Supporting Roles
Men - M thru Z

Mr. Mamales, assistant choreographer during the 1963 season, has soloed with the San Francisco Ballet, and was lead dancer with the Brooklyn Ballet, and Radio City Music Hall as well as with the Pittsburgh Civic Opera and the Kansas City Starlight Theatre. A graduate of the University of Utah, Mr. Mamales was Pepe in the Music Circus' 1962 production of "West Side Story," and has regularly danced major roles at the Music Circus during the 1961 and 1962 seasons.

Joe E. Marks was in show business starting in 1910 as an actor and variety performer. He started his theatrical career with the Gus Edwards' "School Days Show" and has been going strong ever since. For over twenty years, he was a star comedian in burlesque, often co-billed with the likes of Bert Lahr and Leon Errol.

His other most famous roles were Pappy Yokum in "Lil Abner" on Broadway and in the film version and Captain Hook's craven sidekick, Smee, in Mary Martin's "Peter Pan." He has made TV commercials and cartoons, has appeared in operettas, and has been heard on countless radio shows. Mr. Marks was the star of a daily children's television show with the whimsical title of "Mr. Wumpy in Giggle Land."

Michael Maule of Durban, South Africa, has danced on Broadway in "Annie Get your Gun" and "Love Life." He has partnered some of the world's greatest ballerinas and appeared at the Music Circus through the courtesy of the Metropolitan Opera Ballet.

Provincetown, Mass. produced Mr. Morea, and he attended both Boston University and Harvard in Beantown. Auditioning for the chorus of "The Golden Apple" at the York Theatre in New York, he was cast in the principal role of Menelaus under director Robert Turoff. Playing a 60-year-old at age 22 presented its problems, as agents would not believe he was not an older man, but someone from David Merrick's office saw the show, and offered him a role in the touring company of "Irma La Douce," so he took to the road.

Three revues in Boston seasoned him for that medium, and he went on to do club work at The Duplex, Showplace, and The Roaring Twenties, in N.Y. He is a student of Berghof Studio, and stock engagements have been at Provincetown, the Bar Harbor Summer Theatre and the Charles Street Playhouse in Boston.

Mr. Morton left the off-Broadway hit, "Riverwind," to perform at the Music Circus for the 1963 season. His stage debut was in a tour with Tallulah Bankhead, Joan Blondell, and Estelle Winwood in "Crazy October," and in New York he has played in "Say, Darling" and "Come Out, Carlo". He toured in "West Side Story," and summer stock plays include "Tall Story," "The Reluctant Debutante," and "Bus Stop" as well as musicals.

He is Kentucky born, Northwestern educated, and studied with Lee Strasberg. He has played nightclubs from St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands to San Francisco, including the Blue Angel and Julius Monk's in New York. With Hal Holbrook and singer Lovelady Powell, he started the first of the Upstairs supper clubs in New York.

This was Leroi Operti's first appearance at Music Mountain. A Broadway veteran he appeared in 40 productions in New York including some seventeen Shakespearean plays. He was in "The Mad Woman of Chaillot," "Make A Wish," the touring production of "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn," and the revival of "Peter Pan." On television he was seen on Omnibus, Studio One and the Kraft shows.

Pierson, who was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York originally played the role of Marko in the original Broadway production of "Stalag 17," and was tapped by director Billy Wilder for the role in the 1953 motion picture production. Other Broadway appearances included in "High Button Shoes," "Make Mine Manhattan," "Reuben, Reuben," and in a national touring company of "The Odd Couple." Pierson, who was well recognized by his distinctive, raspy delivery, also appeared in the Off Broadway production "Smile, Smile, Smile." After Wilder brought him to Hollywood, he appeared in films such as Operation Madball and Fun with Dick and Jane (1977).

Pierson enjoyed a busy career in television and film, a career which spanned four decades from the 1950s through the 1980s, which included appearances on such TV shows such as Studio One and Kraft Theatre, The Jackie Gleason Show, All In The Family, One Day At A Time, Diff'rent Strokes, The Facts Of Life in addition to his role as Dean Travers on Three's Company.

Pierson died from respiratory failure in Newton, New Jersey. He had been residing for years at the Valley View Care Center in Newton due to declining health.

Source: wikipedia.org/

Barry Robins began his long career in childhood after receiving singing and acting lessons. He went on to appear in a number of Broadway musicals during the '60s. Robins also worked on television and appeared in the film Bless the Beasts and Children. Word of his fine performance, as the Crown Prince, in "The King and I" in Chicago, in 1963, reached Richard Rodgers and Mr. Rodgers subsequently invited him to repeat the role in 1964 at the newly built New York State Theatre in Lincoln Center. A native New Yorker, he made his debut as Little Jake with Ginger Rogers in a Pittsburgh production of "Annie Get Your Gun" and then appeared in "Fanny" at the Meadowbrook Dinner Theatre.

