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Robert Morse (1959) in Take Me Along

 

By  Carl Swenson of Ocean Grove.  (Carl was a Broadway performer a few years ago.)

 

Paul, you just had to post a Robert Morse clip!   So I hunted down my early recording from one of my favorite B’way shows of all time, Take Me Along. A Jackie Gleason vehicle  based on Ah, Wilderness, an O’Neill comedy of all things.

I know you like B’way stuff. Since it’s O’Neill, alcohol figures in the plot of course, lol. Wonderful show with great music by Robert Merrill if you don’t know it. Great cast too! Walter Pidgeon, Eileen Herlie and Una Merkle!

Here’s Morse, playing a 16 year old at age 28 from the cast recording in 1959!   The song is called “Nine O’Clock.”

 

 

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Posted in Blogfinger Presents, Music from the Broadway stage. | Tagged Robert Morse in Take Me Along | 5 Comments

5 Responses

1. on May 27, 2025 at 7:10 pm RRS

   Many years ago, Robert Morse used to summer in nearby Deal. I would occasionally see him around the area.

   
   
2. on April 9, 2017 at 9:33 pm Blogfinger

   Reblogged this on Blogfinger and commented:

   I love this 2014 piece by former performer Grover Carl Swenson about a little known Broadway show: “Take Me Along.”

   
   
3. on May 29, 2014 at 10:08 pm Stephen Goldfinger

   I love Robert Morse from How To Succeed…”I Believe in You” will never be done with the same panache and style.

   
   
4. on May 29, 2014 at 9:23 pm Paul @Blogfinger

   Eileen reminds me that when we lived in New York City, we would walk with our two young sons on Madison Avenue in the East 70’s and 80’s. Sometimes we would turn down a certain side street lined with brownstones, and on occasion we would find Robert Morse sitting on his stoop. Like good New Yorkers, we noticed, but we never disturbed him. PG

   
   
5. on May 29, 2014 at 4:14 pm Carl Swenson (caredsbycarl.com)

   Some more on Take Me Along: Gleason is in top form, Walter Pidgeon sings (sort of) and Eileen Hurlie is simply marvelous. Even though he’d had success in a few earlier shows Morse really broke out in this show setting the stage for How To Succeed … (Also learned how to drink to excess thanks to hanging around the Great One and Pidgeon).

   Robert Merrill’s score is really fabulous. Except for one short lived NYC revival, the show isn’t done anymore. I’m told it’s because it’s too associated with Gleason. I used to perform Stayin’ Young and the reprise in musical revues. (Actually requested a few times, much to my amazement)

   
   

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