Angela Lansbury: Drunk But Beautiful
What? You’ve never heard of Angela Lansbury’s worst show-biz outing of all time? I’m speaking ’bout the 1971 musical “Prettybelle.” Written by Jule Styne and Bob Merrill, the show concerns a Southern woman who, long abused by her recently deceased law officer husband, turns to alcohol for comfort, and becomes a nymphomaniac prostitute. The show opened and closed at the Shubert Theater in Boston: Broadway was spared this travesty, although it might have been a kick for New York’s disaster queens to have heard Angie sing the classic “When I’m Drunk I’m Beautiful,” a sentiment which is true only if you, too, are drunk. Sample lyric, drawled by Miss Lansbury, who’s gotta Southern accent like I’ve gotta Southern accent: “When I belt a little juice/I’m just all nice and loose.” Sheesh.