Source: movies2.nytimes.com/
Source: Music Circus Playbill.

Doug Rogers, first important New York assignment was in "Laffing Room Only". Then after a stint in the army it was "Oklahoma!," "All For Love," "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes," and "Meet the People." His television shows include the Jackie Gleason and the Arthur Murray programs. His Broadway credits include:
"The Night That Made America Famous," (choreographer) Feb 26, 1975 - Apr 5, 1975;
"How to Be a Jewish Mother," (choreographer) Dec 28, 1967 - Jan 13, 1968; and
"Copper and Brass" (the role of Slam) Oct 17, 1957 - Nov 16, 1957

Source: movies2.nytimes.com/
Source: Music Circus Playbill.

Mr. Sevier is by his own admission a Tennessean to the core; a native of Chattanooga he attended the University of Chattanooga and the University of North Carolina. He worked in Tennessee political campaigns, also touring with Senator Kefauver in the 1948 campaign, and was sergeant-at-arms in the Tennessee legislation before beginning his theatrical career in 1952.

His first professional role was in "Horn in the West," Kernmit Hunter's outdoor drama in the Smokey Mountains, and New York first saw him when he entered "Destry Rides Again" to sing the Prologue and play the role of Claggett. For three years he was in residence at the Papermill Playhouse playing a number of straight roles and then worked with the National Opera Company as production manager, singer and stage director, including in his repertoire Don Pasquale, and Martha.

A native of Pittsburgh, Kansas, Mr. Shafer made his debut in the musical "At Home Abroad," and the following season found him in "The Show Is On," with Beatrice Lillie and Bert Lahr. Then came "Hooray For What," starring Ed Wynn. In 1939, he first appeared with the St. Louis Municipal Opera, the first of a long series of musical stock appearances over the years. He created the leading role of Rikard in "Song of Norway," and named his son Rik in honor of that show. He was the original Joe Boyd in "Damn Yankees," and also played the role in the movie. In 1962 he appeared in a Lambs Club production of "Paint Your Wagon," playing Ben Rumson, originally created by James Barton.

Mr. Shelton left "My Fair Lady" after five years and two months of touring in the role of Freddie, and after singing "On the Street Where You Live" more than two thousand times. He played opposite seven different Elizas and eight different Higginses including Julie Andrews, Anne Rodgers, Rex Harrison and Brian Ahern. He had understudied the role for a year on Broadway.

His Broadway credits include the Giancarlo Menotti Pulitzer Prize opera "The Saint of Bleeker Street," which he also repeated on TV for the NBC Opera. He appeared in "By the Beautiful Sea," "Wish You Were Here," and City Center's "Wonderful Town." At Dallas, Valley Forge and other musical theatres he has essayed a variety of featured and starring roles. He holds a Bachelors degree in music from Willematic University and a Masters degree in voice from the U. of Michigan. Televiewers have seen him in "Madame Butterfly" on NBC Opera, and on the Ed Sullivan Show.

Mr. Shelton is probably best remembered for creating the role of Daddy Warbucks in "Annie" in 1977. He was also seen in "Oh What a Lovely War" (1965), "Canterbury Tales" (1969), "The Rothchilds" (1972), and "1600 Pennsylvania Avenue" (1976).

Mr. Shelton died of a stroke in Portland, OR on June 8, 1997, at the age of 72.

Among the many supporting roles Mr. Shoaf has played at the Music Circus both in 1962 and 1963 is that of Floyd in "Fiorello," and he had previously toured the U. S. in "Once Upon a Mattress" with Buster Keaton and Dody Goodman. Once soloist with the National Chorus of America, he has been seen on television on the Arthur Godfrey Show and Ford Startime. One of his favorite singing roles is Lun Tha in "The King And I," which he has performed in Toronto, and elsewhere.

Max was active as a director and performer at the Little Theater of Gastonia in NC in the late 1970s and early 1980s in such productions as "The Mousetrap," "I Do, I Do," "Kiss Me Kate," and "Gigi." He also served as choir director in many local churches.

Photo courtesy of Jim Chandler

After receiving his degree from the University of Maryland, Mr. Shurr attended the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York, and while there, acting in a play opposite Joanne Woodward, he was cast in the Phoenix Theatre's first show, "Madame, Will You Walk," starring Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy. He has appeared on the New York stage in revivals of "Kiss Me Kate" and "Finian's Rainbow," followed by "Hit The Trail," "The Time of Your Life" and "Carnival!"

