Stars in Your Eyes

Stars in Your Eyes was Dorothy’s second book musical, and her first project after she returned to New York for married life with second husband Eli Lahm. The creative process was a troubled one, with the show’s original conception being radically altered by director Joshua Logan, who removed the left-wing political comment which had originally featured strongly. Songs were cut and replaced, and the piece emerged as a lively romantic comedy taking place in Hollywood. Some serious songs remained, such as the rueful, resigned I’ll Pay The Check, delivered by Ethel Merman. The cast was a great asset, featuring not only Merman but Jimmy Durante; the pair had a show-stopping number in It’s All Yours, during which they repeatedly interrupted the chorus with wisecracks, jokes and ad-libs. If It’s All Yours was a throw-away number, but some of the other numbers represented Dorothy’s first foray into writing lyrics integrated with the characters and plot of a show. The show was moderately well received by critics, but lasted less than four months.