Lorna Luft was in the running to play Iola Boylan in “Mama’s Family”

She wazsh NOT.

That wasz Marilyn Maye!

God no.

Thank God we were spared the “Iola was molested” subplot.

“Iola liked green, but I like blue!”

She almost had it, too but Beverly Archer came in and everyone agreed she was too hilarious not to cast.

Well let me tell you about a few things that are worse than molestation.

She was already in “Mama’s” family.

[quote]Iola liked green

Iola liked pink.

She claims to have almost been cast as Grizabella in Cats too.

I wanted to be molested….by Vint.

With her in the role it would look like Iola was spending all day at the Food Circus trying free vittles.

Hi Vint! wryly Naomi.

Lorna is fabulous!

Luft's book details her experience with Cats. Supposedly she was given a vocal coach to work with for months so she assumed she had the role. Then she read in the papers that Betty Buckley had been cast.