Rare Broadway poster including the name of Joseph Campanella, who was replaced by Barry Nelson before opening night
Cactus Flower is a farce by Abe Burrows. It
played for years on Broadway before being adapted into a 1969 film.
Based on the play Fleur de cactus by Pierre Barillet and Jean-Pierre Gredy, the comedy focuses on the relationship
between young, wild Toni and her older, married lover Julian, a dentist. Convinced the two have no future together, Toni attempts
suicide, and a guilt-ridden Julian rashly proposes he leave his wife so the couple can be
together. However, Julian has never revealted to Toni that his "marriage" is actually an elaborate lie concocted to keep Toni at
arm's legth. Toni refuses to break up his household without first meeting and talking with Julian's soon-to-be-ex, so Julian
enlists the aid of his shy spinster assistant Stephanie to pose as his non-existent wife.
Complications arise when Toni decides the two must find her a new beau so everyone concerned can live happily ever after.
After two previews, the Broadway production, directed by Burrows, opened on
December 8 1965 at the Royale Theatre, where it ran for two years and nine months before transferring to the
Longacre, for a total run of 1234 performances. The original cast included
Lauren Bacall, Barry Nelson, Brenda Vaccaro, and Burt Brinckerhoff. Lloyd Bridges,
Kevin McCarthy, and Betsy Palmer were replacements
later in the run.
Both Vaccaro and Brinckerhoff were nominated for Tony Awards for their featured
performances.
I.A.L. Diamond adapted the play for a 1969
feature film version directed by Gene Saks.
External links
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