Nancy Walker appeared in countless Broadway shows beginning with Best Foot Forward in 1941 and making her last Great White Way bow as Julia in The Cocktail Party in 1968. However, to the best of my knowledge, nudity was not one of her specialties.
Nancy Walker at a recording session.
That’s why I was more than surprised when I learned that there was one occasion in which it played a role. In the summer of 1965, I got my first professional dance job at the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera, doing seven musicals—initiation by fire.
Once the season was in full swing, several of the male dancers became friendly with Tom Bate, the production stage manager. He was a wonderful and kind character actor from New York, with a deep voice and a somewhat affected English accent. He spent his summers working in Pittsburgh.
After the show, he frequently entertained us at his apartment with engaging and amusing stories. He informed us that Joan Crawford, herself, had called to say that she was making Pepsi Colas available free of charge to all performers for the season. Years later, I wondered if this giveaway was in any way related to her warning the Pepsi board of directors, “Don’t fuck with me, fellas.”
But it was his story about Nancy Walker that resonated most for me. Three seasons earlier, the actress had been engaged to play Ruth in Wonderful Town. During an on-stage costume call with the entire company, she yelled out to the production staff, “If you think I’m wearing these rags, baby, you’re nuts,” and she stormed off.
A few minutes later she returned to the stage. “Since you refuse to provide a decent costume, I’ll just wear this.” She was completely naked. Aghast and hyperventilating, Tom said, “Miss Walker! RRReally, Miss Walker, I simply must insist. . .” Before he could finish she snapped, “Oh shut up you old fruit basket.” Bounty’s “quicker-picker-upper” had her say and got her costume changed.
This story was in part excerpted from my autobiography, The Wrong Side of the Room: A Life in Music Theater. To read more stories of this type, click here to obtain a copy of the book.