His performances on television include such shows as Perry Como, Jackie Gleason, Ed Sullivan, Firestone and Steve Alien. Ginger Rogers featured his talents in her Las Vegas night-club act and Mr. Shurr has staged and choreographed productions off-Brodway, in stock and for industry. As performer or choreographer, he has participated in over 100 shows. Gower Champion, director of "Carnival!" on Broadway, appointed him dance captain, and besides being stand-by for James Mitchell as Marco in the original Broadway show opening in 1961, he later starred in the role with Anna Maria Alberghetti. A bright spot in his career is a three-week period in which he taught dancing to Marilyn Monroe.

After Mr. Stanton graduated from Washington State College, he was in the Paramount-Publix Vaudeville as well as the Keith-Orpheum vaudeville circuits for several years, after which he became a member of the NBC staff in San Francisco, working as singer-actor-announcer for over eight years. He then free-lanced in motion pictures, radio, recording, and television in Hollywood, appearing in Hallmark, "I Led Three Lives ," "My Little Margie ," and others. He sang in Jimmy Doolittle's production of "Vagabond King" in the Hollywood Bowl.

Moving to New York in 1953, he was regularly employed with the television dramatic shows. He toured with the national company of "Damn Yankees," after which he appeared on "Omnibus ," "Phil Silvers ," "Young Dr. Malone ," and other TV shows. In 1962 he was in an off-Broadway musical, "Madame Aphrodite" and he has done many seasons of musical stock, most recently at the Meadowbrook Dinner Club.

William C. Smith has appeared in three previous productions of "Show Boat" at the Music Circus. On Broadway he has appeared in "Porgy and Bess," "Lost in the Stars," "Memphis Bound," and "Carib Song."

Swen Swenson (January 23, 1930 - June 23, 1993) from Inwood, Iowa, trained with dancer Mira Rostova and at the School of American Ballet. He appeared in movies and on television variety shows, including Your Show of Shows and The Ed Sullivan Show. Swenson died in 1993 of AIDS-related illness. Openly gay, he had featured and co-starring roles on Broadway in such musicals such:
"Can-Can" revival, as Hilaire Jussac Apr 30, 1981 - May 3, 1981
"The American Dance Machine" Jun 14, 1978 - Dec 3, 1978
"Ulysses in Nighttown" Mar 10, 1974 - May 11, 1974
"Molly" Nov 1, 1973 - Dec 29, 1973
"A Joyful Noise" Dec 15, 1966 - Dec 24, 1966
"Little Me" Nov 17, 1962 - Jun 27, 1963
"Wildcat" (Oney) Dec 16, 1960 - Jun 3, 1961
"Destry Rides Again" Apr 23, 1959 - Jun 18, 1960
"Bless You All" Dec 13, 1950 - Feb 24, 1951
"Great to Be Alive!" Mar 23, 1950 - May 6, 1950.

When Mr. Tudor joined Equity in 1929, he played in Victor Herbert's revivals at the then Jolson Theatre—in "Sweethearts" and then as Lt. Rene in "Mlle. Modeste" with Pritzi Scheff—which was such a success that it moved to the Casino Theatre and then toured. Prior to that, Mr. Tudor had played with the American Opera Company, doing what was then an innovation, operas in English, including "The Marriage of Figaro," "Martha," "Faust," etc.

After a year of operatic vaudeville, Mr. Tudor starred in a series of musicals. Some of the many include "Revenge With Music," "Up in Central Park," "Miss Liberty," and "Flahooley," and he has been featured in over one hundred roles in musical stock at such theatres as St. Louis Municipal Opera, Louisville Amphitheatre, Indianapolis Starlight, Detroit Melody Theatre (as director,) Cohasset, Highland Park and Cleveland, as well as the Lamberville Music Circus. For industry, Mr. Tudor has performed for General Motors, Packard, Dodge, and Standard Oil. and his list of television credits include both singing and acting roles.

Actor-director Munroe Wade appeared at the Music Circus in a variety of roles in 1961, 1963, and 1963. A veteran member of the Princeton University Players, he also took part in the New Jersey Lincoln Centennial in Trenton in 1961. He has directed the Pennington Players, the Savoyards of Princeton, the Childrens' Theatre Project of the Junior League of Trenton, and has directed films and recordings for the Commission on Human Relations in Philadelphia.

He is the author of the book and lyrics of three original musical comedies produced in Princeton's McCarter Theatre, and in 1930 he co-authored the Princeton Triangle Show with Joshua Logan. He is coordinator of McCarter Guild and on the board of advisers of the McCarter Theatre in Princeton.

Hal Warren sang with the NBC Symphony, N. Y. Philharmonic, Chicago and Boston Symphony orchestras.

Mr. Warren returned to the Music Circus as its Stage Manager in 1958, 1959, and 1962.