's climate. We will not not see that level of excellence again.

[quote] They were geniuses and they could never work in today's climate. We will not not see that level of excellence again.

I disagree.

They would have still had their genius but had been forced by conventions to be less assholic to their performers. They didn't behave like such jerks because it was necessary to their methods but because people (like you) let them get away with it.

"Assholic"?

By 1982 Larry Kert was going down that rabbit hold of cheesy IMHO.

People have to eat and keep busy I suppose, but still...

Am surprised Larry Kert wasn't offered anything with La Cage aux Folles. Clip above shows in 1982 his voice was still good, but maybe a bit to light for "Georges". Couldn't see LK doing "Albin".

[quote]They would have still had their genius but had been forced by conventions to be less assholic to their performers. They didn't behave like such jerks because it was necessary to their methods but because people (like you) let them get away with it.

You're wrong.

Today's "conventions" would have squelched their creativity. Note the dearth of it on today's Broadway. Tell me, where are the great directors, choreographers, writers?

We don't have dancers today with even an ounce of the ability that the greats had. Ann Reinking, Donna McKechnie, Gwen Verdon never would have been able to achieve what they did with out the ruthlessness of the great choreographers they worked with.

R27 is correct.

[quote] I saw him on B'way in a musical review

Oh, dear.

R22, because there are no jerks left in showbiz. Oh, wait, there are

R13, like Richard Beymer was super butch....

Neither Larry nor Carol Lawrence looked like teenagers .. lol They performed "Tonight" on the Ed Sullivan show in 1958.

[quote] Am surprised Larry Kert wasn't offered anything with La Cage aux Folles. Clip above shows in 1982 his voice was still good, but maybe a bit to light for "Georges". Couldn't see LK doing "Albin".

Larry actually played Georges on tour in 86/87 and was in talks to come to Broadway in the show but I believe he was either too sick to do it or they decided to close the show.

[quote]Today's "conventions" would have squelched their creativity.

Do you not realise how utterly idiotic you sound? Being told to not be an asshole to people squelches their creativity?

[quote]Tell me, where are the great directors, choreographers, writers?

Able to make more money elsewhere, such as film/TV or choreographing music tours and videos. Plus the ever-inflating costs of staging work on Broadway means less producers are willing to take chances and play it safe. But you already knew all that, you just wanted to pretend that people have to be allowed to be cunts to their workers for creative purposes.

Can you imagine Jerome Robbins or Arthur Laurents working with Sara Porkalob?

Kert worked fairly steadily on Broadway. DId a ton of flops. Two not mentioned yet were A FAMILY AFFAIR, Hal Prince's first show as a director, and RAGS, later in his career.

Imagine if Bob Fosse's motto had been "Be Kind".

"Today's "conventions" would have squelched their creativity. Note the dearth of it on today's Broadway. Tell me, where are the great directors, choreographers, writers?

We don't have dancers today with even an ounce of the ability that the greats had. Ann Reinking, Donna McKechnie, Gwen Verdon never would have been able to achieve what they did with out the ruthlessness of the great choreographers they worked with."

One huge reason for the "dearth" of talent or whatever in performing and other arts today is that HIV/AIDS epidemic wiped out one, two perhaps even three generations of actors, dancers, choreographers, writers and so on

R33

Thank you for that bit of information.

La Cage '87ish Tour - Larry Kert/Harvey Evans

La Cage aux Folles - 80s Tour Cast - With You on My Arm - Harvey Evans, Larry Kert

Arthur Laurents Will Not Go Quietly BY MICKEY RAPKIN Out Magazine

Q: How did you feel when Jerome Robbins called Larry Kert a faggot?

A: I was angry. A lot of people were angry because Jerry was humiliating Larry. But people who didn't live then didn't know what it was like. You had to live with a lot you didn't like.

Larry had a very dry spell after replacing Bert Convy in the original production of Cabaret in the late 60s. He left New York and moved to California. According to Hal Prince:

"I had gotten Larry Kert to be his [Dean Jones] standby long before we ever left for out-of-town tryouts. I didn't have in mind that he would replace Dean, what I planned was for Larry to play the national company. Larry was a guy who was selling dogs in California and I felt that he should get the hell out of there and back into the theater where he belonged. So Larry replaced Dean... "

LA Times 1988 interview with Larry Kert as La Cage national tour landed at Long Beach Theatre.

with Madeline

From above interview:

"Another thing that’s got Kert smiling is the prospect of a six-month sojourn on the West Coast. “Nothing’s happening in New York right now--and since I don’t have an English accent, it’s hard to get a job on Broadway,” he said. “I’d like to come out here and be an actor. I’m a singer-actor who moves--I’m not really a dancer--but for a long time I wore a shingle around my neck that said ‘Singer.’ Now I’m starting to feel confident about myself as an actor.”

