Some sources, including The Best Plays of 1968-1969, list the date on which Celeste Holm replaced Susan Hayward as March 10, 1969, but others list February 20, 1969. March 10 is clearly incorrect (for reasons explained below), and February 20 seems unlikely to be exactly correct, although it may be close.

A report that appeared in newspapers on February 19, 1969, stated that Hayward had withdrawn and that her understudy, Betty McGuire, was taking over. The article also stated that Holm was already in Las Vegas and had started rehearsals to take over soon. Since Holm had already played the role for two weeks on Broadway while Angela Lansbury was on vacation and then had starred the first national tour, she probably would not haved needed much rehearsal. Still, this version ran 98 minutes with substantial cuts from the version that Holm had played, changes that she said in an interview required real adjustments from her, and so it seems likely that she took over a bit later than February 20.

A report that appeared in newspapers on March 4, 1969, stated that Holm had taken over and had played several performances.

It was also reported that Hayward had missed more than 40 performances, and that doctors had told that she would do permanent to her vocal cords if she tried to continue in the role.

Although we have not been able to determine the exact dates on which Hayward played her last performance, McGuire took over temporarily, and Holm took over for the rest of the run, it is clear that McGuire took over around or just before February 19 (after having already played a number of performances), and that Holm took over by early March (and at least a week before March 10).


This production was a "tab" version of the show, running around 98 minutes and performed without intermission. It was usually (or perhaps always) performed twice a night.


Theatre World for the 1968-1969 season mistakenly stated that the production "Opened at Caesar's Palace, Las Vegas, Friday, Dec. 27, 1968, and [was] still touring May 31, 1969." This production was not part of a tour, and it closed on April 2 (or possibly April 3), 1969.


Nat Brandwynne's Orchestra, the orchestra in residence for the Circus Maximus at Caesar's Palace, played for the production. Donald Pippin was listed as the musical director, but he didn't conduct as he was conducting Dear World at the time. 

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