Upload and description by Michael McKenna

The magnificent failure of a musical - 1968's "Star!" - had Julie Andrews playing the life story of Gertrude Lawrence. This Robert Wise production had everything going for it - a stellar cast including Richard Crenna (as far away from "The Real McCoys" as he could possibly get), Michael Craig, Daniel Massey, and a pre- "Brady Bunch" Robert Reed. The songs were by Noel Coward, the Gershwins and Kurt Weill, and the dance direction was under the celebrated choreographer Michael Kidd. What could go wrong? Well, audiences were not used to seeing their beloved "Mary Poppins" and Maria from "The Sound of Music" - in the character of Gertrude Lawrence - swill the liquor, cuss like a trouper, and neglect her daughter in favor of her career.

For Julie, it was a "tour de force" - but for some reason audiences stayed away in droves! Even when the elephantine film was considerably trimmed and re-released as "Those Were The Happy Times" - it made little difference at the sluggish box office.

To add to the film's woes, Julie had planned to attend the premiere of "Star!" in London - but was hampered by the severe delays in the filming of her then new undertaking, hubby Blake Edwards' "Darling Lili". "The airplane that had been chartered to stand by at Heathrow Airport to fetch Julie from the Brussels location of 'Darling Lili' had never left London. The flower-packed suite booked for her at the Dorchester Hotel would not be used. At the last minute word came from Brussels that night shooting of 'Darling Lili' involving thousands of extras would keep Julie there. The Zanucks (of 20th Century Fox) were furious and blamed Blake Edwards, Paramount Pictures and professional jealousy. Crowds, both inside and outside the theater did not get the word immediately, and disbelievingly and in vain, searched for the star. They were shattered when she did not show up." (quoted from Robert Windeler's "Julie Andrews - A Life On Stage and Screen").

From the original soundtrack released on 20th Century Fox Records DTCS 5102 (Stereo) are two songs: "Someone To Watch Over Me" and "The Saga Of Jenny" (the film's most ambitious musical sequence). Julie hits the same high note at the end of "Jenny" as she does at the conclusion of "Do Re Mi"! Orchestra under the direction of Lenny Hayton.