Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella: 45th Anniversary Celebration

For many a Baby Boomer too young to have seen Julie Andrews in the 1957 Rodgers & Hammerstein television musical Cinderella, this 1965 color remake—which was rebroadcast eight times over the next decade—became a childhood favorite. A teenage Lesley Ann Warren was cast as Cinderella after playing a supporting role in Broadway’s 110 in the Shade the previous season; her Prince was Stuart Damon, and the stellar supporting cast included Ginger Rogers, Walter Pidgeon, Jo Van Fleet, Pat Carroll, Celeste Holm, and Barbara Ruick. Join us for a special anniversary screening and panel discussion.

A Special Moment at the Reunion

During the Q&A, someone asked what happened to the glass slippers from the program? We all know that Dorothy’s ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz are in the Smithsonian. The answer was no one knew where they were. But Lesley shared this lovely story about the crown…
 
The costume designer on the show gave the crown to his friend who was starting a costume shop somewhere in Vermont. So for years, the crown was in the shop’s front window. The owner eventually retired, and the crown ended up on eBay. Lesley’s husband, Ron Taft, bought it unbeknownst to her, and then he surprised Lesley for her birthday with the crown and photo within the glass case (see below).