Thread by @BCDreyer

Goodbye to Dawn Wells, who was charming.

We are told that it was by Bob Denver's insistence that "and the rest" was changed to "the Professor and Mary Ann," and that when the studio balked at rerecording the song he said "Include them or remove me."

I did not know that Dawn Wells had her turn as the lead in They're Playing Our Song on Broadway. (And I read just now that she spent years touring the country in musicals.)

I can find no photos, so I offer instead this shot of Julie Newmar and Tina Louise backstage at Li'l Abner.

Harold Hecuba, ladies and germs. Mr. Harold. Hecuba.

Just by the way: In 1998, Julie Newmar re-created her 1956 Li'l Abner role, Stupefyin' Jones, in the City Center Encores! concert staging, in her original costume, and it was as charming as it was weird.

(Lea DeLaria played Stubby Kaye, and she was amazing.)