Movies - 1776

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	Movies - 1776

1776 is the title of a 1969 Broadway musical and its 1972 film version. Peter Stone wrote its book and Sherman Edwards its music and lyrics. Peter H. Hunt directed both the original Broadway production and the movie. Both the stage version and the film feature William Daniels as John Adams, Ken Howard as Thomas Jefferson, and Howard Da Silva as Benjamin Franklin. (Rex Everhart replaced Da Silva on the original Broadway cast album.) 1776 won the 1969 Tony Award for Best Musical, for Best Featured Actor in a Musical (for Ronald Holgate as Richard Henry Lee), and for Best Direction of a Musical. It was also nominated for the Tony Awards for Best Featured Actress in a Musical (for Virginia Vestoff as Abigail Adams) and for Best Scenic Design.

1776 was revived in 1997, with Brent Spiner as Adams, Pat Hingle as Franklin, and Paul Michael Vallee as Jefferson. The revival was nominated for the Tony Awards for Best Revival of a Musical, Best Direction of a Musical and Best Featured Actor in a Musical (for Gregg Edelman as Edward Rutledge).

Plot

Although it tells the story of what happened at the Continental Congress in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1776 leading up to the signing of the United States Declaration of Independence, and it accurately portrays the serious personal and political issues at stake -- frequently in the characters' own words, written by them at the time -- it remains a musical comedy. The play has often been criticized for straining too hard for historical accuracy instead of exercising literary license when that would help the plot or presentation along.

The 1972 film version was marred by controversy as then President Richard Nixon successfully lobbied his friend, producer Jack L. Warner, to cut the song "Cool, Cool, Considerate Men" from the film release because he believed it to be an attack against the Republican Party. The song was restored in the 2003 DVD release of the film as well as on the earlier laserdisc release.

Musical Numbers

This list is based on the original cast recording listings

#Overture
#Sit Down, John
#Piddle, Twiddle and Resolve / Till Then
#The Lees of Old Virginia
#But, Mr. Adams
#Yours, Yours, Yours
#He Plays the Violin
#Cool, Cool, Considerate Men
#Momma Look Sharp
#The Egg
#Molasses to Rum
#Is Anybody There?
#Finale

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Movies - 1776

Plot

Musical Numbers

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