Who do you think played the best Mama Rose in Gypsy?

Question

Ethel Merman, Bernadette Petters, Angela Lansbury? Others?

And do you think Liza will ever get a chance to play Rose?

Answer 1

I never saw Merman in the role. I was impressed with Bette Midler even though I was not expecting much. I think Bernadette was very soulful in the role. I was lucky to participate in a production way back in the 60's with Martha Raye playing Mama Rose. I was too young then to really know how good she was in the role, but she was so nice to the youngsters in the cast that I now think of her as one of the most wonderful actors I have ever worked with.

But, to finally answer your question, the best Mama Rose I ever saw was Angela Landsbury. She was in a London production in the early 70's and was astounding.

Answer 2

Ethel Merman--to the point where her style and rhythms are built into the role like DNA. Not that others don't do a great job--but even when they do, everyone is thinking to themselves "How does she compare to Merman?" Liza may get the chance some day--that'd be something to see--but frankly I think she still comes off as too vulnerable--I don't think she has the ferocious guts of steel to pull off a definitive Mama Rose. Head to head in "Rose's Turn", Merman would eat Liza for breakfast... (But yeah: second place to Bette Midler...)

Answer 3

Bette Midler played her best in (suprisingly) a TV movie about 10 years ago. Mama rose is a hard character to play, because you have to sympathize with her frustrations while at the same time hating her for her ambitions.

Liza might play her someday, but she hasn't shown any real sign of relinquishing her hold on her "sexy up front" status. Mama Rose is a role you play only when you have resigned yourself to never having another young role (Ethel Merman), or when you are so comfortable with yourself on stage that they could make you play a tree and you'd still stand out (i.e. Bernadette)

Answer 4

Ethel Merman, her voice is Mother Rose's voice.But she was Ethel Merman. No mothrt Rose.
Rosalind Russell was impressive she deserved an Oscar.
No, no way Liza, poor Liza, she can't behave herself.

Answer 5

I've only seen the filmed versions, and for my money it was Bette Midler. She brought out aspects of Mama's character that I had never seen before, especially in "Rose's Turn".

Liza, although she's got the pipes, is now too frail to play the role. She might break a hip.

Answer 6

Without a doubt the first, original and best: Ethel Merman!

Answer 7

I saw Tyne Daly play Rose on Broadway quite a few years ago and she was awesome. I think she surprised a lot of people. Have the soundtrack, too, and it's great.

I like Liza. Just saw her the other day on Ellen I think it was. If she stays healthy I think she'd make a good Rose.

Answer 8

Rosalind Russell was AMAZING as Rose in the 1961 film version of Gypsy. I'm not sure if her actual voice was used or if her songs were dubbed, but her performances were heart-wringing, tear-jerkers. Just the memory of Rosalind Russell's Rose singing "Small World" to Herbie, and, of course, "Rose's Turn," gives me the shivers. But what really picked me up, spun me around and wrung me out, was "Everything's Coming Up Roses." Normally it's thought of as such an upbeat song. But Rose singing it at the train station after June and the boys had run off, expressing both her despair and her defiance, while Herbie and Louise watched in hopeless dejection, was one of the most incredible performances in a filmed musical. She was brilliant. I adore Bette Midler and Bernadette Peters but they were both comparitively flimsy as Rose. Rosalind Russell broke my heart.

Answer 9

Bernadette Petters! All the way!

Answer 10

Ethel Merman hands down... she was awesome.... just watched my tape a couple of weeks ago!