Kiss Me, Kate
1958: George Schaefer
It’s hard to say whether this should be considered an adaptation of The Taming of the Shrew or something else: it’s the classic Cole Porter musical about a production of The Taming of the Shrew (more or less) in which the principal actors (Fred Graham and Lilli Vanessi) resolve their own peculiar differences following the breakup of their marriage.
This musical is the source for a number of phenomenally successful songs in their day (“Wunderbar”, “It’s Too Darn Hot”, etc.), and was perhaps the high point of Porter’s musical career (though others might debate such an assessment). Of particular interest here, it’s the source of the very funny “Brush Up Your Shakespeare”, which makes glancing and irreverent reference to a majority, if not all, of Shakespeare’s plays.
This version was made for television, and came out a few years after the remarkably successful Howard Keel version of 1953, and it has apparently been largely eclipsed. One can occasionally find it, I believe, though it is hard to track down in retail format.
Bill Calhoun (Lucentio): Bill Hayes
Frederick Graham (Petruchio): Alfred Drake
Gromio: Lee Cass
Gunmen: Harvey Lembeck
Gunmen: Jack Klugman
Harrison Howell: Paul McGrath
Harry Trevor (Baptista): Robinson Stone
Hattie: Eva Jessye
Hortensio: Jerry Duane
Lilli Vanessi (Kate): Patricia Morison
Lois Lane (Bianca): Julie Wilson
Paul: Lorenzo Fuller
Ralph: Lee Richardson