Mary Martin, Broadway legend

South Pacific. The Sound of Music. Peter Pan. As the star of these classic Broadway musicals, Mary Martin captivated theater audiences with her impish persona and magnificent voice. Now biographer Davis fills a major gap in theater history, moving beyond Martin's own 1976 memoir to provide the first book-length portrait of the theater icon, spanning her lifetime to reveal facts about her childhood, marriages, and friendships--as well as artistic collaborations that included the likes of Rodgers and Hammerstein, Cole Porter, and Elia Kazan. Davis traces Martin's numerous appearances on Broadway, in touring productions, and on television, showing how--through hard work and persistent optimism--she built a career that lasted nearly fifty years and earned her the adoration and respect of fans and colleagues alike. This biography also offers rich insights into theater history, including accounts of how various productions were developed.--From publisher description.