Oh what might have been... Larry Kert died just three years after that interview.

It simply wouldn't be one of my fabulous, exclusive cocktail parties without Mr. Larry Kert gracing us with his presence!

Chatter on that bus and truck La Cage tour posted on Broadway world from those who were there.

[quote] Can you imagine Jerome Robbins or Arthur Laurents working with Sara Porkalob?

I'd love to imagine this. The swine would be deservedly tossed out like yesterday's eggroll.

I've never heard of this guy before, but he is very attractive. I love the "70s Daddy" look at R14.

I've never actually seen Company, though I know a number of the songs, all of which I think are great. I wish I could find a good version of it to watch (I assume the original was never filmed?). Some of the newer versions of songs don't sound as good as the originals to me, but that could just be due to exposure/what I heard first, etc.

Can someone tell me - is it meant to be subtext in the show that Bobby might be gay? I know he has a number of girlfriends, and I think even fucks them during the show, but I still wondered. In "Being Alive" he's only searching for "someone" after all.

Interview from 2011 with Ron Pullen, Larry Kert's longtime partner.

From Find A Grave

Interview with his partner for 19 years, Ron Pullen as part of a feature on AIDS.

So what you all are saying he was "good," but not "good enough" for the big time.

His sister had a decent career considering her inability to perform publicly

r47 what a great photo, it really captured a moment in time.

Miss Arlene Francis was certainly the hostess with the mostest!

happy endings

[quote] So what you all are saying he was "good," but not "good enough" for the big time.

Not at all. Larry was another generation's version of, say, Howard McGillin or Brian Mitchell Stokes, someone who had a wonderful voice, was a journeyman performer on Broadway, but was not a "star." And there is zero shame in that. If you really look at Larry's career, he worked until he no longer could. Was it always on Broadway? No, but for performers of his time, there were so many other outlets to work, starting with the summer stock circuit, concerts, game shows, etc. Larry was a name of sorts and he was able to exploit that name at a certain level, and got to play a good number of varied roles. Maybe not at the top echelon, but he was rarely without work.

[quote]Brian Mitchell Stokes

Oh, dear.

Larry Kent actually worked and had a life while OP accomplished nothing but will die the same way. Sad.

[quote] Brian Mitchell Stokes

Oh good lord, I can't believe I did that! I have no excuse.

Richard Kiley

Richard Kiley's voice was magnificent.

Harvey Evans, now there's a life story worth telling.

A true Broadway lifer who worked pretty much up until day he died; one of his final appearances was in film remake of "West Side Story" where he played a security guard at Gimbles.

Rarely cast in lead or starring roles, Harvey Evans none the less seemingly was everywhere.

Harvey Evans was hot as fuck in his prime.

Larry and Harvey were legends, and role models for all us gay kids in the theater. They had iconic shows on their resumes, and worked with all the greats. Sure, I wish they were both household names -but the had careers most of us could only dream of.

And they were both hot as fuck.

r64, indeed.

Harvey Evans had an impressive C.V.

Celebrating Broadway great Harvey Evans with Chita Rivera & Sandy Duncan!

Young Mr. Kert on a famous episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents.

As wont to happen those starting this thread and similar just don't have a clue, whereas those who often respond, well do.

While being a "triple-threat" is often ultimate goal for many actors in musical theatre, not everyone does all three equally well. Be it due to natural talent or whatever some actors are just better at one and not so good to passable at rest.

Larry Kert had a fantastic instrument, there's no denying his vocal chops. OTOH even his then peers and others still today would say is acting and dancing skills weren't always up to par. "Wooden" and "stiff" are two commonly used words to describe one or both.

R69, saw that episode! He co-starred with Diana Dors in that. He was pretty good in it

I loved the Penny Worth interview, r64. What a wonderful life she's created for herself.

Here ya go R71

Cast and crew on location in New York City for the filming of WEST SIDE STORY. Pictured includes: Tony Mordente, Harvey Evans, Tucker Smith (seated), Susan Oakes, Jerome Robbins, Bert Michaels, and David Winters, and Jose De Vega (back to camera)